In Northeast Arkansas, Statewide Candidates Race To The Finish

The 2014 campaign has now entered “the numbers game” as candidates and political parties work to push voters to the polls as early voting enters a second week.

Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Arkansas, who is facing Republican Rep. Tom Cotton of Dardanelle Nov. 4, was in Jonesboro Friday rallying supporters.

“We have to get as huge a vote as possible,” Pryor said of the early voting totals in the state.

Pryor spoke to reporters before going into a rally at Sue’s Kitchen on Church Street. The restaurant, in the middle of downtown Jonesboro, served as the Jonesboro police station for many years before being renovated.

Pryor said the race is “one of the most highly watched Senate races in the country” and that he believes that the voice of “Northeast Arkansas needs to be heard.”

“People know that I listen and do research,” Pryor said. “Northeast Arkansas is really pivotal and a lot of things are going on here. I expect to be back here two or three times before Election Day.”

David Ray, a spokesman for Cotton, said Cotton will be campaigning this week around the state and that Northeast Arkansas will be a big part of the campaign’s final push before Election Day.

Pryor, who was surrounded by several Craighead County Democratic candidates at the rally, said area Democrats have been busy.

Party volunteers have knocked on 40,000 doors and made 70,000 phone calls in recent weeks, trying to get their message out, Pryor said.

He said the work of volunteers has helped.

“I appreciate what you are doing. Northeast Arkansas is a vibrant area and is often overlooked by other areas of the state,” Pryor said. “I always try to meet with people here.”

Arkansas Republican Party chairman Doyle Webb was in Newport Saturday, rallying his troops, during a First Congressional District GOP convention.

“The change in Arkansas comes from the Northeast,” Webb said. “It comes from your work and it comes from your heart.”

Webb said he believes “Democratic scare tactics” will not matter this year and that his party will be victorious.

“They have a good organization. But we have just as good a one,” Webb said. “I’ll predict that Tom Cotton and Asa Hutchinson will win by double digits.”

Arkansas Democrats have served as enablers for the Obama administration, Webb said, noting he believes voters will reject those policies Nov. 4.

Overall, Webb said this year’s election has definite consequences for both sides.

“It is the most important election in my lifetime,” Webb said.

Webb said the party plans to send out a mailer Monday to 300,000 households around the state. The mailer, featuring the Republican state constitutional candidates, outlines some of the candidate’s beliefs on the issues.

“I believe we will also pick up seats in the Arkansas House and Arkansas Senate. And, Northeast Arkansas will be a heavy contributor to it,” Webb said. “Jonesboro and all of Northeast Arkansas do great things.”

The party has seen some successes at the ballot box in recent years, starting with the election of Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro, in 2010 and winning state and county races two years later, Webb said.

“He defines what a conservative is in the First District,” Webb said of Crawford, who faces Democrat Jackie McPherson in the general election.