Woman recounts abuse in Democratic ad criticizing Tom Cotton

Democrats on Monday released a new ad that attacks Rep. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) for voting no on the Violence Against Women Act.

The ad released by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee features Stacy Malcum describing abuse from her ex-husband. In the ad, she criticizes Cotton for his “upsetting” vote against the anti-violence law.

{mosads}”I was unrecognizable and I was black from my shoulder down to my ankle. You feel alone, when you’re being abused.  I felt like I couldn’t get away. Having the women’s shelter there, it saved my life,” Malcum said.

Malcum goes on to suggest that Cotton would leave abused women without resources.

“When I hear that Tom Cotton voted against something that could protect women, it’s upsetting. He would leave women like me with nowhere to turn,” Malcum said.

Cotton, who is running to unseat Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) in one of the year’s most competitive Senate races, voted no on the Violence Against Women Act last year because he thought it was too broad.

Cotton’s campaign website states, “Violence against women is unacceptable, period.”

Pryor’s campaign is hammering the Republican on the issue in light of recent domestic violence scandals among NFL players like Ray Rice.

Recent polling shows Cotton with a narrow lead in a tight race.