David Swerdlick, a contributing editor at the African-American news website TheRoot.com, has no problem with black Democrats who voted for veteran GOP Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi and helped defeat tea party candidate Chris McDaniel.
"My view is people acted in a completely rational, self-interest to vote for the Republican that they found least offensive in that particular election and that particular context,'' Swerdlick told "The Steve Malzberg Show" on
Newsmax TV on Monday.
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"I have no problem with people, African American voters who are primarily Democratic, participating in the Republican race if they think they're going to get a better deal from one candidate than from the other candidate.
"Cochran came across to people as a Republican that they can accept and McDaniel came across as a Republican that was unacceptable and that's why they voted that way."
Cochran narrowly won the fight against McDaniel after mainstream Republicans urged black Democrats to help him win. McDaniel has challenged the results on the possibility of voter fraud.
Swerdlick said there is a "general resentment'' that African Americans collectively made a smart move and backed Cochran.
"African Americans do think that Republicans, particularly the far right tea party version of Republicans, have made moves to try to limit the rights of African Americans to vote, not just in Mississippi but elsewhere,'' he said.
"People do think that is an effort to get black people out of the electorate and until people think otherwise that kind of campaigning is not only going to be persuasive, it rings true for a lot of people.''
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