FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) - A new University of Arkansas poll indicates Republican Tom Cotton has a double-digit lead over incumbent Democrat Mark Pryor.
The U of A released a poll Thursday (Oct. 30) showing Cotton leading Pryor in the hotly contested U.S. Senate race 49% to 36%.
According to the Pryor campaign, the most reputable national polls show the race is a lot closer. Pryor also said he believes the university’s poll was flawed.
“I appreciate the university for doing that. It is kind of an academic exercise with them,” Pryor said. “But, the truth is, that poll has never proven to be very accurate.”
Cotton was unable to speak to 5NEWS about the poll because of scheduling. However, spokesman David Ray said the Cotton campaign believes the poll indicates how voters are leaning.
“I think it shows Arkansans are ready for a change in Washington,” Ray said. “They are ready for a senator who won`t simply rubber stamp President Obama`s agenda in Washington.”
The poll also suggests both candidates are tied among women voters.
“Women are a little more than half the electorate,” Pryor said. “In most of the polls, I do quite well with women, a little bit better than [Cotton] does.”
“We are working around the clock each and every day to earn the support of every Arkansan, whether they are male or female,” Ray said.
Both campaigns said they do not invest much of their time worrying about the polling numbers.
“Polls are an important metric as to where the race stands,” Ray said. “But, we don`t put too much stock in any one particular poll. The polls go up, and the polls go down.”
“I don`t put a lot of stock in those polls,” Pryor said. “I never really liked polls. I think some politicians spend really a lot of time on that. What I focus on is people.”
Cotton was campaigning in northeast Arkansas on Thursday (Oct. 30), while Pryor was in Fayetteville introducing Republicans who support his campaign.
The other candidates in the U.S. Senate race are Libertarian Nathan LaFrance, and Green Party candidate Mark Swaney.
Election Day is Nov. 4.