Blanche Lincoln

Lincoln: I Was Not The Deciding Vote On Health Care Reform

Brian Beutler | June 11, 2010, 1:15PM

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) may have hoped she'd put the primary behind her, but it will continue to haunt her for weeks to come. Now that she's running full-time in the general election against Rep. John Boozman, Lincoln is once again shoring up her right flank, tiptoeing away from the rhetoric she used to defeat Arkansas Lt. Gov. Bill Halter. The results are...awkward.

For instance, in an interview with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Lincoln tried to dispel the notion that she cast the deciding vote for health care reform, which remains unpopular in Arkansas.

"I wasn't the deciding vote," Lincoln said. "I was among a handful of five Democrats that worked on getting consensus."

There's some truth to that. But where did the Democrat-Gazette get the notion that Lincoln tipped health care into the Democrats' win column? From Blanche Lincoln, who in the below ad said, " I grew up in an Arkansas family where we were taught to solve problems, not through hate and anger, but by coming together and getting something done. That's why I cast the deciding vote to pass health care reform."

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2010 elections

Super Duper Tuesday's Top Three Super Surprises

Rachel Slajda | June 9, 2010, 11:54AM

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), US Sen candidate Alvin Greene (D-SC), Rep. Bob Inglis (R-SC)

Last night's elections lacked any Dewey/Truman moments, but there were enough surprises to make it interesting.

Lincoln Defeats Halter
Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) survived to fight the final round in the general election last night. But it wasn't supposed to be that way. For days -- in fact in the final hours of her runoff -- Arkansas insiders expected Lincoln to lose, while supporters of Bill Halter were pre-emptively dancing in the end zones. Lincoln's obituary was written. But both camps underestimated her ability to get out the vote, and she defeated Halter 52 to 48.

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AR-SEN

Lincoln Fends Off Primary Challenge, Heads To Tough Reelection Fight

Christina Bellantoni | June 8, 2010, 11:02PM

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AK)

Sen. Blanche Lincoln fended off a tough Democratic primary challenge tonight, besting progressive opponent Lt. Gov. Bill Halter in a runoff election marked by a high level of voter discontent with Washington. But this race was just the beginning for the embattled Lincoln, who in November will face Rep. John Boozman (R-AR), a former Razorback player with a conservative record.

Lincoln earned 51 percent to Halter's 49 percent with 77 of precincts reporting as the Associated Press called the race for the incumbent senator, a conservative Democrat who sometimes frustrates her party's leaders.

In a victory speech tonight, Lincoln thanked her supporters, saying they'd sent a message that's "loud and clear, and that message was that the vote of this senator is not for sale." She said she had stood up to special interests. "We are head to November with this message," Lincoln said.

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AR-SEN

PCCC Releases Online Anti-Lincoln Ad Featuring 'Pauline'

Rachel Slajda | June 8, 2010, 9:37AM

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee has launched a last-ditch web ad against Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) ahead of her primary today against Lieutenant Gov. Bill Halter. The ad features a PCCC member from Arkansas named Pauline Wildman, who also stars in a Halter TV ad accusing Lincoln of wanting to cut Social Security.

The ad (below) links to the Halter video spot.

"Without Social Security, I'd be out on the street," Wildman says in the TV ad.

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AR-SEN

Poll: Halter Up By Four In AR-SEN Dem Runoff

Eric Kleefeld | June 4, 2010, 1:48PM

Arkansas Lt. Governor Bill Halter (D)

The new Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll of the Arkansas Senate Democratic primary runoff gives Lt. Gov. Bill Halter a four-point lead over incumbent Sen. Blanche Lincoln, heading into the big showdown this Tuesday, June 8.

The numbers: Halter 49%, Lincoln 45%. The poll of likely Dem primary voters has a ±4% margin of error. The TPM Poll Average gives Halter a lead of 49.7%-44.9%. However, there is a huge caveat: Research 2000 has been the only pollster to publicly release numbers on this race during the runoff period, so we are dependent on only one source of data.

Daily Kos's Jed Lewison writes: "With the run-off coming up this Tuesday (June 8) and voting preferences pretty much settled, it seems like the biggest question is whether Halter or Lincoln will have a better turnout operation. Much of that depends on the enthusiasm of each candidate's supporters, and if Joe Sestak's campaign in Pennsylvania is any indication, Bill Halter is in pretty good shape -- as long as his supporters demonstrate their enthusiasm at the ballot box."

AR-SEN

Bill Clinton In Blanche Lincoln Ad: Unions 'Using You And Manipulating Your Votes' (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | June 4, 2010, 9:31AM

Former President Bill Clinton and Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) has a new ad featuring former President Bill Clinton, her state's former governor and favorite son, attacking the national labor unions for going after her in the contested Democratic primary runoff.

The ad uses footage of Bill at a rally for Lincoln last week. Bill is shown pointing out a newspaper article to the audience. "Here is an article from the Washington Post, it says some national unions made a decision a few months ago that they wanted to make Senator Blanche Lincoln the quote 'poster child' for what happens when a Democrat crosses them," Bill says, then adding after a quick cut: "This is about using you and manipulating your votes...If you want to be Arkansas's advocate, vote for somebody who will fight for you. Vote for Blanche Lincoln."

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AR-SEN

SEIU Releases Final Anti-Lincoln Ad In AR-SEN (VIDEO)

Eric Lach | June 2, 2010, 1:01PM

An image from an SEIU ad targeting Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)

The SEIU has been a big part of Big Labor's big push against Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) in the Arkansas Senate Democratic primary race. With the runoff days away, the group has released a final ad attacking Lincoln's record and supporting her opponent, Bill Halter.

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AR-SEN

Anti-Lincoln Ad Attacks 'Big Oil Blanche' (VIDEO)

Eric Lach | June 2, 2010, 10:38AM

New ad attacking Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) on campaign contributions from oil and gas interests.

An environmental group has released an ad painting Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) as an ally of Big Oil, and features liberal scourges George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and BP.

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Blanche Lincoln

Biden Sends Fundraising E-Mail For Blanche Lincoln

Jillian Rayfield | June 2, 2010, 10:26AM

Vice President Joe Biden

Vice President Joe Biden sent out a fundraising e-mail for Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) today, saying "Lincoln always does what is right for Arkansas" and that she is the state's "strongest advocate."

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AR-SEN

Blanche Lincoln Getting Out The Early Vote

Eric Kleefeld | June 1, 2010, 5:35PM

Sen. Blanche Lambert Lincoln (D-AR)

The campaign of Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) is actively getting out the early vote, which opened today, in the home stretch of the June 8 Democratic Senate primary runoff against Lt. Gov. Bill Halter.

A cell phone text message sent by Lincoln's campaign to her supporter list said: "Early voting has begun! Find your early voting location, take a friend and go vote for Blanche Lincoln! http://bit.ly/ARvote Forward this message to 5 friends!"

This represents a key lesson from the 2008 election, when the Obama campaign vigorously began getting out the vote right from when the early-vote periods opened in different states, banking leads over John McCain in key states that he was unable to overcome when November 4 came around. In a state with liberalized absentee and early-voting laws, "Election Day" truly begins with early voting, and with the polls closing on a particular Tuesday evening down the road.

The TPM Poll Average currently gives Halter a lead of 47.3%-44.7%

Bill Halter

Halter Releases New Ad: 'The Only Choice For Change' (VIDEOS)

Jillian Rayfield | June 1, 2010, 1:25PM

Arkansas Lt. Governor Bill Halter (D)

Bill Halter (D), who is campaigning in the Democratic primary runoff against Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D) for her Arkansas Senate seat, released two new TV ads today that tout Halter as "the only choice for change."

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AR-SEN

SEIU Ad Attacks Lincoln For Wall Street Bailout (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | June 1, 2010, 12:11PM

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)

The politically powerful union SEIU has a new ad attacking Sen. Blanche Lincoln in the June 8 Arkansas Democratic primary runoff, going after Lincoln's vote for the TARP bailout.

"Blanche Lincoln claims she's standing firm against Wall Street. But Lincoln voted to use our tax dollars to bail out Wall Street banks," the announcer says. This is a clear effort to discredit Lincoln's current work on financial reform, and to leverage the TARP issue that already helped to unseat Sen. Bob Bennett (R-UT) at his state GOP convention.

The TPM Poll Average currently gives Lt. Gov. Bill Halter a lead of 47.3%-44.7%.

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AR-SEN

Bill Clinton Records Radio Ad for Blanche Lincoln (AUDIO)

Eric Kleefeld | June 1, 2010, 11:47AM

Former President Bill Clinton and Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)

Former President Bill Clinton stars in a new radio ad for Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), who is in a heated Democratic primary runoff against Lt. Gov. Bill Halter in Clinton's native state of Arkansas.

"We've never had a Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee before, and we shouldn't give it up now," says Clinton. "In Washington everybody was betting Wall Street would beat her efforts to clean up trading practices that led our country to the brink of economic collapse, but they were wrong, she won that fight. And, when President Obama needed her help on health care reform she stood with him to secure health coverage and better and more affordable care. She took a lot of heat for that vote, but you and I know she did the right thing."

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AR-SEN

New Lincoln Ads: 'I Won't Back Down To The Washington Unions' (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | June 1, 2010, 11:21AM

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)

Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), who is in a heated Democratic primary runoff for June 8 with the more liberal Lt. Gov. Bill Halter, has a new pair of TV and radio ads for the home stretch of the campaign -- proudly declaring her independence from the labor unions that have backed her opponent.

"I'm Blanche Lincoln, and I know you're angry at Washington. Believe me, I heard you on May 18. I'm even being attacked for where my family lives," Lincoln says in the TV ad, referring to the first-round primary in which she came in first place with 45%, but with less than the 50% needed to win. She is also apparently referring to the Halter campaign's gloating over Lincoln's initial trouble voting in the primary, after she had sent away for an absentee ballot and had not mailed it back. "But I won't back down to the Washington unions or the Wall Street banks that don't care about Arkansas."

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AR-SEN

Lincoln And Halter Launch 'Countdown' Campaign Tours

Eric Kleefeld | June 1, 2010, 9:15AM

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

Today is a big day in the home stretch of the Arkansas Democratic Senate primary runoff, which ends June 8. Early voting begins today, with the first votes set to be cast in this barn-burner contest. And incumbent Sen. Blanche Lincoln and Lt. Gov. Bill Halter are hitting the trail hard today.

Lincoln's tour tomorrow is called the "Countdown to Victory," and will involve stops in Little Rock, Pine Bluff, Star City, Monticello, Hamburg, Warren and Lake Village, in events that are officially billed as "early vote meet-ups." Take this as a sign that the Lincoln campaign has learned a key lesson that the Obama campaign and the political world at large discovered in 2008 -- that "Election Day" really begins on the first day of early voting, and get-out-the-vote efforts should be going in full force from there on.

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