Any doubt that doddering, semi-somnolent Thad Cochran was a true lover of pork was put to rest yesterday. According to the Hattiesburg (MS) American, Cochran said:

he grew up playing in the country, picking pecans and doing “all kinds of indecent things with animals” in the area.

That is one helluva an admission, even in this day and age. Assuming, arguendo, that Cochran was being facetious, though with his mental faculties very much an open question he may have simply been fondly reminiscing over lost love, it demonstrates that the man is not really on the ball. He has been on a gravy train fueled by corporate cash and a good ol’ boy network and never really received a challenge nor faced scrutiny until this year.

Many signs point to Cochran’s days at the trough with his belle du jour being over. Three recent polls show Chris McDaniel building a lead over Cochran’s foundering campaign:

• Polling conducted by WPA Research indicates that McDaniel is in a strong position to win the Republican primary runoff election, leading Cochran 49-41 among likely runoff voters, an eight point lead.

• The memo highlights polling completed by Strategic National, which shows McDaniel with a majority of support, with 52% of the primary electorate and a six point lead over Cochran.

• In addition, it covers public polling performed by Chism Strategies which shows McDaniel with a majority of support at 51% and a three point lead over Cochran.

The runoff should see Cochran retired so he can spend more time with his “executive assistant” and whatever livestock he can fit in the backyard.