Free Republic

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. The local businessman, who has not previously run for elected office, became involved in the Tea Party movement after watching CNBC host Rick Santelli’s February rant against the federal stimulus. . . . ....

Tea Party organizer launches Senate bid Posted: 07:40 PM ET From CNN Political Producer Peter Hamby WASHINGTON (CNN) – The Tea Party movement appears to have produced its first official candidate for national office. Tom Cox, the founder and chairman of the Arkansas Tea Party organization, announced at a rally on Monday that he will seek the U.S. Senate seat held by Democrat Blanche Lincoln. Cox, who owns Aloha Pontoon Boats in North Little Rock, has never sought elected office before. But after organizing a large Tea Party protest against the administration's fiscal policies in April, Cox said a number...

PORTLAND, Ore. - Libertarian Tom Cox has joined the GOP, after being tagged as a spoiler in at least two previous elections. Cox ran for governor in 2002, and got more votes than Democratic Governor Ted Kulongoski's margin of victory. Some Republican had charged that Cox's candidacy cost their candidate - former state legislator Kevin Mannix - the race. Mannix is preparing for a rematch against Kulongoski in next year's gubernatorial race. He said Cox is a welcome addition to the Republican party. Cox hinted that he may even support his former opponent in the 2006 race for governor, saying...

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Libertarian Tom Cox, who has been cited as a spoiler in at least two previous election cycles, has joined the Republican Party. Cox has been tagged with spoiling three elections for Republicans, including the 2002 gubernatorial race between Republican Kevin Mannix and Democratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski. In that instance, Cox received more votes than the margin of victory. In a prepared statement, Cox said: "I want to contribute more to reforming Oregon and fixing its problems, and I feel I can best do that in the context of a major political party." Tom Cox Mannix, who...