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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMark Pryor: Obama ‘Doesn’t Connect Well’ With Arkansas Voters
This guy is in danger of losing because Obama "doesn't connect well" with Arkansas voters? Maybe it is he and his ideas that are not connecting well?
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http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/mark-pryor-obama-doesnt-connect-well-with-arkansas?ref=fpb
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As one of the most vulnerable Democratic incumbents representing a crimson red state, Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR) isn't exactly sure what to say when asked if he approves or disapproves of President Barack Obama.
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Pryor told Politico that Obama "doesn't connect well" with Arkansas voters.
I think that President Obama has in some ways what you would think of as a hard-left agenda in various ways, and that agenda is not popular in our state, Pryor said. And a lot of that agenda I dont support."
With Rep. Tom Cotton (R-AR) set to challenge Pryor next year, the two-term Democratic incumbent has made a concerted effort to avoid being branded an Obama loyalist. Pryor was one of four Democratic senators to vote against a measure that would have expanded background checks on gun buyers. He is also one of the few remaining Democratic elected officials to still oppose marriage equality.
razorman
(1,644 posts)(Say that three times real fast), his statement makes sense. President Obama isn't extremely popular among Pryor's constituency, so he has to distance himself. He is scrambling rather desperately for votes in an area that leans toward the other party.
pscot
(21,023 posts)His father was a pretty solid, New Deal Liberal.
Arkansas Granny
(31,483 posts)in the last few election cycles the state has made a hard right turns. If he is going to keep his seat, he'll have to be careful not to appear to be very liberal. I hope that Cotton puts forth such a hard right wing campaign that he turns the centrists off.
DevonRex
(22,541 posts)It has always been different. More working class white Democrats, for one thing. And more acceptance of class mobility. Less of the "old money or land" absolute in defining class. Because it was central in desegregation early on, it also moved forward a little quicker - even though some private, all white schools still remain today.
The main thing is that with race and class issues making progress, Arkansas could and should have been just the place for a skilled, more liberal candidate to spend a lot of time on the issues. Really explaining them and educating the voters. Instead, Pryor took the easy way out and has probably set the Democratic Party back.
tritsofme
(17,325 posts)JI7
(89,182 posts)when they mentioned how some senator made some comments about how people in their state didn't get or connect with Obama ?