Election Central: Pryor Attacks Cotton On Ebola Funding

Scott Inman delivers Tuesday’s Election Central Daily Brief, which begins with a new ad from Sen. Mark Pryor slamming Cong. Tom Cotton.

PRYOR, COTTON, EBOLA
A new ad in the U.S. Senate race is creating waves of controversy again.

A new Mark Pryor campaign ad opens with a montage of news clips about the Ebola virus that has spread across West Africa and killed hundreds. From there, the ad attacks Republican Tom Cotton for “voting against preparing America for pandemics like Ebola, specifically, voting to cut money from the medical disaster and emergency program.”

Cotton did vote against House Bill 307 in January 2013, known as the “Pandemic And All-Hazards Preparedness Reauthorization Act,” but he then voted for an amended version of the bill that eventually became law.

Cotton campaign spokesman David Ray responded by saying in a statement:

“Senator Pryor’s desperation is comical. In Senator Pryor’s world, he doesn’t have to take responsibility for rubber-stamping the Obama agenda over 90% of the time, but wants Arkansans to believe Tom Cotton is responsible for everything from Ebola to crabgrass and male-pattern baldness.”

You can view the ad here:

HUCKABEE ENDORSEMENT
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee put the blame of Washington gridlock at the feet of Senate Democrats on Monday.

Huckabee appeared in Little Rock to endorse Tom Cotton for U.S. Senate. Huckabee accused the Democratic-controlled Senate where Mark Pryor serves of trying to bottle things up and not even debate the ideas and put them on the floor and allow there to be a vote.

Huckabee is the latest major GOP figure to come to Arkansas to throw support behind Cotton. Former Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney and Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus have been here this month. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, head of the Republican Governors Association, is set to visit the state Wednesday.

ROSS OPENS NWA OFFICE, RESPONDS TO AD
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Ross took time during the opening of his Northwest Arkansas campaign headquarters in Springdale to blast a new television ad from the Republican Governors Association (RGA) alleging that the 2007 sale of a pharmacy in Prescott owned by Ross and his wife, Holly, for $420,000 was “a sweetheart deal” paid for by a campaign contributor to Ross’ congressional campaigns.

Ross called on his Republican opponent, Asa Hutchinson, to denounce the ad. You can read more on the subject from our content partner, The City Wire, here.

DARR REVISTIED
The Arkansas Attorney General’s office says it expects former Lt. Gov. Mark Darr to reimburse the state nearly $11,000 for improper expenses “very soon.” Darr owes the state $10,973 in improper expenses, which auditors recommended in April that he pay for misspending taxpayer funds. Ethics Commission Director Graham Sloan Says Darr has paid $7,000 of his $11,000 fine. He says Darr must pay the commission $1,000 per month and is current on his payments.

Democrat John Burkhalter and Republican Tim Griffin are vying for the Lt. Governor’s seat.

WESTERMAN GETS RIGHT TO LIFE ENDORSEMENT
Fourth District Congressional Candidate Bruce Westerman (R-Hot Springs) said he received the endorsement of the Arkansas Right to Life Political Action Committee.

In a letter, Arkansas Right to Life President Wayne Mays wrote that Westerman’s endorsement “reflects our appreciation for the strong stand you have taken as a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives on behalf of those members of our human family who are least able to protect themselves.”

Westerman faces Democrat James Lee Witt in November.