Cong. Cotton On Possible Senate Run: ‘Never A Good Idea To Say Never’

Fourth District Congressman Tom Cotton (R), who is heavily rumored to be a GOP challenger to Democratic incumbent U.S. Senator Mark Pryor, tells Talk Business Arkansas that while it is too early to decide if he’ll run, he’s not closed the door on the possibility.

In a speech to the Delta Grassroots Caucus – a group of business and political leaders from across the Arkansas Delta and other states – Cotton touched on a variety of federal issues and economic development ideas that have been central to his traditional message to constituents.

The Fourth District covers all or part of 33 counties, most of which are in the Delta’s footprint.

After the speech at the Clinton School of Public Service, Cotton was asked how he felt about being a prospect to challenge Pryor for his Senate seat in 2014.

“That goes to show you how slim the prospects are. I am really focused right now on some of the work I described in there. The House still has significant legislation ahead of us, like the debt ceiling that should be coming up in the next few months. And it’s very early in the political process. I haven’t made any decisions, you know, I don’t really have campaign staff or campaign offices so there’s not much going on for me right now on the political front,” said Cotton, who is serving his first term in Congress.

When asked as a follow-up whether the door was open or closed for a Senate run, Cotton responded, “I learned in the Army that it’s never a good idea to say ‘never’ and always a bad idea to say ‘always’.”