Tom Cotton

Tom Cotton

Republican Incumbent

Tom Cotton is the incumbent U.S. senator from Arkansas and has served since 2015. According to his Senate biography, he grew up on a cattle farm in Yell County, graduated from Harvard and Harvard Law School, served nearly five years as an Army infantry officer with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and later served one term in the U.S. House before returning to the Senate.

Positions on Key Issues

Healthcare

high

Tom Cotton supports protections for people with pre-existing conditions and has backed legislation to guarantee coverage and prohibit discrimination based on health status. He has also supported repealing Obamacare and pursuing market-based health care reforms.

Economy

high

Tom Cotton supports a pro-growth economic approach that emphasizes lower costs, deregulation, and tougher trade policy toward China. He has also promoted legislation aimed at lowering energy costs for Arkansans and expanding energy innovation.

Climate/Energy

high

Tom Cotton emphasizes affordable and reliable energy and has opposed policies he says would raise electricity costs. He has introduced legislation to limit state climate mandates and to lower Arkansas energy prices.

Abortion & Reproductive Health

high

Tom Cotton is strongly anti-abortion and supports restricting abortion access. He has defended unborn life and backed federal abortion restrictions.

Immigration

high

Tom Cotton supports strict immigration enforcement, including mandatory E-Verify and stronger border controls. He has also backed legislation to limit asylum access and reduce illegal immigration.

Firearms & Second Amendment

high

Tom Cotton opposes major federal gun-control measures and supports Second Amendment rights. He has backed efforts to repeal the tax on certain firearm purchases and to reduce restrictions on suppressors, while emphasizing tougher penalties for violent criminals.

Foreign Policy

high

Tom Cotton advocates a hardline foreign policy focused on military strength and countering adversaries such as China. He has opposed the Iran nuclear deal and supported measures to restrict foreign influence in U.S. research and national security.

Civil Rights & Equality

high

Tom Cotton opposes race-based DEI initiatives and argues for color-blind, merit-based policies in hiring and governance. He has also criticized cancel culture and other social-justice activism.

Education

high

Tom Cotton supports school choice, workforce education, and tighter scrutiny of foreign influence in higher education. He has also backed legislation to study cellphone use in schools and to protect sensitive academic research.

Tech & AI

high

Tom Cotton supports U.S. leadership in AI and robotics while limiting access by foreign adversaries. He has introduced measures to protect Americans’ data and to preserve American AI dominance.

Election Policy

high

Tom Cotton opposes federal election reform legislation such as the For the People Act, arguing that elections should remain primarily under state control. He has also supported voter ID requirements as a safeguard.

Local Issues

high

Tom Cotton has promoted the DATA Act of 2026, which would exempt certain off-grid electricity providers and consumer-regulated utilities from some federal rules to support customized power systems for data centers and other energy-intensive users. He says the proposal would lower energy costs and encourage innovation in Arkansas.

Background

Career History

United States Senator 2015 – Present
U.S. Senate

Represents Arkansas in the Senate.

Member of Congress 2013 – 2015
U.S. House of Representatives

Served one term in the House before being elected to the Senate.

Infantry Officer 2005 – 2009
United States Army

Served nearly five years on active duty, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Education

Harvard University Bachelor of Arts
Harvard Law School Juris Doctor in Law

Top Donors

According to OpenSecrets, Cotton's campaign committee fundraising is reported separately from his leadership PAC. The OpenSecrets profile shows his leadership PAC, Republican Majority Fund, raised $16,312,092 and had $7,450,869 cash on hand as of the latest report, while the top disclosed contributors to his campaign committee include Apollo Global Management, Stephens Inc., McNa Dental Plans, Pro-Israel America PAC, and Blackstone Group.

View full campaign finance data →

Voting Record

Tom Cotton is an incumbent U.S. senator, so he has a public congressional voting record. GovTrack identifies him as serving since 2015, and Vote Smart lists his key votes; his record is consistently aligned with the Republican caucus, including votes on appropriations and other major Senate roll calls. Notable recent examples include a Nay vote on the continuing appropriations and extensions act for 2026 and other Senate roll-call votes documented by Congress.gov/Senate records.

View full voting record →

Data Analysis Information

Data compiled from public sources and analyzed using AI. Last updated 4/6/2026. Visit candidate websites for the most current information.

© 2026 Smarter.vote. Analyzing public information to help voters make informed decisions.

Always verify information by visiting candidate websites directly. This tool provides analysis for informational purposes only.