Tom Cotton will not be at the debate.
Posted by Hallie Shoffner, Checked
- Sources
- 6 support4 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 90%
Hallie Shoffner@hallieshoffnerOct 12, 2026Where's Tom Cotton? Who knows, but we know he won't be at the debate. Join me today as I take the debate stage and tell you how I plan to fight for Arkansas as your next US Senator. Tune in to ArkansasTV, Monday October 12th, live at 1:30pm CT or replayed at 7:00pm CT. Livestream at http://arkansastv.gov/elections
The claim that Tom Cotton would not be at the debate is supported: multiple independent outlets (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Advocate, THV11, KHBS, KARK) report he skipped the Monday, Oct. 12, 2026 Arkansas U.S. Senate debate, and a Reddit moderator announcement notes he declined.
This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.
What we found
Supports. Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and NWA Online report that Republican incumbent Tom Cotton skipped Monday's U.S. Senate debate, with opponents attacking his absence.[1][2]
Supports. Arkansas Advocate reports Cotton did not participate in the Arkansas TV debate with Democrat Hallie Shoffner and Libertarian Jeff Wadlin.[3]
Supports. THV11 reports Cotton did not participate in the Monday, Oct. 12 Arkansas TV Senate debate, and his office said he was attending a different event.[4]
Supports. KHBS and KARK coverage states the incumbent Republican Tom Cotton was absent from the Senate debate on Oct. 12.[5][6]
Context. THV11 notes Cotton's office said he was attending a different event, which is a stated reason for the absence rather than a contradiction of it.[4]
Context. Unrelated coverage of Cotton's opposition to daylight saving time changes does not bear on his debate attendance.[7][8][9][10]
Sources
10 sources: 9 not rated, 1 rated low
- 1With Cotton skipping debate, Shoffner and Wadlin make ...arkansasonline.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 2With Cotton skipping debate, Shoffner and Wadlin make ...nwaonline.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 3Cotton's absence takes center stage at debate between ...arkansasadvocate.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 4Farm bill takes center stage in Arkansas Senate race as ...thv11.com · not rated · cited for: supports, context
- 5WATCH: US Senate candidates debate - KHBS4029tv.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 6Hallie Shoffner and Jeff Wadlin discuss key issues as Tom ...kark.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 7Permanent daylight saving time could leave students ...abc27.com · not rated · cited for: context
- 8The push to end daylight saving time has hit a Senate wall ...facebook.com · not rated · cited for: context
- 9Trump singles out Senate Republican over opposition to ...foxbaltimore.com · not rated · cited for: context
- 10Daylight Saving Time battle heats up as push to stop clock ...foxnews.com · rated low for factual reporting by Iffy.news · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post