Tom Cotton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tom Cotton
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Official portrait, 2015
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| Chair of the Senate Republican Conference | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 |
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| Leader | John Thune |
| Preceded by | John Barrasso |
| Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Mark Warner |
| United States Senator from Arkansas |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2015 Serving with John Boozman
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| Preceded by | Mark Pryor |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arkansas's 4th district |
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| In office January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Mike Ross |
| Succeeded by | Bruce Westerman |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Thomas Bryant Cotton
May 13, 1977 Dardanelle, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Anna Peckham
(m. 2014) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Harvard University (BA, JD) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service |
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| Rank | Captain |
| Unit |
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| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
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Thomas Bryant Cotton (born May 13, 1977) is an American politician and former Army officer. Since 2015, he has served as a U.S. Senator for Arkansas. He is a member of the Republican Party. Senator Cotton holds important leadership roles. He is the chairman of the Senate Republican Conference. He also chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Before becoming a senator, Cotton served in the United States House of Representatives. He represented Arkansas's 4th congressional district from 2013 to 2015. In 2014, he was elected to the Senate. He won against the Democratic senator at the time, Mark Pryor. Cotton is known for his strong opinions on foreign policy. He often focuses on countries like China and Iran.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Thomas Bryant Cotton was born on May 13, 1977. His hometown is Dardanelle, Arkansas. His father, Thomas Leonard "Len" Cotton, worked for the state health department. His mother, Avis Cotton, was a schoolteacher and later a principal. Cotton's family had lived in rural Arkansas for many generations. He grew up on their family cattle farm. He went to Dardanelle High School. There, he played basketball. He was 6 feet 5 inches tall, so he usually played as a center.
After high school, Cotton went to Harvard College in 1995. He studied government. He also wrote for The Harvard Crimson, the student newspaper. He often shared different views from the majority. He graduated in 1998 with high honors (magna cum laude). This means he finished his studies in only three years. His main project, called a senior thesis, was about The Federalist Papers. These are important essays about the U.S. Constitution.
After Harvard College, Cotton started a master's program. This was at Claremont Graduate University. But he left in 1999. He said he found academic life "too quiet." He then enrolled in Harvard Law School. He earned his law degree in 2002.
Career and Military Service
After law school, Cotton worked as a law clerk for a judge. This means he helped the judge with legal research. He then worked as a lawyer at two private law firms in Washington, D.C.. In 2005, he decided to join the United States Army.
On January 11, 2005, Cotton enlisted in the Army. He went to Officer Candidate School in March 2005. He became a second lieutenant in June. He completed tough training programs. These included the U.S. Army Ranger Course and United States Army Airborne School. These programs taught him leadership and special skills.
In May 2006, Cotton was sent to Baghdad, Iraq. This was part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He led a group of 41 infantry soldiers. They performed daily combat patrols. In December 2006, he was promoted to first lieutenant. He was then moved to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard). This unit is based in Arlington, Virginia.
From October 2008 to July 2009, Cotton was deployed to eastern Afghanistan. He worked as an operations officer. He helped plan daily operations to fight against rebels and rebuild areas.
Cotton left active duty in September 2009. During his service, he completed two combat tours. He received several awards. These include the Bronze Star and two Army Commendation Medals. He also earned the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Ranger tab.
After his active military service, Cotton worked for a management consulting firm. In July 2010, he joined the Army Reserve. He was discharged from the Reserve in May 2013.
U.S. House of Representatives
After his deployment in Afghanistan, Cotton met Chris Chocola. Chocola was a former congressman. He led a group called Club for Growth. This group later became a major supporter of Cotton. Cotton thought about running for the U.S. Senate in 2010. However, he decided it was too soon.
Cotton ran for Congress in Arkansas' 4th congressional district. The current Democratic representative, Mike Ross, decided not to run again.
2012 Election
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In September 2011, some people criticized Cotton for an article he wrote in 1998. In the article, he questioned how useful the internet was for teaching. He said it had "too many temptations" for schools. Cotton later said the internet had changed a lot since then.
In the Republican primary election, Cotton won the nomination. He received 57.6% of the votes. The Club for Growth supported Cotton. They were his biggest financial supporters. Senator John McCain also endorsed him. Cotton was supported by both the Tea Party movement and the main Republican Party.
In the general election on November 6, Cotton won. He defeated state senator Gene Jeffress. Cotton received 59.5% of the votes. He became the second Republican to represent the 4th district since the Reconstruction Era of the United States. On January 3, 2013, Cotton officially became a member of the House of Representatives.
Key Actions in the House
As a new member of Congress, Cotton often disagreed with the Obama administration. He voted against a pay raise for federal employees in 2013. He also voted against the 2013 Farm Bill. He was concerned about waste in food assistance programs.
Cotton also spoke out about foreign policy. He criticized the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, a nuclear deal with Iran. He said that military action against Iran would not be as difficult as some thought. He compared it to past bombings of Iraq.
Committee Assignments
While in the House, Cotton served on several important committees:
- Committee on Financial Services
- Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
- Subcommittee on Monetary Policy and Trade
- Committee on Foreign Affairs
- Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa
- Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade
U.S. Senate
2014 Election
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On August 6, 2013, Cotton announced he would run for the U.S. Senate. He challenged the Democratic senator, Mark Pryor. Many experts believed Pryor was vulnerable. Cotton received support from the Club for Growth, Senator Marco Rubio, and former presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
The election was held on November 4, 2014. Cotton won with 56.5% of the votes. Pryor received 39.4%. Cotton officially became a U.S. Senator on January 6, 2015.
2020 Election
Cotton was reelected in 2020. He defeated Libertarian candidate Ricky Dale Harrington Jr. Cotton received 66.53% of the votes. Harrington's 33.5% was the highest percentage ever for a Libertarian candidate in a U.S. Senate election. Many Democratic voters supported Harrington because there was no Democratic candidate on the ballot.
Senate Tenure and Key Issues
First Trump Administration
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During President Trump's time in office, Cotton was seen as a strong supporter. He often met with Trump's team. He even suggested John F. Kelly for a cabinet position. Some people close to Trump said Cotton understood the president's goals very well.
In September 2020, Trump considered Cotton for a position on the Supreme Court. However, Trump chose Amy Coney Barrett instead. Cotton supported a quick Senate vote on Trump's nominee. This was to fill the Supreme Court spot after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away. In 2016, Cotton had said that the Senate should not consider President Obama's Supreme Court nominee during an election year. He believed voters should have a say.
In January 2021, Cotton stated he would not support efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.
Second Trump Administration
In November 2024, Cotton was chosen for two important leadership roles. He became the chair of the Senate Republican Conference. He also became the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Committee Assignments
Senator Cotton serves on several key committees in the Senate:
Current Committees
- Committee on Armed Services
- Subcommittee on Airland (Chair, 2015–2021; Ranking Member, 2021–present)
- Subcommittee on Seapower (2017–present)
- Subcommittee on Strategic Forces (2017–present)
- Select Committee on Intelligence
- Committee on the Judiciary (2021–present)
- Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust and Consumer Rights
- Subcommittee on Criminal Justice and Counterterrorism (Ranking Member)
- Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship and Border Safety
- Subcommittee on Intellectual Property
- Joint Economic Committee
Previous Committees
- Special Committee on Aging (2015–2017)
- Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (2015–2021)
- Committee on the Budget (2018–2019)
Caucuses
- Senate Republican Conference
Political Views
Cotton is known for his conservative political views.
In January 2019, Cotton supported a bill about carrying concealed weapons. This bill would allow people with permits in their home state to carry weapons in other states. In June 2022, Cotton introduced a bill to increase minimum sentences for certain crimes involving guns.
In February 2017, Cotton and Senator David Perdue proposed a new immigration bill called the RAISE Act. This bill would limit how many family members can come to the U.S. It would also reduce the number of refugees allowed each year.
Cotton opposed the Affordable Care Act. He said in 2012 that the law should be repealed.
In 2012, Cotton stated his support for the traditional definition of marriage. He also supported the Defense of Marriage Act.
In August 2013, Cotton voted against a bill about student loan interest rates. He preferred a solution that would reduce the government's role in student lending.
Personal Life
Tom Cotton married Anna Peckham in 2014. They have two children.
Cotton enjoys reading. Some of his favorite authors include Walter Russell Mead, Robert D. Kaplan, and Henry Kissinger.
In 2019, Cotton published a book. It was about the Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery. The book was partly based on his own experience serving in that unit.
Images for kids
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Official portrait, 2015
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Cotton in Baghdad, 2006
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Cotton participating in a 2012 congressional debate at Southern Arkansas University
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Senator Jon Kyl and Cotton speaking at the Hudson Institute
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Senator Cotton and former ambassador to the United Nations John R. Bolton at the 2015 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)
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U.S. secretary of defense Ash Carter and senators Joni Ernst, Daniel Sullivan, John McCain, Tom Cotton, Lindsey Graham, and Cory Gardner attending the 2016 International Institute for Strategic Studies Asia Security Summit in Singapore
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Tom Cotton (left) with President Donald Trump and Senator David Perdue (right)
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Senator Cotton visits Air Defenders at Osan Air Base during his three-country tour to Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan
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Senator Cotton at First in the Nation Townhall, New Hampshire
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Tom Cotton and Brett Kavanaugh in August 2018
See also
In Spanish: Tom Cotton para niños
- List of members of the American Legion
