Notes from the Campaign Trail: Cotton PAC knocks Clarke Tucker with Pelosi ad

So much for a quiet period after Tuesday’s party primaries.

Second District Democratic Congressional nominee Clarke Tucker is getting an early taste of what’s in store for the general election, courtesy of U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.

Tucker defeated three rivals without a runoff to earn the nomination to challenge incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, this November. Already, allies of Hill are out with an ad tying Tucker to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who could be Speaker of the House if the Democrats take back the majority.

Sen. Cotton’s PAC, the Republican Majority Fund (RMF), was started to support federally elected officials of the Republican Party. It is underwriting its first ad buy – a micro-targeted, online ad on Arkansas web sites and through search engines – that drives viewers to the web site ClarkeTuckerandPelosi2018.com.

A spokesman for Cotton’s PAC says it will make a “substantial” investment in support of Congressman Hill from now through Election Day.

“While French Hill cuts our taxes and fights fentanyl drug dealers, Nancy Pelosi has handpicked Clarke Tucker to undo those tax cuts and pass mass amnesty. And if the Hollywood liberals funding Clarke’s campaign have anything to do with it, they’ll make sure he votes for the Pelosi agenda instead of one that moves central Arkansas forward. The Republican Majority Fund is going to keep Pelosi out of power by making sure that Clarke Tucker loses,” said RMF spokesman Doug Coutts.

Tucker has faced the Pelosi tie-in already since earning the nomination. Fifteen minutes after he was declared the victor in his primary, Arkansas GOP Chairman Doyle Webb said Clarke Tucker was “a Hillary Clinton-supporting Democrat for higher taxes and bigger government, and for all the same reasons Nancy Pelosi’s liberal allies support Clarke Tucker, Arkansans should oppose him.”

Tucker rebutted the Election Night charge saying leadership of both parties has “frustrated” him. “I think we need to move in a different direction,” he has said when asked about supporting Pelosi as speaker.

“It would be funny if it weren’t so sad. Anyone who produces or condones senseless propaganda like that is clearly not interested in having a real conversation about the issues affecting the people of Arkansas,” Tucker said in a statement to Talk Business & Politics regarding the Cotton PAC ad campaign.

“While Rep. Hill and other Washington Republicans seem to be interested only in D.C. politicians, I am focused entirely on what matters, the people of central Arkansas and the issues affecting us. Ensuring quality, affordable health care, improving our education system from pre-k to job-readiness, giving a pay raise to hardworking Arkansas families — that’s what I have worked on in the state legislature the last four years, and that is what’s on my mind as we run our race,” Tucker added.

MAHONY CHALLENGES WOMACK TO DEBATES
Third District Democratic Congressional nominee Josh Mahony issued a call on Thursday (May 24) for six debates with his GOP challenger, incumbent Rep. Steve Womack (R-Rogers).

“Congressman Womack has not had a Democratic opponent since 2010, so he hasn’t had the opportunity to debate the issues that face our district and our nation,” said Mahony. “That is why I’m challenging Congressman Womack to a series of 6 debates, one a month, up until November so voters can hear directly from the candidates. These debates will give voters an opportunity to hear about our values, discover where we differ, and learn about what we hope to accomplish for the people of the 3rd Congressional District. I hope Congressman Womack will give the voters what they deserve – real debates on the issues.”

Mahony’s campaign emailed a letter requesting the debates to Womack’s campaign. No word on how many, if any, debates Womack may agree to.

ASA ENDORSES PITSCH IN FORT SMITH SENATE ELECTION
There aren’t many legislative runoffs scheduled for June 19, but one of the bigger ones involves two Fort Smith candidates with legislative experience.

Republican Rep. Mat Pitsch is in a runoff for a State Senate seat against former GOP Rep. Frank Glidewell. Glidewell won a coinciding special election for the remainder of a term vacated by State Sen. Jake Files, R-Fort Smith, who resigned earlier this year after pleading guilty to federal charges, including bank fraud.

On Thursday, Gov. Asa Hutchinson endorsed Pitsch, the House Majority Leader, in the runoff race saying he had “helped Republican candidates win races all across Arkansas.”

Conventional wisdom is Pitsch would be a more reliable ally on issues such as Arkansas Works and key tax policy issues. Apparently, a buoyed Governor coming off a resounding primary victory on Tuesday night is spending some political capital.

Read more on reaction from Hutchinson, Pitsch and Glidewell at this link.

Editor’s note: ‘Notes from the Campaign Trail’ is a compilation of various political insider tidbits. It is sponsored by Campbell Ward Consulting|Communications.