Here’s an update from the Center on Public Integrity on the amount of money being spent to buy U.S. Senate seats through TV advertising.
Arkansas ranked sixth in the country, with $11.3 million in TV spending on the Senate race between Sen. Mark Pryor and Republican Tom Cotton, the majority by groups not aligned with the candidates or political parties. But it trails only Alaska in the amount spent per eligible voter — $5.33 versus $6. But only $3 million has been spent in sparsely populated Alaska.
SPEAKING OF MONEY IN POLITICS: A news release today:
Activists from Arkansas’ Regnat Populus organization and other area grassroots organizations, united with nationwide organizations, including Public Citizen, MoveOn.org, People For the American Way, CREDO Action and Common Cause, will deliver Arkansas’ portion of the over 3 million petitions signed nationwide to U.S. Sen. Pryor’s (D-AR) office on Sept. 3 asking him to back a constitutional amendment to curb the flood of money in politics.
Fifty U.S. senators support the Democracy For All constitutional amendment (S.J. Res 19), which would establish that Congress and the states have the power to regulate and limit election spending. However, Senator Pryor has yet to add his name to the list. Activists will urge the senator to become the 51st supporter and to support the amendment on September 8 when the Senate considers it.