Miss. Sen. Thad Cochran Needs Gulf Coast Comeback

Hundreds of workers arrive at sunrise at the Ingalls shipyard on the Gulf Coast, and there to greet them are a dozen campaign volunteers with fliers and signs that say, “Save our Jobs.”

In the middle is a small, white-haired man shaking the hand of anyone willing to take his own. “I’m Thad Cochran,” the 76-year-old U.S. senator said again and again. “I hope you have a nice day.”

If Cochran is to prevail Tuesday in a runoff election against Chris McDaniel, a tea party-backed challenger who came close to outright victory in the June 3 primary, he probably will need some of those shipyard workers to change their minds this time — or actually turn out and vote for him.

The Gulf Coast ought to be Cochran’s ace.

READ MORE: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/miss-sen-thad-cochran-gulf-coast-comeback-24250423