Tom Cotton

Tom Cotton
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Name	Tom Cotton
Caption	United States Senator from Arkansas
State	Arkansas
Term start	January 3, 2015
Preceded	Mark Pryor
State1	Arkansas's 4th congressional district
Term start1	January 3, 2013
Term end1	January 3, 2015
Preceded1	Mike Ross
Succeeded1	Bruce Westerman
Party	Republican
Birth date	13 May 1977
Birth place	Dardanelle, Arkansas
Alma mater	Harvard University (BA), Harvard Law School (JD)
Spouse	Anna Peckham
Branch	United States Army
Serviceyears	2005–2013
Rank	Captain
Unit	3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), 101st Airborne Division
Battles	Iraq War, War in Afghanistan
Awards	Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal

Tom Cotton is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States Senator from Arkansas since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served one term representing Arkansas's 4th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. A Harvard University-educated lawyer and veteran of the Iraq War and War in Afghanistan, he is known as a staunch conservative and a prominent foreign policy hawk in the United States Congress.

Early life and education

Born in Dardanelle, Arkansas, he was raised on his family's cattle farm. He graduated as valedictorian from Dardanelle High School before attending Harvard University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in government. At Harvard College, he was an editor for the Harvard Crimson and a member of the Harvard Institute of Politics. He subsequently attended Harvard Law School, receiving his Juris Doctor degree. During his time in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he also worked as a research assistant for professor Harvey Mansfield.

Military service

After graduating from Harvard Law School, he chose to enlist in the United States Army rather than immediately practice law. He completed Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Infantry. He first served with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) at Fort Myer in Arlington County, Virginia. He later served with the 101st Airborne Division, deploying to Baghdad during the Iraq War and to eastern Afghanistan during the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021). His military decorations include the Bronze Star Medal and the Army Commendation Medal.

U.S. House of Representatives

He was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2012, winning the open seat in Arkansas's 4th congressional district previously held by Democrat Mike Ross. During his single term in the 113th United States Congress, he served on the House Financial Services Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He quickly gained a reputation as a conservative insurgent, opposing bipartisan budget deals and advocating for a robust national security posture. He was a signatory of a 2015 letter to the Supreme Leader of Iran regarding negotiations over the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

U.S. Senate

He successfully challenged incumbent Democratic Senator Mark Pryor in the 2014 elections, part of a wave that gave Republicans control of the United States Senate. He was reelected in 2020, defeating his Democratic opponent by a wide margin. In the United States Senate, he serves on several influential committees, including the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Senate Armed Services Committee. He has been a leading voice on issues ranging from immigration and judicial nominations to confronting China and Iran.

Political positions

He is considered one of the most conservative members of the United States Senate. On foreign policy, he is a noted hawk, advocating for increased defense spending, a hardline stance against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and a confrontational approach to the People's Republic of China. Domestically, he is a strong opponent of abortion, a supporter of strict immigration enforcement, and a proponent of tax cuts. He has been a vocal critic of what he terms "woke" ideologies in the military and corporate America. He has authored legislation such as the Ensuring a Qualified Civil Service Act aimed at reforming federal employment.

Electoral history

In his first congressional race in 2012, he defeated Democratic state senator Gene Jeffress with 59.5% of the vote. His 2014 Senate campaign against Mark Pryor resulted in a 56.5% to 39.4% victory. He ran unopposed in the 2016 Republican primary for his first Senate reelection and won the general election with 60.0% of the vote. In the 2020 election cycle, he defeated Democratic nominee Ricky Dale Harrington Jr., an independent candidate, by a margin of 66.5% to 33.5%. He is frequently mentioned as a potential future candidate for higher office, including the Presidency of the United States.

Category:United States senators from Arkansas Category:Republican Party United States senators Category:Harvard University alumni