2026 Arkansas U.S. Senate Election
Compare candidates’ positions, polling, and sourced race updates.
About this race
The November 3, 2026, election will choose Arkansas's Class II member of the U.S. Senate, a six-year office that shapes federal legislation, confirmations, and national policy. Republican incumbent Tom Cotton, first elected in 2014 and seeking a third term, faces Democrat Hallie Shoffner, a sixth-generation farmer and first-time candidate, and Libertarian Jeff Wadlin, a Bentonville businessman.
Cotton has declined debates hosted by Arkansas PBS and Arkansas State University, where Shoffner and Wadlin are scheduled to appear; Cotton and Shoffner have separately agreed to a debate hosted by Salem Media. Republicans hold both U.S. Senate seats and every statewide office in Arkansas, and Cotton and allied groups have far outspent Shoffner on advertising.
Candidates
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Tom Cotton is Arkansas's junior U.S. senator and has served in the Senate since 2015, after representing the state's 4th Congressional District in the U.S. House. He is a former Army infantry officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and is chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
Hallie Shoffner is a sixth-generation Arkansas farmer and small-business owner running for the U.S. Senate. Her campaign says she operated her family farm for nine years and holds a degree from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Public Service from the Clinton School of Public Service. Her platform focuses on household costs, health care, workers, education, and agricultural and rural-community policy.
Jeff Wadlin is the Libertarian nominee for U.S. Senate in Arkansas in 2026. His campaign biography describes him as a Bentonville-based businessman who studied aerospace and mechanical engineering at the University of Virginia, earned an MBA from Northwestern University, worked at Caterpillar and Capital One, and led nationwide membership at Sam's Club before starting a consulting business.
Forecast
Tom Cotton favored
Tom Cotton: 90% modeled win probability with a +14.0 pts estimated margin
Polling
3 polls, newest firstAbout this research
Data compiled from public sources and analyzed using AI. Last updated October 5, 2026. Visit candidate websites for the most current information.