Democrats, Republicans spend nearly $50 million on TV ads that repeat old, scary Medicare claims.
Midterm Medicare Mudslinging
Person: Tom Cotton
Settling the Dust in Arkansas
Arkansas Sen. Mark Pryor tries to make political hay out of agricultural dust by distorting the facts in a new TV ad, while Republicans manufacture a bogus jobs claim against the Democratic senator.
FactChecking the Arkansas Senate Race
The Arkansas Senate race between Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor and Republican Rep. Tom Cotton began for us in June 2013 — just six months into the new Congress — with an article that carried the headline “It’s Groundhog Day for Fact-Checkers.” It hasn’t gotten much better for fact-checkers since then.
Hijacking History in Arkansas
In a new TV ad, Rep. Tom Cotton tries to rewrite history with the claim that President Obama “hijacked the farm bill, turned it into a food stamp bill.” Food stamp funding has been part of farm bills going back to 1973.
More Border Security Spin in Arkansas
An ad from Sen. Mark Pryor inaccurately claims that Rep. Tom Cotton “voted to cut funding for the border protection.”
Cherry-picking Pryor on Border Security
An ad from Republican Rep. Tom Cotton cherry-picks a quote and several votes to distort Sen. Mark Pryor’s position on border security.
Pryor’s Prior Partisan Votes
Tom Cotton accuses Sen. Mark Pryor of “toeing the line” for President Obama and the Democratic Party, but Pryor voted against Obama more than any other Senate Democrat.
More Weak Claims on Cotton’s Insurance Ties
Another liberal group is attacking Republican Rep. Tom Cotton in Arkansas by saying Cotton has experience in the insurance industry and is attempting to undermine Medicare. Cotton’s insurance experience is limited to consulting work for a federal agency.
Disconnecting the Dots in Arkansas
A TV ad says Rep. Tom Cotton was “paid handsomely working for insurance companies” and wants to transform Medicare in ways that would benefit the industry at the expense of seniors. But there’s no evidence Cotton did work for insurers.
Old Medicare Claims in Arkansas Senate Race
Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor taps his party’s playbook in attacking Republican challenger Tom Cotton for his support of Rep. Paul Ryan’s Medicare plan.