Sen. Tom Coburn Announces Retirement

Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn (R) announced last week that he will resign from Congress at the end of 2014, thus allowing a replacement special election to occur on the regular 2014 election calendar. Recently, Mr. Coburn was diagnosed with a recurrence of prostate cancer and has also battled with melanoma and colon cancer in the past. However, his battle with prostate cancer is not the reason he is leaving. Upon his original election in 2004, he pledged to only serve two terms. The decision means he will leave after 10 years of service. Previously, the senator served three terms in the House. Sophomore Rep. James Lankford (R-OK-5) has already announced his statewide candidacy. In just one day following Lankford’s announcement, the Senate Conservatives Fund made negative statements about the congressman regarding his votes on the budget, the debt ceiling, and pertaining to funding the Affordable Care Act. The SCF’s statements might be a signal that freshman Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-OK-1), a Tea Party favorite, will enter the campaign. The Tulsa congressman confirms he is considering doing so. In other related developments, Oklahoma House Speaker T.W. Shannon (R) filed a Senate exploratory committee. Former U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts (R-OK-4), who is in the state to attend his Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony (Mr. Watts quarterbacked the University of Oklahoma football team from 1977-80), confirmed that he is "thinking" about running for the Senate. For the Democrats, former Gov. Brad Henry and ex-Attorney General Drew Edmondson continue to maintain a public silence about the race. On the other hand, former state Senator and Lt. Governor candidate Kenneth Corn (D) says he is considering declaring his candidacy, while ex-Lt. Governor and 2010 gubernatorial nominee Jari Askins (D) and former U.S. Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK-2) have both declined to run. For more information, please contact David Ashinoff at 202-547-5013 or ashinoffd@agc.org