Cotton, a rising star in the GOP and an Army veteran who served in combat in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, has contacted donors, supporters and aides in recent days to let them know he will not launch a presidential campaign, in his political orbit senator confirmed to Fox News on Sunday. The news was first reported by Politico. Cotton told donors and supporters that family was a big factor in his decision, according to the sources. The senator, who is 45, and his wife Anna are parents to two young boys aged five and seven. Cotton has made several stops in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada — the first four states to hold contests on the GOP presidential nominating calendar — over the past year and a half as he has crisscrossed the country campaigning on behalf of fellow Republicans who contest the by-elections. And the senator met in June with top donors and advisers at the Hay Adams Hotel in downtown Washington, D.C. Sources involved in that meeting confirmed to Fox News that Cotton said he would not back down to any other potential candidate — including former President Donald Trump – when it comes to his own decision to launch a national campaign. READY OR NOT, HERE COMES THE START TO THE 2024 PRESIDENTIAL RACE Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas speaks with Fox News Digital in Carrollton, Georgia after working with GOP Senate candidate Herschel Walker at a campaign event on October 11, 2022. (Fox News) Sources in Trump’s political orbit told Fox News on Friday that a possible 2024 announcement could potentially happen during the week beginning Monday, Nov. 14 — just a week after the midterms. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP But sources warn that things are “fluid”. Paul Steinhauser is a political reporter based in New Hampshire.
