John Boozman

Biography

Overview

John Boozman is a Republican US Senator from Arkansas serving since 2011. Before that, he was a US House representative for Arkansas's 3rd district from 2001 to 2011. He is a former optometrist who co-founded a private eye care clinic in 1977 and also worked as a volunteer serving low-income families. Boozman is the dean of Arkansas's congressional delegation.

Career

In the House, Boozman served as Assistant Majority Whip and led the Veterans Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, passing bills to expand unemployed veterans' services. He authored the Veterans Retraining Act of 2009 and bills providing home and vehicle adaptation grants for disabled veterans. He also led anti-methamphetamine legislation and received the Congressional Leadership Award from the National Association of Drug Court Professionals. In the Senate, he defeated Democrat Blanche Lincoln by 21 points in 2010, won reelection in 2016 with 59.8% and in 2022 with 65.8% of the vote.

Prior political experience

Boozman was first elected to Congress in a 2001 special election for Arkansas's 3rd House district, defeating Democrat Mike Hathorn. He ran unopposed in 2002, defeated Democrat Jan Judy 59%-38% in 2004, and defeated Democrat Woodrow Anderson III in 2006. He was unopposed in 2008 with over 78% of the vote. In 2010, he left the House to run for Senate, defeating incumbent Democrat Blanche Lincoln 58% to 37%. He won reelection in 2016 with 59.8% of the vote against former US Attorney Conner Eldridge, becoming the first Republican popularly elected to a second Senate term from Arkansas. He won a third term in 2022 with 65.8% against Democrat Natalie James.

Biographical material adapted from the Wikipedia article (retrieved April 29, 2026), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Ideology

Liberal–Conservative (DW-NOMINATE dim 1)

Liberal

Conservative

119th Congress+0.426

Secondary axis (DW-NOMINATE dim 2)(?)

−1

+1

+0.340

Source: Voteview DW-NOMINATE · 664 scored votes

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Officeholding history

Term	Seat	Term dates	Termination	Predecessor	Successor
3rd	U.S. Senate AR Class 3	2023–present	In progress	John Boozman	—
2nd	U.S. Senate AR Class 3	2017–2023	Term ended	John Boozman	John Boozman
1st	U.S. Senate AR Class 3	2011–2017	Term ended	—	John Boozman
5th	U.S. House AR-3	2009–2011	Term ended	John Boozman	Steve Womack
4th	U.S. House AR-3	2007–2009	Term ended	John Boozman	John Boozman
3rd	U.S. House AR-3	2005–2007	Term ended	John Boozman	John Boozman
2nd	U.S. House AR-3	2003–2005	Term ended	John Boozman	John Boozman
1st	U.S. House AR-3	2001–2003	Term ended	—	John Boozman

Committee assignments

Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
SenateChairman· 2023–present
Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
SenateChairman· 2023–present
Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs
Senate· 2023–present
Financial Services and General Government
Senate· 2023–present
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
joint· 2023–present
State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
Senate· 2023–present
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
Senate· 2023–present
Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water
Senate· 2023–present
Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies
Senate· 2023–present
Rural Development, Energy, and Credit
SenateEx Officio· 2023–present
Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, and Food Safety
SenateEx Officio· 2023–present
Commodities, Derivatives, Risk Management, and Trade
SenateEx Officio· 2023–present
Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology
SenateEx Officio· 2023–present
Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research
SenateEx Officio· 2023–present
Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Innovation and Safety
Senate· 2023–present
Senate Committee on Appropriations
Senate· 2023–present
Department of Defense
Senate· 2023–present
Transportation and Infrastructure
Senate· 2023–present
Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Senate· 2023–present
Senate Committee on Rules and Administration
Senate· 2023–present

Current term legislation

Bills sponsored this term4

Bills cosponsored this term10

Elections

Year	Seat	Result	Vote share	Field
—	—	Pending	—	—