He won a special election to fill a partial term in the Arkansas Senate in 2014, and was reelected in 2016.

He lost his reelection bid in the Republican Primary in March 2020. Cooper ran for the District 59 Arkansas House of Representatives in 2012 against Democrat Butch Wilkins.

Rockwell manages his family printing and publishing business in Jonesboro and called himself a "centrist" in the race.

In the campaign, Cooper said that he considers ethics reform and wasteful government spending among his legislative priorities.

[1] In November 2016, Cooper won re-election to a full term in the Arkansas Senate unopposed in either the Republican primary or the general election.