JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) – A controversial radio campaign, broadcast by Councilman LJ Bryant, calling out Mayor Harold Copenhaver’s wife over a television commercial she appeared in has led to a Facebook post by Copenhagen defending his wife.

The ad begins by referencing crime statistics, claiming that they are “distorted and misleading” to convince Jonesboro residents that crime is falling.

The ad then references the partisan issues Copenhagen’s wife talks about in one of her campaign television advertisementssaying “And why did the mayor make his wife do a TV commercial stating that he cares about heartbeats in and out of the womb?”

Copenhagen said this crossed the line.

“Portraying here, in my opinion, as a doormat made to do something without his own will,” Copenhagen said.

Bryant said the Copenhagen wife appearing in the ad made it fair.

“The thought process here, of course, is that the mayor put his wife in a campaign ad and made her a surrogate for the campaign, so in referencing the ad, she was the one who was the substitute. It’s hard to refer to advertising without referencing it,” Bryant said.

Bryant said calling the radio ad an “attack” was a mischaracterization and accused the mayor of trying to distract from such partisan issues in a nonpartisan mayoral race.

“He wants to change the subject once Jeremy Terrell supports me. He became very concerned that people on the far right and the Tea Party might support me instead of him,” Bryant said.

Copenhagen had a problem with the ad’s language when it said, “Sorry ma’am, that’s not an insult, it’s a fact.” »

“It’s a chauvinistic insult that demeans all women. That’s why I reacted in this particular case and I did it personally,” Copenhagen said.

Copenhagen said his campaign would not be distracted.

“From the beginning, we have made it clear that we will not be distracted by diversionary questions on topics that have nothing to do with the mayor’s office or city government,” Copenhagen said.

Copenhagen said the ad says a lot about Bryant.

“It’s indefensible. This is inexcusable. And that calls into question the leadership qualities of someone running for mayor. “Assaulting my wife’s character was different from previous attacks on me as mayor. And my administration and this city. But as a husband, I’m not going to let this go,” Copenhagen said.

Early voting for the runoff begins Tuesday, November 26 and ends Monday, December 2 and will take place at the Craighead County Clerk’s Office. Voters requiring an absentee ballot must go to their county clerk’s office beginning November 26.

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