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United States Senate election in Arkansas, 2026 (March 3 Republican primary)

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← 2022
U.S. Senate, Arkansas
Ballotpedia Election Coverage Badge.png
Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: November 12, 2025
Primary: March 3, 2026
Primary runoff: March 31, 2026
General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times:

7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Voting in Arkansas

Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Republican
DDHQ and The Hill: Pending
Inside Elections: Solid Republican
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
See also
U.S. Senate, Arkansas
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th
Arkansas elections, 2026
U.S. Congress elections, 2026
U.S. Senate elections, 2026
U.S. House elections, 2026

A Republican Party primary takes place on March 3, 2026, in Arkansas to determine which Republican candidate will run in the state's general election on November 3, 2026.

Candidate filing deadline Primary election General election
November 12, 2025
March 3, 2026
November 3, 2026


Heading into the election, the incumbent is Tom Cotton (Republican), who was first elected in 2014.

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Arkansas utilizes an open primary system. Registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[1][2]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

This page focuses on Arkansas' United States Senate Republican primary. For more in-depth information on the state's Democratic primary and the general election, see the following pages:

Candidates and election results

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Arkansas

Incumbent Tom Cotton, Micah Ashby, and Jeb Little are running in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Arkansas on March 3, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Tom Cotton
Tom Cotton
Image of Micah Ashby
Micah Ashby
Image of Jeb Little
Jeb Little Candidate Connection

Incumbents are bolded and underlined.

Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Jeb Little

Image of Jeb Little

WebsiteFacebookX

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Submitted Biography:  "I was born and raised in southeast Arkansas. I spent my childhood learning the value of hard work, hunting deer, riding four-wheelers, shooting firearms, and have a deep love for the outdoors. I was raised in a Christian home and accepted Christ as my personal Savior during my youth. I graduated from Warren High School and attended Ouachita Baptist University, where I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. At OBU, I met my wife, Jessie-now mother of our three children and a pediatrician in Harrison. In 2020, I joined the AR State Police serving in Pulaski County and later in northern Arkansas. During my time with the ASP, I have been honored to receive several distinctions including Pulaski County Officer of the Year and the ASP Life Saver’s Award. I also received two Governor’s Commendation letters—one for apprehending a mobile active shooter after a high-speed pursuit in downtown Little Rock, and another for peacefully resolving a mental health crisis on Interstate 30. I have seen first-hand the troubles that are facing our nation: illegal immigration, drugs, children without fathers, etc. With the assassination of Charlie Kirk, I realized that I can no longer sit on the political sidelines. After five years of service with AR State Police, I am ready to continue serving my state by taking on a new challenge-confronting entrenched political interests and standing up for the people of Arkansas. I am the true conservative choice on the ballot: 100% Arkansas First."

Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

For too long, federal agencies and the elite have avoided accountability for their corruption. The American people deserve transparency and justice. The events of 2020 surrounding the Covid pandemic must be fully examined and brought to light. The Epstein files and every individual involved must face prosecution. If we cannot maintain sovereignty over our own bodies and protect our children, two very basic and obvious ideas, then America cannot be considered a serious nation. When the law applies only to the working class and not to all levels of society, we do not have justice—we have tyranny. We the people will become nothing more than tax cattle serving the interests of the elite.

If any bill increases the deficit, I will vote no. I manage my household budget and pay my bills, so I do not understand why Congress cannot do the same. The billions of dollars given annually to foreign countries must stop, and we must end all foreign handouts. Our taxpayers’ money should be focused on providing services here at home, not abroad. Foreign countries are not entitled to the hard work and sacrifices of American citizens. We must first take the plank out of our own eye before we can see clearly to help others.

We currently have millions of undocumented immigrants in our country taking advantage of our resources. Until every one of them is deported, we should halt all immigration into America. I support an immigration moratorium until we regain full control of our borders and our country. I’m tired of our medical and emergency services being stretched to the limit, and I'm tired of Americans having to compete with outsiders for access to affordable housing, healthcare, education, and jobs. Americans should not have to compete with the world for what is their birthright.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Arkansas

Election information in Arkansas: March 3, 2026, election.

What is the voter registration deadline?

  • In-person: Feb. 2, 2026
  • By mail: Postmarked by Feb. 2, 2026
  • Online: N/A

Is absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

No

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

  • In-person: Feb. 27, 2026
  • By mail: Received by Feb. 24, 2026
  • Online: Feb. 24, 2026

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

  • In-person: Feb. 27, 2026
  • By mail: Received by March 3, 2026

Is early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What are the early voting start and end dates?

Feb. 16, 2026 to March 2, 2026

Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, is a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When are polls open on Election Day?

7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. (CT)

Campaign finance

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Tom Cotton Republican Party $10,746,981 $7,768,375 $9,375,559 As of September 30, 2025
Micah Ashby Republican Party $81 $126 $-45 As of September 30, 2025
Jeb Little Republican Party $0 $0 $0 Data not available***

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.
*** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

Ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in Arkansas in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Arkansas, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2026
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Arkansas U.S. Senate Ballot-qualified party N/A Fixed by party 11/12/2025 Source
Arkansas U.S. Senate Unaffiliated 3% of qualified voters in the district, or 2,000, whichever is less N/A 5/1/2026 Source

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ LexisNexis, "Ark. Stat. Ann. § 7-7-307," accessed November 19, 2025
  2. ↑ LexisNexis, "Ark. Stat. Ann. § 7-7-308," accessed November 19, 2025


Arkansas' current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
John Boozman (R)
Tom Cotton (R)
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
Republican Party (6)


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