Tom Cotton

Who is Tom Cotton?

Thomas Bryant "Tom" Cotton is a member of the United States House of Representatives representing Arkansas's 4th congressional district since 2013. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a U.S. Army veteran and a lawyer.

Born in Russellville, Arkansas, Cotton is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. He worked as a law clerk and as an attorney in private practice before joining in the U.S. Army in 2005. Cotton served a tour in Iraq and Afghanistan, before leaving the military with the rank of captain in 2009. He worked as a management consultant for McKinsey & Company before returning to his hometown of Dardanelle, Arkansas to work on his family's cattle farm.

In September 2011, Cotton announced his candidacy to run for Congress, after five term incumbent Mike Ross announced he wouldn't run for reelection. On May 22, 2012, he won the Republican primary with 57% of the vote, later defeating Arkansas State Senator Gene Jeffress in the general election with 59% of the vote.