Rep. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has gotten a huge boost in his battle against incumbent Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., in the midterm November elections — a donation of $700,000 from the Emergency Committee for Israel (ECFI).
The Free Beacon reported that the cash will be used for television, radio and digital ads.
One ad, entitled "A Serious Leader," already running, states, "Why won't Mark Pryor debate foreign policy with Tom Cotton? Threats are growing — ISIS, Russia, Iraq, Syria, Gaza. What's Mark Pryor's answer? He won't say, but Tom Cotton will.
"He served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He fought for us on the battlefield and he'll fight for us in the Senate. Tom Cotton, a serious leader for a serious time."
The ad notes, "The Emergency Committee for Israel is responsible for the content of this advertising."
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Cotton, 37, who served as a U.S. Army captain from 2005-2009 with the 101st Airborne, is seen in the ad wearing military fatigues, toting a battle rifle, and, in civilian attire, addressing a group of supporters at a political event.
William Kristol, head of the ECFI and founder of the political journal Weekly Standard, told the Free Beacon, "We're for a strong Israel and a strong America. So is Tom Cotton. He'll be a great senator."
The group is not solely playing party favorites. For example, in April it turned against incumbent Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., 71, facing a challenge for the seat he has held since 1995 from 23-year Marine vet and aviation project manager Marshall Adame,
the Onslow Times reports.
The ECFI produced a video slamming Jones, saying, "Cong. Walter Jones once was a conservative but he's changed. Today, he's the most liberal Republican in Congress. Once upon a time, Walter Jones was right for North Carolina, but he's changed. Isn't it time your vote changed as well?"
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The ECFI and Kristol seem to be backing a likely winner in Cotton, and the new injection of ad money could put him well over the top.
The contest between Cotton and Pryor is considered one of the crucial opportunities Republicans have for taking over control of the Senate, and
Real Clear Politics poll roundup shows Cotton with an overall average lead of 3.6 percent, or 45.8 to 42.2, but the website concluded in late September that, burdened by President Obama's lack of popularity, "The incumbent is in deep trouble."
A Rasmussen poll of likely voters taken in late September shows Cotton with a seven-point lead over Pryor, at 40 percent to 47 percent, Cotton's largest lead so far.
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