Icon (Close Menu)

Logout

Hutchinson, Ross Agree to Debate; ‘Meet the Press’ Aims for Cotton, Pryor

3 min read

As the November general election draws closer, a pair of debates is on the table for the two most-watched races in Arkansas.

On Friday, Chuck Todd, the new host of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” said he hoped to host a debate between Sen. Mark Pryor and Rep. Tom Cotton, who are vying for an Arkansas U.S. Senate seat. Todd made the statement in a taped interview for Little Rock NBC affiliate KARK’s Sunday morning show, “Capitol View,” with David Goins, the show’s host. 

“They’ve been exchanging a lot of television ads back and forth,” Todd said in the interview. “At the end of the day, let’s sit down at a table. Let’s hear what the real differences are. Let’s hear Mark Pryor and Tom Cotton go back and forth.”

The debate would be moderated by both Todd and Goins, and according to Austin Kellerman, KARK’s news director, it would be open to all topics. 

In a tweet Friday afternoon, Cotton said he would participate in the debate. The Pryor campaign has yet to respond.


So far, Pryor and Cotton have agreed to appear together in one debate, set to be broadcast live Oct. 14 on KATV.

Pryor, along with Green Party candidate Mark Swaney and Libertarian Party candidate Nathan LaFrance, has agreed to appear in a Senate debate held by the Arkansas Educational Television Network on Oct. 13. Cotton has not said whether he’ll appear in the AETN debate.

No date was announced for the proposed “Meet the Press” debate.

Ross, Hutchinson Agree to Fourth Debate

Meanwhile, the Democratic and Republican candidates in Arkansas’ gubernatorial race have agreed to their fourth televised debate ahead of November’s election.

Republican Asa Hutchinson and Democrat Mike Ross will take part in a debate at 7 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Carl R. Reng Student Union on the Arkansas State University campus in Jonesboro. The debate will be produced by ASU-TV and broadcast on Jonesboro ABC affiliate KAIT’s digital channel, as well as streamed at KAIT8.com. KASU-FM, the university’s NPR affiliate, will also simulcast the debate’s audio.

The Northeast Arkansas Political Animals Club is the lead sponsor for the debate, in addition to the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce, KAIT, ASU-TV and A-State.

“The goal of NEA Political Animals is to help facilitate a more informed electorate in northeast Arkansas, and there is no better way than sponsoring a debate between our candidates for governor,” L.J. Bryant, the club’s co-chair, said in a news release.

Bryant and fellow co-chair Andrea Allen will serve as moderators.

Admission to the debate is free, but tickets are required. Tickets are available through the NEA Political Animals, Jonesboro Chamber of Commerce and KAIT. The public is also invited to submit questions for the debate to Elections@KAIT8.com

Ross and Hutchinson have already squared off in one debate, televised live by KARK, and are set to spar again in another debate, televised by KATV on Oct. 7.

The two gubernatorial favorites will also take part in an AETN debate, scheduled for 2 p.m. Oct. 16 and to air at 8 p.m. the same night. The AETN debate will also include Green Party candidate Joshua Drake and Libertarian candidate Frank Gilbert.

Send this to a friend