Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton and Democratic challenger Hallie Shoffner will not debate each other ahead of the November 3 election, both campaigns confirmed Wednesday.
The single debate Cotton had agreed to, organized by Salem Media Group, a conservative Christian news outlet, will no longer take place, according to James Arnold, a spokesperson for Cotton’s campaign. “We offered multiple dates to Salem and are disappointed Salem is no longer offering the debate,” Arnold said in an email. Salem Media Group has not commented on the cancellation.
Cotton was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014 and is seeking re-election this fall. He declined an invitation from Arkansas PBS to debate Shoffner and Libertarian candidate Jeff Wadlin earlier this month, opting instead to attend a birthday celebration for World War II veteran and family friend Jock Davis, Arnold said.
On Monday, Shoffner and Wadlin participated in a televised debate hosted by Arkansas PBS. Cotton’s absence dominated much of the discussion. Shoffner used the opportunity to criticize the incumbent, suggesting he either felt “too good” or was “too scared” to engage with his challengers.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Anna-Lee Pittman, Shoffner’s campaign manager, echoed those comments. “A senator who can’t defend his record in front of Arkansans is a senator Arkansas doesn’t need,” she said.
Wadlin, who participated in the PBS debate, mentioned Monday that Salem Media Group had not extended him an invitation to its proposed debate.
While the Senate race in Arkansas is widely seen as safely Republican according to nonpartisan ratings from The Cook Political Report, Shoffner found herself with a slight edge in local polling this August. However, the results were still within the poll’s margin of error. Cotton’s team has strongly emphasized Shoffner’s record on immigration and her previous political donations to nationally known Democrats.
Shoffner and Wadlin are scheduled to debate again October 22 at Arkansas State University’s student-led ASU-TV station in Jonesboro. Cotton will not attend that event either, according to Arnold.