Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas reportedly told an audience at a fundraiser last month that he hopes Harry Reid (D-Nev.) "gets replaced" as Senate Majority Leader.
According to a
Washington Free Beacon report, Pryor made the comments during a Sept. 21 event to raise money for the Democrats for Education Reform Federal PAC.
"I think possibly the best thing that could happen … to this institution, this election cycle would be if [Senate Minority Leader] Mitch McConnell gets beat and Harry Reid gets replaced," the website reports Pryor as saying, which was transcribed from an audio recording taken at the event.
Later, Pryor said he would like to see New York Democrat Chuck Schumer replace Reid at the top of the food chain in the Senate. "[Schumer] does a pretty darn good job there in the Senate, and he’s actually, he’s not this crazy wild-eyed, left wing liberal either," Pryor said.
Pryor, according to the Free Beacon, was replying to a Democratic donor who pointed to Reid as the reason for the Senate's low approval ratings.
"If you asked a thousand Americans, is this the guy who's best positioned to lead the U.S. Senate, people would laugh at you," the donor allegedly said. Later, the donor added, "I just don’t think Harry Reid is in touch with what is happening in modern America on education, the economy, all of these things."
In April,
Politico reported Pryor said he would support Reid if he wished to remain as Majority Leader — a position he has held since 2007.
"Yeah," Pryor said when asked if he would back Reid. "It’s up to him on whether he wants to do it."
Pryor, who first took office in 2003, is locked in a close battle with Republican Rep. Tom Cotton. The GOP is throwing
a lot of resources into the race as it tries to win the seat and ultimately take control of the Senate.
Recent polls show Cotton has a lead of nearly four points over Pryor.
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