Tom Cotton

Tom Cotton is a Republican U.S. Senator from Arkansas, first elected to the Senate in 2014 after serving one term in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013 to 2015. Raised on a cattle farm in Dardanelle, Arkansas, Cotton graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. Following the September 11 attacks, he left a law clerkship to enlist in the U.S. Army, where he served nearly five years on active duty as an infantry officer. During his military service, he completed combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne Division and served with the Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery, earning a Bronze Star and the Combat Infantryman Badge. After leaving active duty, Cotton worked as a management consultant for McKinsey & Company before entering politics. In the Senate, he has held significant roles on the Armed Services, Intelligence, and Judiciary committees. In late 2024, he was selected as the Chair of the Senate Republican Conference, the third-highest-ranking position in the Senate Republican leadership. He was re-elected to a second term in the Senate in 2020.

Senator Cotton is widely recognized for his hawkish foreign policy, advocating for a robust military and a confrontational approach toward adversaries such as China, Iran, and Russia. He is a strong supporter of Israel and has been a persistent critic of the Iran nuclear deal. On immigration, he supports moving toward a merit-based system and has introduced legislation like the RAISE Act to reduce overall legal immigration levels and prioritize high-skilled workers. He also advocates for increased border security and the construction of a wall on the southern border. Economically, Cotton supports tax cuts, federal deregulation, and the expansion of domestic energy production, including oil and gas. He is a vocal opponent of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and has consistently voted for its repeal. Regarding social and judicial issues, he supports the appointment of conservative judges, opposes most federal gun control measures, and maintains a pro-life voting record.