Rumored presidential contender Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) won’t run for the White House in 2024, multiple outlets are reporting.
Cotton had appeared to be following the presidential candidate playbook, releasing a book on American power earlier this month and making recent stops in Iowa and New Hampshire.
But according to CNN, Cotton decided against a White House run because of the strain it would place on his family.
The rising GOP star is the first of a large field of prospective GOP candidates to withdraw from the ring. The party’s leader, former President Trump, is expected to launch his own 2024 reelection bid soon after Tuesday’s election.
The Arkansas senator made calls this week to tell his allies and donors he won’t be putting himself in the running, Politico reports, though he remains open to serving in a future GOP administration.
Cotton’s campaign did not respond immediately to The Hill’s request for comment.
A growing number of prominent Republicans have expressed hesitance about a 2024 reelection run from Trump, with some saying that he should not run and others warning that he’ll lose if he does.
Trump’s former vice president Mike Pence said last month that he might prefer another candidate, hinting at his own possible run.
Former Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said last month that Trump’s “unelectability will be palpable” by the 2024 and that the next Republican nominee will likely be someone else.
A number of polls over the last few months have indicated that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) could be a significant challenge for Trump if they matched up in the Republican primary.
Republican mega-donor Ken Griffin told Politico in an interview published Sunday it’s time the GOP moves on from former President Trump, throwing his support behind DeSantis.