Changes

Burris was the leading spokesman for the state's "private option" [[Medicaid]] expansion proposal, which he had considered essential to keeping open rural hospitals in Arkansas. Under the plan, federal Medicaid funds are earmarked to purchase health insurance for the approximately 170,000 indigent persons in Arkansas. Osmon also supported the private option plan.<ref name=burrisdefeat>{{cite web|url=http://www.katv.com/story/25745732/flippo-beats-burris-in-arkansas-state-senate-race|title=Flippo beats Burris in Arkansas state Senate race|date=June 10, 2014|publisher=KATV|accessdate=June 17, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arktimes.com/arkansas/three-gop-senate-battles-could-determine-the-future-of-the-arkansas-health-care-private-option/Content?oid=3293438|title=Three GOP Senate battles could determine the future of the Arkansas health care private option: Opponents of incumbent Sens. [[Bill Sample]] and Bruce Holland, Rep. John Burris focus on private option vote|author=David Ramsey|date=May 15, 2014|publisher=''The Arkansas Times''|accessdate=December 26, 2020}}</ref> Flippo carried the backing of several Republican lawmakers who oppose the "private option" championed by Burris. One of those lawmakers was the outgoing District 21 Representative Terry Rice of Waldron,  who unseated District 9 Senator Bruce Holland in the Republican runoff primary.<ref name=burrisdefeat/>

Burris was the leading spokesman for the state's "private option" [[Medicaid]] expansion proposal, which he had considered essential to keeping open rural hospitals in Arkansas. Under the plan, federal Medicaid funds are earmarked to purchase health insurance for the approximately 170,000 indigent persons in Arkansas. Osmon also supported the private option plan.<ref name=burrisdefeat>{{cite web|url=http://www.katv.com/story/25745732/flippo-beats-burris-in-arkansas-state-senate-race|title=Flippo beats Burris in Arkansas state Senate race|date=June 10, 2014|publisher=KATV|accessdate=June 17, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arktimes.com/arkansas/three-gop-senate-battles-could-determine-the-future-of-the-arkansas-health-care-private-option/Content?oid=3293438|title=Three GOP Senate battles could determine the future of the Arkansas health care private option: Opponents of incumbent Sens. [[Bill Sample]] and Bruce Holland, Rep. John Burris focus on private option vote|author=David Ramsey|date=May 15, 2014|publisher=''The Arkansas Times''|accessdate=December 26, 2020}}</ref> Flippo carried the backing of several Republican lawmakers who oppose the "private option" championed by Burris. One of those lawmakers was the outgoing District 21 Representative Terry Rice of Waldron,  who unseated District 9 Senator Bruce Holland in the Republican runoff primary.<ref name=burrisdefeat/>

Another surrogate for the Flippo campaign was Curtis Coleman, an opponent of the private option plan who lost the Republican [[Governor|gubernatorial]] nomination to [[Asa Hutchinson]] in 2014. Coleman carried only Flippo's Baxter County in his race against Hutchinson.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kansas.com/2014/06/08/3498424/state-senate-race-focuses-on-medicaid.html|title=State Senate race focuses on Medicaid expansion|author=Andrew DeMillo|date=June 8, 2014|publisher=''The Wichita Eagle''|accessdate=June 21, 2014}}</ref>

Another surrogate for the Flippo campaign was Curtis Coleman, an opponent of the private option plan who lost the Republican [[Governor|gubernatorial]] nomination to [[Asa Hutchinson]] in 2014. Coleman carried only Flippo's Baxter County in his race against Hutchinson.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kansas.com/2014/06/08/3498424/state-senate-race-focuses-on-medicaid.html|title=State Senate race focuses on Medicaid expansion|author=Andrew DeMillo|date=June 8, 2014|publisher=''The Wichita Eagle''|accessdate=June 21, 2014; information no longer on-line}}</ref>

Flippo, who calls himself a [[conservative]], said of his opponent Burris: "He is the architect and leader of bringing [[Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act|Obamacare]] to Arkansas through the private option. He voted to implement [[Common Core]] State Standards in Arkansas. He ... proposed doubling legislative salaries. He has consistently ranked in the top 10 in receiving reimbursements since taking office. These are all facts, and these are the distinctions in our campaigns.”<ref>{{cite web|url=http://flippo4arsenate.com/?p=74|title=Flippo press release|date= May 12, 2014|publisher=flippo4arsenate.com|accessdate=June 21, 2014}}</ref>

Flippo, who calls himself a [[conservative]], said of his opponent Burris: "He is the architect and leader of bringing [[Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act|Obamacare]] to Arkansas through the private option. He voted to implement [[Common Core]] State Standards in Arkansas. He ... proposed doubling legislative salaries. He has consistently ranked in the top 10 in receiving reimbursements since taking office. These are all facts, and these are the distinctions in our campaigns.”<ref>{{cite web|url=http://flippo4arsenate.com/?p=74|title=Flippo press release|date= May 12, 2014|publisher=flippo4arsenate.com|accessdate=June 21, 2014}}</ref>