Arkansas

backtoblue

(12,091 posts) Tue Nov 26, 2019, 07:13 PM Nov 2019

Mahony withdraws from race. No Democrat to challenge Cotton

There will be no Democrat on the ballot for the United States Senate seat held by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR).

The Democratic Party of Arkansas said Monday that the only candidate who filed for the party’s nomination, Josh Mahony, withdrew two hours after the Tuesday, November 12 filing deadline.

"After exhaustive and careful examination with our legal counsel and our party leaders and without additional information from Mr. Mahony, the Democratic Party of Arkansas will not be able to field a candidate for United States Senate," said Chairman Michael John Gray.

Snip.

http://www.magnoliareporter.com/news_and_business/regional_news/article_01bfd47e-101d-11ea-966f-9ba8044353ff.html

Well, this sucks. Any volunteers?

14 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Mahony withdraws from race. No Democrat to challenge Cotton (Original Post) backtoblue Nov 2019 OP

Damn. MontanaMama Nov 2019 #1

I donated to Mahony and have been wearing a campaign tshirt. backtoblue Nov 2019 #3

Was he put up to this? I hate to think it, but this sounds like a RW RatF..k operation. hlthe2b Nov 2019 #5

It smells backtoblue Nov 2019 #6

The article didn't make it clear MontanaMama Nov 2019 #8

No good reason goven yet backtoblue Nov 2019 #9

It doesn't sound good at all. MontanaMama Nov 2019 #10

"The Word" in Arkansas is that Cotton had damaging opposition research on Mahony. TomSlick Nov 2019 #14

What Was The Reason Mahony Withdrew?..... global1 Nov 2019 #2

I think Im gonna call the state party. backtoblue Nov 2019 #4

Keep an eye on this one. . . . .I see a defection in his future Jake Stern Nov 2019 #7

He was such a weak candidate when he challenged Womack WhiteTara Nov 2019 #11

I was ready to get out and campaign for him backtoblue Nov 2019 #12

Senators are state wide, but WhiteTara Nov 2019 #13

MontanaMama

(24,405 posts)

1. Damn.

Reply to backtoblue (Original post)

Tue Nov 26, 2019, 07:17 PM

Nov 2019

Sorry to hear this. Tom Cotton needs to go.

backtoblue

(12,091 posts)

3. I donated to Mahony and have been wearing a campaign tshirt.

Reply to MontanaMama (Reply #1)

Tue Nov 26, 2019, 07:30 PM

Nov 2019

Im a little pissed and, though I hope everything is ok with him and his family, he withdrew 2 hours after the deadline to sign up passed...

Now he's not talking to the party and we dont have time to get another candidate.

This is a real shitty turn of events.

hlthe2b

(109,755 posts)

5. Was he put up to this? I hate to think it, but this sounds like a RW RatF..k operation.

Reply to backtoblue (Reply #3)

Tue Nov 26, 2019, 07:47 PM

Nov 2019

backtoblue

(12,091 posts)

6. It smells

Reply to hlthe2b (Reply #5)

Tue Nov 26, 2019, 07:49 PM

Nov 2019

From arkansasonline

Few believe Mahony’s stated reason for withdrawal. The Republican Party news release after Mahony’s withdrawal (shown above) hints broadly that its promise to attack Mahony (and, significantly, perhaps others) with undisclosed oppo research could have been a factor. (PS: Do you really think the Democrat-Gazette reporter who detailed shortcomings in Mahony’s past campaign filings didn’t get help from Cotton-related sources, being that he’s one of the few people in media with whom Cotton will communicate?) Planted leaks are fair game, of course, the mother’s milk of journalism, but clearly there’s more where that came from.

https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2019/11/16/the-mahony-mystery-needs-answers-including-from-the-arkansas-republican-party

Edit to add: With no opposition, Cotton can use his big donations to help other repubs. My state has been completely taken over Im aftaid.

Huckabee gets the governorship, Im either moving away or moving farther out of civilization.

MontanaMama

(24,405 posts)

8. The article didn't make it clear

Reply to backtoblue (Reply #3)

Tue Nov 26, 2019, 08:31 PM

Nov 2019

why he pulled out of the race. What’re you hearing?

backtoblue

(12,091 posts)

9. No good reason goven yet

Reply to MontanaMama (Reply #8)

Tue Nov 26, 2019, 08:43 PM

Nov 2019

Here's a bit more

"The statute clearly delineates the reasons; moving out of state, death or a serious illness. We have not been presented, nor have we been able to find any evidence to support any claim of a serious illness that would allow us to replace the candidate on the ballot," Gray said.

A lawyer for Mahony had said the reason for his withdrawal was a family health issue, but has not offered any additional information. Gray said numerous people would have taken Mahony’s place as the Democratic candidate challenging Cotton, but they can’t do so without more information from Mahony.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-democrats-say-party-challenge-republican-sen-cotton-unlikely

I don't what happened, but this is beyond disappointing.
Mahony wasn't likely to beat Cotton, but at least there was a slim chance of hope and Cotton would have to debate and spend money.

As a constituent of this district, I'm sick. Democratic voters are basically screwed here.

MontanaMama

(24,405 posts)

10. It doesn't sound good at all.

Reply to backtoblue (Reply #9)

Tue Nov 26, 2019, 09:15 PM

Nov 2019

I wouldn’t put anything past the GOP anymore. My mind goes to blackmail or some other manufactured scandal.

TomSlick

(12,397 posts)

14. "The Word" in Arkansas is that Cotton had damaging opposition research on Mahony.

Reply to MontanaMama (Reply #8)

Wed Nov 27, 2019, 12:06 AM

Nov 2019

The Cotton campaign told Mahony after the deadline passed and "convinced" him to withdraw. I have heard no speculation about the nature of the opposition research.

Other than being just generally shitty, it doesn't matter. Mahony was a sacrificial lamb.

global1

(26,115 posts)

2. What Was The Reason Mahony Withdrew?.....

Reply to backtoblue (Original post)

Tue Nov 26, 2019, 07:29 PM

Nov 2019

Or was he a set-up by the Repugs and Cotton?

He withdrew at a time when he knew that the filing deadline passed and no other Dem candidate could file.

Also - this is Nov 26th - How come we are just hearing about this now?

backtoblue

(12,091 posts)

4. I think Im gonna call the state party.

Reply to global1 (Reply #2)

Tue Nov 26, 2019, 07:34 PM

Nov 2019

This is a bad situation and we deserve some answers.

If any fellow Arkansans have any additional info, please share.

We need another candidate or a write-in to support ASAP

Jake Stern

(3,146 posts)

7. Keep an eye on this one. . . . .I see a defection in his future

Reply to backtoblue (Original post)

Tue Nov 26, 2019, 07:56 PM

Nov 2019

One of those "The Democratic Party has moved too far to the left and no longer shares my values so, after much prayer and talking to my fellow Arkansans, I have decided that I am joining the Republican Party" kind of party flips.

WhiteTara

(30,751 posts)

11. He was such a weak candidate when he challenged Womack

Reply to backtoblue (Original post)

Tue Nov 26, 2019, 10:04 PM

Nov 2019

I was really annoyed that he hopped right in there. There were 2 others that would have had a much better shot than Mahoney. He runs a crap campaign too.

backtoblue

(12,091 posts)

12. I was ready to get out and campaign for him

Reply to WhiteTara (Reply #11)

Tue Nov 26, 2019, 10:10 PM

Nov 2019

Im a hermit, but I was gonna try to help.

Too bad we dont have Clarke Tucker in our district.

WhiteTara

(30,751 posts)

13. Senators are state wide, but

Reply to backtoblue (Reply #12)

Tue Nov 26, 2019, 10:17 PM

Nov 2019

I think the filing deadline has passed. I tried to campaign for him last time. I called his campaign, tried to get signs and went to his website and the only thing you could do was send money.

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