ARKANSAS
      Nov. 4, 2014 U.S. Senate

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+Tom Cotton (R) 
478,819 56.50%
Mark Pryor (D) i  334,174
 39.43%
Nathan LaFrance (L)
17,210 2.03%
Mark Swaney (G) 16,797 1.98%
write-ins
 505

847,505
Registration: 1,69,577.  Total ballots cast: 852,642.
Plurality: 144,645 votes (17.07 percentage points)
 AR Secretary of State


REPUBLICAN PICK-UP
Notes:  This was one of six states Romney won by double digits in 2012 (60.6 to 36.9%) that was represented by a Democrat in the U.S. Senate; indeed Roll Call named Sen. Mark Pryor as "2014's most endangered Senator." 

Freshman U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton (R) formally announced his candidacy on Aug. 6, 2013.  A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, he served as a U.S. Army infantry officer in Iraq and Afghanistan and was a top Republican recruit.  Cotton was unopposed in the Republican primary.  Pryor, seeking a third term, likewise did not face a primary challenge.  Also running were Nathan LaFrance (L) and Mark Swaney (G).

Cotton focused much of his message on tying Pryor to Obama and Obamacare.  His first ad from Oct. 13, 2013 proclaimed, "Mark Pryor cast the deciding vote to make you live under Obamacare" and closed with a image of "Pryor with Obama" (>).

The four candidates debated on Arkansas Educational Television Network debate at the University of Central Arkansas on Oct. 13 (>), and Pryor and Cotton debated in Fayetteville, hosted by the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, on Oct. 14.

Cotton, 37, won by 17 percentage points [concession (>) and victory (>) speeches via C-SPAN].

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the Pryor campaign spent $14.6 million and the Cotton campaign $13.9 million; outside spending totaled $39.3 million (>).  The top three spenders on the Democratic side were the DSCC ($5.9 million), Senate Majority PAC ($5.6 million) and Patriot Majority USA (3.9 million) and on the Republican side NRSC ($4.0 million), Freedom Partners Action Fund ($3.9 million) and Crossroads GPS ($2.6 million).

 

 Campaign Managers:
Tom Cotton:  Justin Brasell
Owner at Triumph Campaigns in Jackson, MS since 2010.  General consultant on U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem's 2012 re-election.  Campaign manager on Tate Reeves for Lt. Gov., 2011.  Campaign manager on Friends of John Thune, Jan. 2009-Nov. 2010.  Campaign manager on McConnell for Senate, July 2007-Nov. 2008.  Chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Geoff Davis, Jan. 2005-June 2007; campaign manager on Geoff Davis for Congress, Jan. 2003-Dec. 2004.  B.B.A. from University of Mississippi, 1998.  Also, sequence unclear, served as Midwest political director at the NRCC.
Mark Pryor:  Jeff Weaver
(Jan. 2013)  State director (July 2005-Jan. 2013) and project manager, office manager, field director (Jan. 2002-July 2005) to U.S. Rep. Marion Barry (AR-4).  Intern/staff assistant to U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, Sept.-Dec. 2001.  Bachelor's degree in political science from University of Arkansas at Monticello, 1998.  Dumas native.


See also:
Kyle Trygstad.  "How Can 2014's Most Endangered Senator Win?"  Roll Call, Nov. 4, 2013.




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