‘Eyes Of The Country’ On Arkansas, Senate Candidates Say

The battle for a U.S. Senate seat may very well go through Northeast Arkansas as both major candidates spent Wednesday and Thursday, rallying their bases.

Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Arkansas, was in Jonesboro Wednesday, meeting with seniors at the St. Bernards Senior Center on Washington Avenue. His opponent, Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Dardanelle, traveled to Armorel and Paragould Thursday afternoon before talking to supporters at the Craighead County Republican headquarters in Jonesboro.

The Arkansas Poll, released Thursday, showed Cotton with a 49-36% lead over Pryor, who was elected in 2002. Those numbers indicate a larger lead than a Talk Business & Politics-Hendrix College Poll earlier this month that showed Cotton with a 49-40.5% advantage over Pryor.

Pryor said his supporters knocked on 25,000 doors statewide Oct. 25 and have knocked on 84,000 doors in recent weeks.

Cotton, along with about a dozen volunteers, spent Thursday night making phone calls to people who have not voted yet. As of Thursday night, 9,865 people had cast ballots in Craighead County, County Clerk Kade Holliday said.

In addition to the Senate race and a governor’s race between Republican Asa Hutchinson and Democrat Mike Ross, county voters have four state House, one state Senate and several county races on the ballot Tuesday.

Cotton said he believes the support of voters in the Northeast Arkansas corridor will provide the difference Tuesday.

“I need your help. You all will make the difference and it is up to you,” Cotton told supporters.

Pryor echoed the same statement Wednesday.

“Northeast Arkansas is very important to the outcome. All of the races are tight and every vote counts,” Pryor said.

MIXING IT UP
While on the campaign trail, both candidates have gone toe-to-toe on various issues.

Pryor said his experience in the Senate as well as on regional matters will resonate with voters.

“You all know me. I work in a bipartisan manner. And I have worked on issues in Northeast Arkansas,” Pryor said, citing work to keep the ROTC center at Arkansas State University open.

However, Cotton said it was Pryor’s 93% voting record with President Obama that should have people worried.

“First, I want to thank you for your support. The President has said that his policies are on the ballot this year,” Cotton said. “I am in rare agreement with that. His policies are on the ballot and their name is Mark Pryor.”

During the stop Wednesday, Pryor accused Cotton of working in a “my way or the highway” manner that would push America off the “fiscal cliff.”

Cotton said the policies implemented by Democrats have created an “immoral burden” for people to bear.

“We have to help get our economy turned around,” Cotton said. “We also need to repeal Obamacare.”

Cotton said a main focus for him, if elected, would also be to rebuild the nation’s military in light of budget cuts by the Obama administration.

Pryor said he would like to work, if re-elected, on finishing the proposed I-555 project in Craighead and Poinsett counties as well as rebuilding Social Security and Medicare.

NATIONAL INTEREST
In addition to the candidates, the national media were in Jonesboro Wednesday and Thursday to cover the race.

Chuck Todd, the host of NBC’s Meet the Press, was in Jonesboro Wednesday to interview Pryor, while Fox News national correspondent John Roberts was in Jonesboro Thursday night to interview Cotton.

Cotton said he believes there has been interest in the Senate race, in part due to people being motivated this year to make a statement.

“It is great to have the eyes of the country on Arkansas. In Arkansas, Mitt Romney had a 24-point victory two years ago. Just think how much better it would be if the rest of the nation had followed the lead of Arkansas,” Cotton said, noting he believes many of the issues that people face on a daily basis involving the economy are due to policies implemented by the President.

Pryor said he believes people are motivated to vote for Democrats.

“I want people to get out and vote. We are up [early voting] 35 percent, compared to 2010. There is a sharp contrast between me and Congressman Cotton. When you talk to people, you get a sense of how they think,” Pryor said. “I feel comfortable about next Tuesday.”

On Friday, a quartet of governors from other states will descend on Northeast Arkansas to rally for the GOP ticket, including gubernatorial nominee Asa Hutchinson and Cotton. Governors Chris Christie (NJ), Bill Haslam (TN), Mike Pence (IN), and former Governor Haley Barbour (MS) will appear in public events.

This weekend, former President Bill Clinton will hold rallies in the Delta in support of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Ross, Pryor and other members of the Democratic ticket. Clinton will appear in Texarkana, Fort Smith, Blytheville and West Memphis on Sunday.