Tom Cotton Announces Reelection Bid Amid Growing Support in Arkansas

Little Rock, Arkansas – Senate Republican Conference Chairman Tom Cotton announced on Thursday that he will run for reelection in 2026. In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Cotton outlined his plans to expand the GOP majority in the next Congress while focusing on national security challenges, specifically the threat from communist China.

“It’s been a great honor and privilege to serve the people of Arkansas in the United States Senate,” Cotton said, emphasizing several Republican achievements during his tenure. His campaign disclosed that he enters this election cycle with approximately $8 million in cash on hand, a figure that more than triples the amount he had during his successful 2020 campaign.

Cotton’s financial backing has strengthened through contributions from tens of thousands of supporters across all 75 counties in Arkansas. Additionally, he has secured endorsements from all statewide officials, including Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Attorney General Tim Griffin, further solidifying his standing within the Republican Party.

Brian Colas, Cotton’s campaign advisor, stated, “Senator Cotton is fortunate to have overwhelming support from Arkansans who recognize that he has fought and delivered for conservative values.” Endorsements from fellow congressional Republicans, such as Senators John Boozman and John Thune as well as Representatives Rick Crawford and Bruce Westerman, bolster his campaign.

Recently endorsed by Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Majority Whip John Barrasso, Cotton’s reputation as a staunch advocate for conservative principles resonates with his colleagues. “A fellow combat veteran, Tom Cotton’s entire career has been about serving the American people – whether it was on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan or at home in Congress,” stated Senator Tim Sheehy of Montana.

Cotton expressed enthusiasm about the GOP’s prospects heading into the next election cycle, stating, “I’m very excited now. We have a chance for at least the next four years with President Trump and a Republican Congress to get our state and our nation back on track.” He has served in the Senate since 2015 and seeks his third term.

With Republicans currently holding a trifecta of power in Washington, D.C., Cotton anticipates opportunities to advocate for significant policy changes that may not materialize under a Democratic-led Congress. “I’ve been in the majority. I’ve been in the minority. It’s much better to be in the majority,” he said.

Cotton recently released a new book, “Seven Things You Can’t Say About China,” which has quickly ascended to No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list. In the book, he discusses the perceived threat of the Chinese Communist Party, noting that its dangers to America are even greater than many assume. “Most Americans have a rightly low opinion of Communist China, but however bad you think the Chinese Communist Party is, or dangerous it is to America, it’s actually much worse,” Cotton remarked.

As he sets his sights on the reelection campaign, Cotton stated, “I think the success we’ve had in the first week since the book was published reflects how many Americans, how many Arkansans are concerned about communist China,” adding that the topic will be a central focus of his campaign.