As political ads fill the airwaves in Arkansas for the state's closely contested U.S. Senate race, many voters say the mute button has become their best friend.
More than 38,000 ads have been broadcast by Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor, GOP challenger Tom Cotton, and the political parties and independent groups involved in the campaign. That amounts to $7 per voter, about double the per-voter spending in Senate races in larger states like Georgia and North Carolina, according to an Associated Press analysis.
Residents and businesses are struggling to defend themselves. One Little rock restaurant immediately mutes its 21 televisions whenever the ads start in the commercial breaks during football games. Other voters say they switch the channels at home. But experts say the ads help mobilize the candidates' strongest supporters.
