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==Political career==

==Political career==

In 1926, Cobb was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives from Montgomery County and served as the only Republican member in the chamber for two terms of two years each. He began studying at what is now the William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. In 1929, Cobb was admitted to practice law before the Arkansas Supreme Court . Several senior partners in the law firm where he was employed, Campbell, Mallory, and Throgmorton in Little Rock, were Republicans.<ref name=bio/> Through these contacts, Cobb became the assistant U.S. attorney under [[Wallace Townsend]] and alongside [[Drew Bowers]]. He practiced law privately at the same time, a practice then permitted and not considered a conflict-of-interest.<ref>Cobb, p. 29.</ref>

In 1926, Cobb was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives from Montgomery County and served as the only Republican member in the chamber for two terms of two years each. He began studying at what is now the William H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. In 1929, Cobb was admitted to practice law before the Arkansas Supreme Court . Several senior partners in the law firm where he was employed, Campbell, Mallory, and Throgmorton in Little Rock, were Republicans.<ref name=bio/> Through these contacts, Cobb became the assistant U.S. attorney under [[Wallace Townsend]] and alongside [[Drew Bowers]]. He practiced law privately at the same time, a practice then permitted and not considered a conflict-of-interest.<ref>Cobb, p. 29.</ref>

 

As the only Republican in the Arkansas House, Cobb was invited to meet with U.S. President [[Calvin Coolidge]] in what turned out to have been a failed effort to persuade Coolidge to sign into law a bill to create a national park in the Ouachita National Forest. The state, however, already had the health resort, [[Hot Springs National Park]]. Cobb met with Coolidge for more than an hour and found him not silent at all but talkative; it turned out that the president wished to delay another appointment and used Cobb to fill in missing time. Coolidge also pocket-vetoed the national park bill, which had the support of Democratic [[U.S. Senator]] Joseph T. Robinson of Arkansas, his party's 1928 vice-presidential candidate.<ref>Cobb, p. 42.</ref>

As the only Republican in the Arkansas House, Cobb was invited to meet with U.S. President [[Calvin Coolidge]] in what turned out to have been a failed effort to persuade Coolidge to sign into law a bill to create a national park in the Ouachita National Forest. The state, however, already had the health resort, [[Hot Springs National Park]]. Cobb met with Coolidge for more than an hour and found him not silent at all but talkative; it turned out that the president wished to delay another appointment and used Cobb to fill in missing time. Coolidge also pocket-vetoed the national park bill, which had the support of Democratic [[U.S. Senator]] Joseph T. Robinson of Arkansas, his party's 1928 vice-presidential candidate.<ref>Cobb, p. 42.</ref>

 

In 1932, Cobb became chairman of the Arkansas Republican Party, a position that he retained for twenty-three years until 1955, when he became U.S. attorney.<ref name=bio/>  

In 1932, Cobb became chairman of the Arkansas Republican Party, a position that he retained for twenty-three years until 1955, when he became U.S. attorney.<ref name=bio/>  

 

Cobb in 1936 waged an active campaign for governor of Arkansas as a Republican against Democrat Carl Edward Bailey. Cobb stressed that he had been born in Arkansas, whereas the [[Missouri]]-born Bailey was a "northern man". Bailey received 156,852 votes (85.4 percent) to Cobb's 26,875 ballots (14.6 percent). Cobb recalled that after the election:

Cobb in 1936 waged an active campaign for governor of Arkansas as a Republican against Democrat Carl Edward Bailey. Cobb stressed that he had been born in Arkansas, whereas the [[Missouri]]-born Bailey was a "northern man." Bailey received 156,852 votes (85.4 percent) to Cobb's 26,875 ballots (14.6 percent).<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=262931 AR Governor Race - Nov 03, 1936]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved October 10, 2021.</ref> Cobb recalled that after the election:<ref>Cobb, p. 62.</ref>

{{cquote|...many persons called and visited and complained that they thought a substantial number of votes for me had not been counted. This probably did happen, though to what extent no one can be sure. It also hurt the presidential campaign of my friend, Governor [[Alf Landon]] of [[Kansas]]. This reinforced my conviction that it was absolutely necessary for the rights of the minority party to be protected in elections through the appointment of precinct judges and clerks.}}

<blockquote>

 

many persons called and visited and complained that they thought a substantial number of votes for me had not been counted. This probably did happen, though to what extent no one can be sure. It also hurt the presidential campaign of my friend, Governor [[Alf Landon]] of [[Kansas]]. This reinforced my conviction that it was absolutely necessary for the rights of the minority party to be protected in elections through the appointment of precinct judges and clerks.<ref>Cobb, p. 62.</ref></blockquote>

In the late 1930s, Cobb formed the Cobb, Cazort, and Holt law firm in Little Rock, which was dissolved at the start of [[World War II]]. In 1942, Cobb joined the United States Army Air Corps, the forerunner of the [[United States Air Force|Air Force]], at the rank of first lieutenant. Cobb was promoted to [[lieutenant colonel]] and was a judge advocate at Berry Field in [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]], and thereafter at Rosecrans Field in St. Joseph, Missouri. At Wright-Patterson Field in [[Dayton]], [[Ohio]], he worked on contracts to procure aircraft parts for the Army Air Corps.<ref name=bio/>  

In the late 1930s, Cobb formed the Cobb, Cazort, and Holt law firm in Little Rock, which was dissolved at the start of [[World War II]]. In 1942, Cobb joined the United States Army Air Corps, the forerunner of the [[United States Air Force|Air Force]], at the rank of first lieutenant. Cobb was promoted to [[lieutenant colonel]] and was a judge advocate at Berry Field in [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]], and thereafter at Rosecrans Field in St. Joseph, Missouri. At Wright-Patterson Field in [[Dayton]], [[Ohio]], he worked on contracts to procure aircraft parts for the Army Air Corps.<ref name=bio/>  

 

In 1946, he was discharged from the military and joined John E. Coates in the opening of a law firm in the Pyramid Building in Little Rock. Cobb represented timber companies and worked to organize the [[interest group]], the Arkansas Wood Products Association, forerunner of the Arkansas Forestry Association. He also became involved in the Smackover field. In 1948, with the assistance of former Governor Sid McMath, a Democrat, Cobb helped to pass Initiated Act 3, which guarantees that a member of the minority party be in place at each precinct in Arkansas. The act prevented Democrats from ignoring votes cast by Republicans in heavily Democrat precincts.<ref name=bio/>

In 1946, he was discharged from the military and joined John E. Coates in the opening of a law firm in the Pyramid Building in Little Rock. Cobb represented timber companies and worked to organize the [[interest group]], the Arkansas Wood Products Association, forerunner of the Arkansas Forestry Association. He also became involved in the Smackover field. In 1948, with the assistance of former Governor Sid McMath, a Democrat, Cobb helped to pass Initiated Act 3, which guarantees that a member of the minority party be in place at each precinct in Arkansas. The act prevented Democrats from ignoring votes cast by Republicans in heavily Democrat precincts.<ref name=bio/>