Osro Cobb was born in 1904 in Polk County, Arkansas, and earned two bachelor's degrees from Henderson State University in 1925. He began his career in public service by being elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives in 1926. After passing the bar in 1929, he became chairman of the Arkansas Republican Party in 1932 and ran for governor in 1936. During World War II, he served in the United States Army Air Corps and later opened a law firm in Little Rock upon his discharge in 1946. Cobb held various leadership roles, including serving as a temporary appointee on the Arkansas Supreme Court and as US attorney during the Little Rock Crisis. He authored two editions of his autobiography in 1989 and 1990.

Osro Cobb's political philosophy is marked by a nuanced approach to regional interests, blending unexpected alliances with a commitment to minority representation. His advocacy for a two-party system in Arkansas reveals a calculated effort to stabilize the state's political landscape. Cobb's stance on desegregation shows a pragmatic yet principled alignment against demagoguery, as seen in his legal actions against Governor Faubus. Despite his Republican affiliation, his endorsement choices and policy support reflect a willingness to transcend partisan divides for the greater good. His efforts to establish a national park in the Ouachita National Forest and ensure minority party representation in voting precincts highlight a strategic focus on long-term regional benefits and democratic integrity.