Say Anything Blog

Tea party leader to run for Senate

Tom Cox, president of the Arkansas Tea Party organization, will announce his candidacy for the Senate on Monday at a gathering of the Arkansas Tea Party group in downtown Little Rock.

Cox, who plans to run in the Republican primary, is the first leader of the grassroots anti-tax movement to run for federal office. He is seeking the Senate seat held by Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln.

...Cox, the owner of Aloha Pontoon Boats, also has a past controversy he will likely have to explain to voters.

Federal authorities raided his North Little Rock boat manufacturing plant last summer, arresting 13 suspected illegal immigrants.

Cox told the Associated Press at the time that he had “every reason to believe [the workers] were legal and they were wonderful employees.”