Election Central: Senate Candidates Discuss Iraq Air Strikes

Roby Brock with Talk Business & Politics delivers Friday’s Election Central Daily Brief.

CONGRESSIONALS SPEAK TO IRAQ AIR STRIKES
Sen. Mark Pryor and Cong. Tom Cotton, both on the campaign trail today in Fort Smith. Both men touting different initiatives on their trips, but the news of the day involved their comments on the President’s action to approve air strikes in Iraq.

Pryor okay with the involvement at this time, but cautious. He tells The City Wire:

“I must say I share the concerns I think many Arkansans have about this becoming a deeper military commitment. So I know this is by nature, right now, humanitarian. And again, I think that is justified.”

Cotton was critical of the President.  He also spelled out his concerns to The City Wire:

“We have to protect our American diplomats and other personnel there, and anytime we can aid tens of thousands of religious minorities who are being persecuted by Al Qaeda with food and water, we should.”

You can read a full report on Pryor’s and Cotton’s trips to Fort Smith at this link from The City Wire.

Sen. John Boozman also weighing in on Iraq:

“I support the President and what he’s doing,” Boozman said.

By the way, Boozman starts a agricultural tour across Arkansas all next week — one of his first extensive trips since heart surgery earlier this year.

SECOND DISTRICT BACK-AND-FORTH
Earlier this week, we reported on Second District Democrat Congressional candidate Pat Hays new TV ad. He touts 24 years of balancing budgets as mayor of North Little Rock. His opponent, Republican French Hill, firing back. Hill’s campaign claims that there were two years that Hays didn’t balance a budget.

“Patrick Henry Hays launched his first television ad and tried to tout his record as a 27-year career politician. Sadly, Hays needs a reality check,” said Hill spokesman Jack Sisson.

David Furr, on behalf of the Hays campaign, disputed the unbalanced budget claims and took aim at French Hill’s cars and front yard.

“It’s nice that French Hill saves a few dollars by driving his Volvo when his BMW and Mercedes Benz are in the shop, but if French Hill were serious about cutting spending he’d start by explaining why he pushed for a tax hike in order to pay for a new sidewalk in front of his house,” Furr said.

SUNDAY TV PREVIEW
On this week’s edition of Talk Business & Politics, we’ll talk politics with bloggers Jason Tolbert and Michael Cook. KATV’s Janelle Lilley joins us on that panel, too. Plus, we’ll reveal new numbers from our Business Leaders Confidence Survey that show where more than 100 state CEOs see Arkansas heading. Randy Zook from the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and Mike Stafford with CEG Partners are our guests.

Talk Business & Politics airs Sunday mornings at 9 a.m. on KATV Ch. 7.