Tolbert: Sullivan Says Cooper Mailer Is ‘Negative, Misleading and False’

Early voting began today for the primary runoff in the Jonesboro State Senate District 21 race to replace Sen. Paul Bookout who resigned.

Around 700 voters turned out with a little over 400 on the Republican side and a little over 300 in the Democratic primary.  The Election Day is November 12.  On the Republican side, the Tea Party-backed John Cooper is squaring off against businessman Dan Sullivan.  The two finished virtually tied in the three-way primary with Cooper ahead by about 3 votes.

Today, Sullivan took to Facebook to cry foul on a mailer from Cooper that he says violates Reagan’s 11th commandment.

“My opponent, John Cooper, continues to run negative, misleading and false ads. I know many of you have received those mailers and/or email fliers from his supporters. Mr. Cooper used this same tactic in his failed District 59 House race in 2012. Mr. Cooper lost to the Democrat even though thousands of dollars were spent in personal attacks,” wrote Sullivan.

The mail piece which you can view below accuses Sullivan of donating to “liberal pro-abortion candidates,” of being “in favor of extending term limits for Arkansas legislators,” of voting “in the Democratic Primary with Barack Obama on the ballot,” and of not being “endorsed by any pro-gun committees.”

Them is fightin’ words in a Republican primary!

It also hits on the reoccurring battle of who is more against the Arkansas private option.  Cooper has been clear that he opposed it, would have voted against it, and will vote to defund it.  Sullivan has also indicated he would have voted against it, but has not taken as hard of a stance as Cooper.  The mail piece quotes a Jonesboro Sun article where Sullivan says regarding the private option, “It’s the law and I support following the law and doing what it says.”

For more of a blow-by-blow on Cooper, Sullivan and the private option, check out your anti-private option headquarters at The Arkansas Project.

Meanwhile, the Cooper campaign is standing by the mailer.

“John’s campaign hasn’t said anything negative, misleading, or false during this campaign,” said Cooper’s campaign consultant Chase Duggar.

On the Democratic side, Valley View school superintendent Radius Baker faces businessman Steve Rockwell. The general election will be January 14, 2014.  Side note – the general election will be the first Arkansas election with the new voter ID laws in effect, so that might be interesting to watch.