2020 United States Senate election in Arkansas
The 2020 United States Senate election in Arkansas will be held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Arkansas, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican Senator Tom Cotton is running for reelection to a second term in office.
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Elections in Arkansas | ||||||||||
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Republican primary
Cotton was unopposed for the Republican nomination.
Candidates
Nominee
- Tom Cotton, incumbent U.S. Senator[1]
Endorsements
Tom Cotton |
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Libertarian Party
Nominee
- Ricky Harrington Jr., Christian missionary and prison chaplain[4]
Withdrawn candidates
Democratic Party
Josh Mahony was the only candidate to file for the Democratic primary, however he dropped out on November 12, 2019.[5] Because he dropped out after the filing deadline, the Democratic Party of Arkansas can only nominate a replacement if the candidate dies, becomes seriously ill, leaves the state, or files for another office. Alex Gray, an Arkansas attorney who works on state election issues, believes this means the Democratic Party of Arkansas will not be able to fill the vacancy.[6] The Arkansas Democratic Party announced on November 25, 2019, that they would not be able to field a new candidate to replace Mahony. A memo from the Cotton campaign to supporters details a strategy of sitting on opposition research regarding Mahony's employment history until after the filing deadline had passed.[7]
Withdrawn
- Josh Mahony, nonprofit executive, former chair of the Fayetteville Airport Commission, and nominee for Arkansas's 3rd congressional district in 2018[5]
Declined
- Wesley Clark, retired General, former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO[8]
Independents
- Dan Whitfield, progressive activist. On June 25, 2020, Whitfield's petition to run was denied for failing to gain enough signatures, an effort that was complicated by COVID-19 pandemic. Whitfield has filed an appeal with the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in an attempt to overturn this ruling. The case (20–2309) is pending judgement.[9]
General election
Endorsements
Tom Cotton (R) |
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Ricky Harrison Jr. (L) |
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Predictions
Source | Ranking | As of |
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The Cook Political Report[15] | Safe R | July 23, 2020 |
Inside Elections[16] | Safe R | July 10, 2020 |
Sabato's Crystal Ball[17] | Safe R | August 5, 2020 |
Daily Kos[18] | Safe R | July 22, 2020 |
Politico[19] | Safe R | July 6, 2020 |
RCP[20] | Safe R | August 6, 2020 |
Niskanen[21] | Safe R | July 26, 2020 |
270towin[22] | Safe R | August 6, 2020 |
Results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
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Republican | Tom Cotton (incumbent) | ||||
Libertarian | Ricky Harrington Jr | ||||
Total votes | 100.0% |
Notes
- Partisan clients
References
- "Sen. Cotton says he's running for reelection in 2020". Associated Press.
- Cotton, Tom [@TomCottonAR] (February 26, 2020). "I'm glad to have @Boozman4AR's endorsement. Arkansas is lucky to have John as our Senator and soon as chair of the Committee on Agriculture.talkbusiness.net/2020/02/notes-from-the-campaign-trail-boozman-cotton-mutually-endorse-each-other-for-re-election/ …" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- "Combat Veterans For Congress | Electing Fiscal Conservatives". combatveteransforcongress.org.
- "Harrington to challenge Cotton in 2020 election". Pine Bluff Commercial. October 7, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
- Press, The Associated. "Democrat drops bid to challenge Sen. Tom Cotton in Arkansas". The Republic. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
- Brock, Roby (November 13, 2019). "Arkansas law suggests Mahony exit likely leaves Cotton without Democratic opponent". Retrieved November 14, 2019.
- Lockwood, Frank E. (November 17, 2019). "Memo shows strategy for attack on Cotton opponent". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Little Rock: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
- Lockwood, Frank E. (April 29, 2019). "Retired general Wesley Clark rules out '20 run". ArkansasOnline. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
- https://www.newswire.com/news/tom-cotton-opponent-moves-closer-to-ballot-access-21170246
- "2020 Candidates". APIS Org. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
- "DUH/PEP website". duh4all.org.
- "endorsements". public arts commission. Retrieved March 19, 2020.
- "Combat Veterans For Congress | Electing Fiscal Conservatives". combatveteransforcongress.org.
- https://m.facebook.com/LiterallySpikeCohen/photos/a.108198887458883/166189971659774/?type=3&source=57
- "2020 Senate Race Ratings for April 19, 2019". The Cook Political Report. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
- "2020 Senate Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
- "2020 Senate race ratings". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
- "Daily Kos Elections releases initial Senate race ratings for 2020". Daily Kos Elections. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
- "2020 Election Forecast". Politico. November 19, 2019.
- "Battle for White House". RCP. April 19, 2019.
- "2020 Negative Partisanship and the 2020 Congressional Elections". Niskanen Center. April 28, 2020.
- "2020 Senate Map Based on Polls". 270towin.com. August 6, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
External links
- Official campaign websites