Potential Trump VP pick Tom Cotton claimed he chose not to run for presidency in 2024 to focus on his children

WASHINGTON, DC: Sen Tom Cotton (R-AR) had apparently thought about running for the top office in 2024 but ultimately decided not to due to his fatherly duties, as per Fox News.

The revelation is part of the new stories coming to light about the Iraq and Afghanistan veteran as he has quickly become a top contender for presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump's VP pick. 

Sen Tom Cotton decided not to run for the presidency in 2024 to focus on his sons 

While Cotton had spent a significant amount of time on campaign trails on behalf of fellow Republicans and had expanded his national profile with a book on military history, he announced days before the 2022 midterms that he would not run for the White House in 2024.

In an interview with Fox News, the now-47-year-old senator stated at the time, "Family was really the only consideration." He shares two children, Gabriel and Daniel, with his wife Anna.

"My boys are ages seven and five. They’re old enough to know that dad’s gone and be sad about it, but not old enough to understand the purpose, and why it all matters, and why the sacrifice is worth it. I am pretty sure Republican voters can find another nominee, but I know that my sons can’t find another dad for the next two years," added Cotton. 

The Arkansas Republican further mentioned, "Over the next two years my seven-year-old will learn to hit the fastball and my five-year-old will learn to read, and I want to be there to teach them both."

Sen Tom Cotton stressed that his decision was only for the 2024 race

Cotton emphasized that he might decide to take on more responsibility as a politician in the future and that not running was "a decision only about this 2024 race and this time for my family. We’ll make a decision about future races in the future, especially as my boys get older and understand more about why I do the work I do and what it means for them and for our country."

"Under the right circumstances, if a Republican president asked me to consider such a job, I’d of course consider it any time a president asks one to serve the nation," noted the senator on the subject of serving in a Republican administration.

During a recent interview with Fox News' Brett Baier, Cotton said that he and Trump, who he endorsed in early January, have had conversations "about what it's going to take to win this election in November, to elect President Trump to another term in the White House and elect a Republican Congress so we can begin to repair the damage that Joe Biden's presidency has inflicted on this country."

Internet reacts to Sen Tom Cotton's reasoning

Netizens were keen on Cotton's explanation as one said, "Blaming his cowardice on his family rather than admitting he had no chance of winning. The standard go to move of a scoundrel. I can see why Trump likes him." 

Someone else added, "Cotton dodged a bullet. He won't have to suffer the defeat and humiliation in November." 

An individual, "Be honest he knew as long as Trump was running he didn’t have a chance." "In other words, I wasn’t picked," stated one more. 

Another person opined, "Or perhaps Cotton doesn’t want to end his political career. It’s clear we won’t have a VP under Trump that wins after his term unless it’s DeSantis. This would actually be a step down for Cotton, he’s more effective, powerful and has more longevity in the Senate. This is the smart political move, especially if Cotton has ambitions past the Senate."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.