The 2026 elections haven’t occurred, so is it too early to talk about 2028? It’s not when a prominent national news outlet ranks Sen. Tom Cotton and Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders among its top 10 contenders to be the next Republican presidential nominee.

The Hill ranked Cotton eighth and Sanders ninth in an article written by Niall Stanage, senior staff writer.

Those slots would make Arkansas’ two most prominent Republicans more dark horses than frontrunners, which include the top contender, Vice President J.D. Vance, followed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 

Early frontrunners have failed to catch fire in the past, including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 2008 and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush in 2016. 

The Hill’s other contenders were Texas Sen. Ted Cruz at number three followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump Jr., conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp was number 10 behind Cotton and Sanders.

All of those candidates would have challenges to overcome, as would any candidate. Vance is still fairly new to politics while Rubio, Cruz and DeSantis all have lost previous presidential races. Trump Jr.’s last name is a strength with some voters and a liability with others. Carlson (who was an editorialist for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette from 1993-95) has no electoral experience and has a history of controversial statements. Hegseth has been controversial as well. Kemp has gotten crossways with President Trump at times, which would be a problem with many voters in a Republican primary.

Which brings us to Cotton and Sanders.

Cotton, 49, is the third-ranking Republican senator as chair of the Senate Republican Conference. He’s in charge of the conference’s messaging, and he’s certainly made many national media appearances through the years. Meanwhile, he chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, which means he’s one of the “Gang of Eight” members of Congress who are briefed on the most highly classified intelligence. Incidentally, U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, who represents Arkansas’ 1st District and chairs the House Intelligence Committee, is one of the other eight.

A recent poll by Talk Business & Politics and Hendrix College found Cotton is in a surprisingly close U.S. Senate race with Democrat Hallie Shoffner. In fact, that poll found Cotton trailing, 47.4% to 44%. That poll also found almost half of the respondents strongly disapproved of President Trump. 

Cotton would come off the list of top contenders if he lost this race. However, he’s still the favorite to win in this Republican state.

If he wins in this topsy-turvy climate, he’ll be in a position to consider running for president, which he also considered before the 2024 race. The Hill questioned his chances of securing the nomination but noted that he could be a vice presidential choice.

And then there’s Sanders, whom The Hill called the Republicans’ “only viable female candidate.” The article noted that she still enjoys good will among Trump supporters from her time as White House press secretary. 

Sanders has kept somewhat of a national profile while serving as governor and has a book coming out, and her initiatives would appeal to Republican base voters. Her LEARNS Act is an aggressive school choice plan that provides state dollars for private and home schooling expenses. Her Protect Arkansas Act increased prison sentences. Americans United for Life last year ranked Arkansas as the nation’s most pro-life state for the sixth year in a row.

The same poll found Sanders leading Democrat state Sen. Fred Love and Libertarian Colt Shelby. It was closer than expected at 45-40-7, but she’s well funded and in a strong position.

If Republicans nominated Sanders, 44, to be president, it could set up an interesting presidential race dynamic. The Hill’s number one Democratic contender is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 36, of New York. The race would pit two young women – the outspokenly conservative Sanders and the unabashedly liberal Ocasio-Cortez – against each other.

Both Cotton and Sanders have time on their side and can wait for another presidential election. One factor they both must consider is that they still have children at home. Cotton cited his sons as reasons he didn’t run in the last presidential race.

Again, we still have the midterm elections in front of us on Nov. 3, and Cotton and Sanders are on the ballot. The presidential election starts ramping up the next day. 

Will Cotton and Sanders be candidates then? They’re at least contenders, for now.

© 2026 by Steve Brawner Communications, Inc.

Steve Brawner’s column is syndicated to 24 news outlets in Arkansas. Email him at brawnersteve@mac.com.