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Who is Tom Cotton?

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Tom Cotton (born 1977) is a Republican politician who serves in the U.S. Senate (2015– ), representing Arkansas. He was previously a member of the U.S. House of Representatives (2013–15). A noted conservative, he opposes abortion, same-sex marriage, gun control, and defense-spending cuts.

Cotton attended Harvard University, earning a bachelor’s degree (1998) and a law degree (2002). He briefly practiced law privately before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 2005. Declining an offer to serve as a military lawyer, he became an infantry officer and underwent training as a ranger. He completed tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Cotton earned the Bronze Star and Combat Infantryman Badge, among other awards. Popular within the Tea Party movement, he successfully ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012 and the Senate in 2014.