From the Arkansas Advocate:
Sixth-generation farmer Hallie Shoffner officially launched her campaign against U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton on Tuesday.
The Democrat and Newport native is challenging the incumbent Republican who’s seeking his third six-year term in the U.S. Senate during the 2026 election.
Shoffner aims to unseat Cotton and “take on the corrupt political system he’s spent the past ten years rigging against regular people,” according to a press release.
“As a sixth-generation family farmer, I know what it’s like to have to fight tooth and nail for everything you have, and still get crushed by an economy that’s rigged against you,” Shoffner said.
Noting that Cotton has twice voted against the Farm Bill, Shoffner said she’ll fight for a Farm Bill that gives farmers “room to breathe.” She also argued that Cotton’s tax cuts are for “land barons,” and said the Republican “just blew a massive hole in our national debt.”
All six members of Arkansas’ federal delegation, including Cotton, voted in favor of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which will make permanent 2017 tax cuts and provide billions to carry out the president’s plans to crack down on immigration and increase defense spending. The bill could add $3.4 trillion to deficits over the next decade, according to estimates by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
“I’ll cut taxes for blue-collar workers, fight to restore Medicaid, save Social Security, cut the deficit, and be radically focused on bringing costs down for regular people,” Shoffner said. “I’ll fight this rigged system every day—Tom Cotton’s the guy who did the rigging.”
Shoffner is a graduate of Newport High School, Vanderbilt University and the Clinton School of Public Service. In addition to running her family farm, she is also the founder and CEO of Delta Harvest, which builds local food infrastructure, supports farmers and brings opportunities back to struggling communities, according to the release.
Shoffner grew up on her family farm in East Arkansas where she started working in the field with her dad at the age of 10. In February, she and her family decided to sell their 2,000-acre farm due to high input costs and inadequate federal assistance, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.
“It doesn’t matter if you are a farmer, an auto mechanic, or a single mom taking on a double shift just to make it, if you have to work for a living, you know how hard it is to get by when your own Senator is working against you,” said Shoffner. “I’m not a politician, I’m not much for political parties, and I’ve never run for office in my life—the only thing I ever wanted to do was farm. But if I can’t farm, I’m going to fight.”
Cotton officially announced his re-election campaign on Feb. 27, when he asked for support to continue his work “as the conservative voice” for Arkansans. In a campaign video, Cotton acknowledged “times have been tough these last four years.”
“Runaway inflation has pushed Arkansas families to the edge. Prices are too high and paychecks are too small,” he said. “Our southern border was left wide open, our country flooded with more than 10 million illegals, dangerous criminals and deadly drugs.”
With President Donald Trump in the White House and Republicans holding a slim majority in both chambers of Congress, Cotton said “we can turn things around for Arkansas and our nation.”
“Let’s secure our border, deport criminal illegal aliens and stop the drug traffickers,” he said. “Let’s end wasteful liberal spending, cut your taxes and get inflation under control. Let’s rebuild our military, crackdown on China, stop Iran from getting nukes and always stand with Israel.”
Cotton was born and raised on his family’s cattle farm in Yell County, according to his campaign website. The sixth-generation Arkansan graduated from Dardanelle High School, Harvard University and Harvard Law School.
Because of the September 11th attacks, the Arkansas Republican left law and served nearly five years on active duty in the United States Army, according to his Senate website. Cotton completed combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. His military decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantry Badge and Ranger Tab.
Cotton was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014. Arkansas’ junior senator is chairman of the Intelligence Committee and the third-ranking member in the Senate Republican leadership as chairman of the Senate Republican Conference.
In his campaign launch video, Cotton promised to “never back down” as an Arkansas congressman.
“Together we’ll make Arkansas and our nation stronger and safer,” he said. “So let’s go forward together — strong, confident and resolute. In the defense of our glorious past and our limitless future.”
All members of Arkansas’ congressional delegation and Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders endorsed Cotton in February. Trump also endorsed him earlier this month.
Cotton has about $8.6 million in his campaign fund, according to the Federal Election Commission. Shoffner’s campaign hasn’t had to file a campaign finance report yet.
