Hallie Shoffner says Cotton and Trump have wrong priorities in daylight saving time fight

Democratic Senate nominee Hallie Shoffner said Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and President Donald Trump should spend less time sparring over daylight saving time and more time addressing the issues facing Arkansas voters.“I’ll tell you, over the 450 days that I’ve been on the campaign trail, not once have I been asked about daylight saving time,” Shoffner said on MS Now. “What are Arkansans talking about? They’re talking about gas prices and grocery prices. They’re talking about healthcare.” Shoffner also criticized national Republicans for spending heavily on the Arkansas race while Cotton has largely avoided campaigning against her.“They’ve spent $13.5 million in Arkansas against a farmer and a first-time candidate, and Tom Cotton still isn’t showing up,” she said.Cotton has opposed making daylight saving time permanent, while Trump has repeatedly urged the Senate to advance the legislation.The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act in July by a 308-117 vote, but the bill remains stalled in the Senate. Trump called on Arkansans to pressure Cotton to support the legislation, even posting the senator’s cellphone number on social media.“To the Great People of Arkansas, please let your Senator know it would be a GREAT Bipartisan WIN for the United States Senate, and for America, itself,” Trump wrote Saturday on Truth Social. “The Sunshine Protection Act” was passed in the House by a Vote of 308 to 117. HAVE THE SENATE VOTE, NOW!”Cotton responded that he opposes permanent daylight saving time because of the effect of later winter sunrises.“No one likes changing the clock, me included, but Congress has enacted permanent Daylight Savings Time multiple times before and repealed it each time once Americans experienced absurdly late sunrises in the winter,” Cotton posted Saturday. “Arkansans don’t want their kids going to school in the pitch dark, and I’ll always put Arkansas first.”Trump also criticized Cotton earlier in the week, saying the legislation was being held up by the Arkansas senator “for reasons unknown” and calling the twice-yearly clock change “foolish, inconvenient and, in some cases, very costly.”NINETEEN STATES HAVE APPROVED PERMANENT DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE CLOCKS THIS YEAR?Cotton, the third-ranking Republican in the Senate, remains heavily favored to win reelection, with the Cook Political Report rating the race solid Republican.A J.L. Partners poll conducted Aug. 14-18 found Cotton leading Shoffner 51%-35%. However, a Talk Business & Politics-Hendrix College poll conducted Aug. 11-12 found Shoffner leading Cotton 47%-44%.