‘Retire Pryor’ Or ‘The Real Tom Cotton’: Do You Know Your Senate Candidates?

In Arkansas’ high-profile U.S. Senate race, voters may just have to cast their vote for who they hate the least.

For nearly 11 months, incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor and Republican challenger Cong. Tom Cotton have traded barbs and body shots in their efforts to define the November fall match-up.

Outside groups on both sides have spent millions of dollars on TV and radio advertising.

Now, the web site wars have heated up too.

In addition to each candidate’s traditional web site — layered with campaign trail pictures, policy positions, and the ever-present instant ability to make a political contribution — there are two “anti-candidate” web sites.

RETIRE PRYOR
On Tuesday (June 24), Cotton’s campaign unveiled a new anti-Pryor web site — RetirePryor.com.

It highlights the number of days Pryor has declined to accept a debate invitation (72 days), touts an ad titled “Lie of the Year” about Obamacare, and pieces together a number of video news clips with Pryor reiterating his support for the controversial federal health care law that is central messaging in Cotton’s campaign.

It even offers bumper stickers — certain to be seen on cars across the state soon — that read “RetirePryor.com, Elect Tom Cotton.” The “O” in Pryor has a rip-off on the Obama campaign “O.”

REAL TOM COTTON
Pryor’s campaign has been aggressive with its own anti-Cotton web site — TheRealCottonRecord.com.

Active for months, that web site features a variety of Cotton votes from his one term in Congress that feed the Pryor narrative that Cotton is “reckless.”

From increasing the age limits on Medicare and Social Security to Cotton’s opposition to several measures the Pryor camp deems favorable to women — equal pay and anti-domestic violence legislation — the anti-Cotton web site plays them up.

It also features well-produced testimonial-style videos from “Linda” and “Courtney” who question Cotton’s position on women’s issues.

The airwaves have been an active space for voters to see the warfare taking place in the Senate race.  Today, the pro-Cotton conservative group, American Crossroads, launched a new anti-Pryor ad with a reported $440,000 TV ad buy.

With the latest salvos on the web — and the prediction that more is to come — there will be no escape from Arkansas’ premiere political race that will be front-and-center for the next four months.