Tom Cotton — U.S. Senator from Arkansas
Tom Cotton is a Republican Senator representing Arkansas, serving a term from 2021-01-03 to 2027-01-03.
Overview
| Party | Republican |
|---|---|
| Chamber | Senator |
| State | Arkansas |
| Current term | 2021-01-03 – 2027-01-03 |
| Born | 1977-05-13 |
| Bioguide ID | C001095 |
Election & Term History
Tom Cotton has held 3 terms in Congress on record, first elected in 2013.
| Term | Office | Party |
|---|---|---|
| 2013-01-03 – 2015-01-03 | U.S. Representative for AR-4 | Republican |
| 2015-01-06 – 2021-01-03 | U.S. Senator from Arkansas | Republican |
| 2021-01-03 – 2027-01-03 | U.S. Senator from Arkansas | Republican |
Voting Record
In the 119th Congress, Tom Cotton has cast 871 recorded votes. Based on DW-NOMINATE ideology scoring (Voteview, UCLA) -- a standard academic measure derived from actual roll-call vote patterns, not self-description -- Tom Cotton is more conservative than 54% of Senate Republicans on the liberal-conservative spectrum this Congress.
| Ideology score (DW-NOMINATE, dim. 1) | 0.577 |
|---|---|
| Position within party | more conservative than 54% of Senate Republicans |
| Recorded votes this Congress | 871 |
| Votes with own party | 99.8% of contested roll-call votes |
| Missed votes | 14 of 890 (1.6%) |
Scale runs roughly -1 (most liberal) to +1 (most conservative); scores are relative rankings among the member's own chamber and party, not an absolute measure. "Votes with own party" compares each Yea/Nay vote to that party's majority position on the same roll call, for every recorded vote so far in the 119th Congress.
Frequently Asked Questions
What party is Tom Cotton in?
Tom Cotton is a Republican, currently serving as U.S. Senator from Arkansas.
How long has Tom Cotton served in Congress?
Tom Cotton's first term on record began in 2013, and their current term runs from 2021-01-03 to 2027-01-03.
Has Tom Cotton served in both the House and Senate?
Yes. Tom Cotton's term history includes service in both the House of Representatives and the Senate -- see the full election and term history table above.
How does Tom Cotton's voting record compare to the rest of their party?
Based on DW-NOMINATE ideology scoring (Voteview, UCLA), Tom Cotton is more conservative than 54% of Senate Republicans in the 119th Congress, having cast 871 recorded votes.
How often does Tom Cotton vote with their own party?
Tom Cotton has voted with the majority of their own party on 99.8% of contested roll-call votes so far in the 119th Congress, missing 14 of 890 recorded votes (1.6%).