Defeated Mississippi tea party Candidate Declares He 'Won'

State Senator Chris McDaniel, who was defeated by incumbent U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (r-Mississippi) last Tuesday in a heated primary runoff, is soldiering on. 

In an email sent to supporters Friday night, McDaniel emphasized he won the "repugican" primary — an apparent reference to Cochran openly soliciting many Democrats to vote in the runoff.

"Thank you for all your help. You've done some amazing things.  On June 3rd we won the popular vote. On June 24th we won the repugican primary election. As you might have heard, we're not quite done," McDaniel wrote.

McDaniel then asked his supporters to reach out to a law firm, which he said was in need of volunteers.

"We are in the process of trying to ensure a fair and accurate election took place on Tuesday. And we need your help," he continued. "Our team will ... direct you on what you can do to help us in this battle to ensure the integrity of our election process here in Mississippi."

However, McDaniel's efforts are widely viewed as a long-shot at best. Mississippi  Democrats who don't vote in their party's initial primary contest are allowed to participate in the repugican primary runoff.

"Saying that the McDaniel camp has a slim chance of overturning the election overstates his chances," Matt Steffey, professor of law at the Mississippi College School of Law, told the Washington Post.