Cochran’s runoff win certified by state Republican Party

This June 24, 2014 file photo shows Sen. Thad Cochran talking to supporters at his runoff election victory party in Jackson, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) is the winner of the June 24 runoff against state Sen. Chris McDaniel (R), the state Republican Party said Monday.

In a letter accompanying vote totals to Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, (R), Mississippi Republican Party Chairman Joe Nosef certified the totals, which showed Cochran defeating McDaniel 194,932 to 187,265 -- a difference of 7,667 and a wider margin than Cochran held after the votes were initially tallied on the day of the election.

McDaniel's campaign, which signaled Monday afternoon that it was moving toward a legal challenge, said it would not give up. But a spokesman said it would not present evidence of fraud until it lodges its complaint with the state party.

"Our team will not submit evidence until we file our complaint with the State Exec. Cmte. of the Mississippi Republican Party. Rather than stifling the effort of our over 300 volunteers, Senator Cochran and his team should join Chris McDaniel in his effort to shine a light on all the allegations of criminal misconduct and rampant voter fraud over the last two weeks," said McDaniel spokesman Noel Fritsch in an e-mail. "The integrity of the party is at stake."

Cochran spokesman Austin Barbour said in a statement accompanying an updated ballot box review that the number of questioned votes is "drastically lower" than what the McDaniel campaign is alleging.

Philip Bump contributed to this post