TPMDC

SEIU Launches $1M Campaign Against Lincoln In AR-SEN Homestretch

Lt. Gov. Bill Halter (D-AR) and Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)

With less than a month to go until Arkansas’ May 18 Democratic primary, SEIU is ramping up its attacks on Sen. Blanche Lincoln with a new million dollar ad campaign attacking the senator over votes for free trade deals.

The ads feature a worker at an Arkansas’ Cooper Tire plant claiming Lincoln’s support of NAFTA, CAFTA and other trade deals meant pay cuts for workers at his factory.

Organized labor helped Lincon’s primary opponent, Lt. Gov. Bill Halter, get into the race in March, citing Lincoln’s opposition to card check and other labor legislative priorities. With the $1 million buy, it’s clear that SEIU plans to help Halter get to the finish line as well.

Some recent polls have shown Halter has momentum heading into the final sprint to Primary Day, though he continues to trail the incumbent Lincoln. The TPM Poll Average shows Lincoln ahead in the race by a margin of 45.2-31.8.

The SEIU campaign includes radio and TV spots. See the TV ad here:

AR-SEN, Blanche Lincoln, SEIU
Evan McMorris-Santoro

Evan McMorris-Santoro has covered politics for TPM since 2009. Before that, he was a reporter at National Journal’s Hotline covering election 2008. He started his career covering local politics at newspapers in TN and his native NC.

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