Democrats come out hard against Tom Cotton

U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Dardanelle, has not even formally announced he will run for the U.S. Senate, but that has not stopped Democrats and his likely opponent from attacking his record and a Senate campaign that Cotton is likely to announce on Tuesday (Aug. 6).

Sen. Mark Pryor (D) is already primed to hit the airwaves with a new 60-second TV ad that raises questions about Cotton’s voting record. Cotton is poised to announce his Senate run on Tuesday at a community BBQ dinner in his hometown of Dardanelle. The race will be the most high-profile campaign in Arkansas in 2014 and will be closely watched by national partisans as the seat could determine the balance of power in the U.S. Senate.

Pryor’s new TV ad (see ad below) hits Cotton for running for higher office “just 7 months after being sworn into office,” while a graphic flashes “blind ambition.” The ad cites votes by Cotton against a version of a national Farm Bill, claims he wants to “turn Medicare into a voucher system,” and is pushing to privatize Social Security.

The ad also says Cotton voted for higher interest rates on student loans, against the violence against women act and against equal pay, and to allow insurance companies to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions, which was a fundamental component of the Affordable Care Act.

“Tom Cotton should be running – not for higher office – but running from his own record of hurting the people of Arkansas,” the narrator says. The ad is paid for by Mark Pryor for Senate.

TELEVISION PUSH
Politico reports that the Pryor campaign has purchased a $45,000 TV ad buy in the Little Rock, Fort Smith and Jonesboro media markets. It begins airing Monday night (Aug. 5).

Pryor campaign manager Jeff Weaver tells Politico, “We hope to frame the race early. People don’t know enough about Tom Cotton, I mean, he’s only been in Congress a few days. We felt that it is important let Arkansans see the real Tom Cotton. The ad will highlight what Tom Cotton has done in the short amount of time he has been in Washington.”

Cotton’s political director, Rep. John Burris, tells Talk Business that Pryor should spend his money defending his own record.

“It’s a desperate attempt by the Senator to distract the voters from his agreeing with Barack Obama 90% of the time. He should spend his money instead explaining to the voters of Arkansas why he voted for Obamacare, amnesty for illegals, and the failed stimulus program,” said Burris.

‘RECKLESS’ COTTON
Also on Monday, state Democrats launched a website, MeetTomCotton.com, that claims Cotton (R) is “too reckless for Arkansas.”

The web site, paid for by the Democratic Party of Arkansas, highlights nine issue areas connected to Cotton’s voting record and political positions. The areas include: Medicare, Social Security, women’s rights, student loans, the farm bill, disaster relief, health care, military strategy, and sanctions involving Iran.

“In seven short months, Tom Cotton has shown nothing but blind ambition as Arkansas’s newest congressman. After just 213 days in office, he’s decided to abandon the citizens of the 4th District to pursue a higher office,” said Democratic Party of Arkansas spokesperson Candace Martin.

“What has he done in those precious few days in office? Quite a bit. But none of it was good for Arkansas. He followed his blind ambition and own agenda, even alienating his fellow Republicans while voting with Washington special interests instead of listening to Arkansas’s needs. Just look at his voting record. At MeetTomCotton.com you can learn about his reckless agenda and how it has endangered the future of Arkansas families and seniors, women and students,” she added.

REPUBLICAN COUNTER
In a preview of what the remaining 15 months of the campaign may hold, Republicans were quick to counter.

“Mark Pryor is acting like a liberal politician desperate to hold onto power. After polling last week showed Pryor had the support of only 37% of voters, he has repeatedly launched negative attacks against Congressman Tom Cotton in a cynical effort to distract from his record of rubber-stamping the Obama agenda in Washington,” said David Ray, communications director for the Arkansas GOP.

“These false attacks may keep Washington liberals like Mark Pryor entertained, but they don’t do a single thing to alleviate the job losses brought on by Pryor’s votes for Obamacare, the failed stimulus, and new taxes he has burdened Arkansas’ economy with,” Ray said.

The communications wars are certain to become more heated. Monday (Aug. 5) was the first day for Pryor’s new campaign press secretary, Amy Schlessing.

Schlessing, a former war reporter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, has been working as an aide in Pryor’s office on military affairs. She will be the official press contact for the campaign going forward and is no longer on his Senate staff payroll.