Sen. Tom Coburn To Retire At End Of 2014

[brooklynite]

Source: BuzzFeed

Sen. Tom Coburn announced late Thursday that he will retire from the Senate at the end of 2014 in a statement released by his office.

In a statement, Coburn emphasized that his recent diagnosis of prostate cancer did not play a role in his decision.

“This decision isn’t about my health, my prognosis or even my hopes and desires,” he said in the statement. “My commitment to the people of Oklahoma has always been that I would serve no more than two terms.”

Coburn was reelected to his seat in 2010, would have been up for reelection in 2016, though he pledged he would not run again. The Oklahoma Republican, who is also a medical doctor, is known as a principled fiscal conservative, dubbed “Dr. No,” for his routine votes against and holds on bills.

Read more: http://www.buzzfeed.com/katherinemiller/republican-sen-tom-coburn-to-retire-at-end-of-2014

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I'll check with my contacts, but I wouldn't get my hope up over winning this seat.....

HOWEVER, a possible "Establishment vs Tea Party" Primary could suck up some of the Koch Bros. money.....

[RandySF]

1. I'll bet he is sicker than he wants people to know. n/t

[House of Roberts]

2. Evil rots from the inside to the outside.

I was always told.

[Proud Veteran]

29. NO known cure for RECURRENT prostate cancer

Though not an expert,having had prostate cancer four years ago, am aware of recurrences. Much of the government funding(prostate cancer research) into possible cures through gene therapy and immunology has probably been curtailed by Coburn and cohorts.
He is, of course being disingenuous in saying that his recent diagnosis had no effect on his decision to retire. He has survived two other cancers(melanoma,colon), but this will be a continuous battle to prolong life.

[Fridays Child]

3. Yay!

He's a nuisance and dangerous. Hope he gets well, though.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

4. Rot in Hell, asshole! Goodbye, asshole. Can you take that asshole Inhofe with you, asshole?

Did I forget to tell you that you're an asshole, asshole?

[rhett o rick]

7. You became a little incoherent but I agree anywayz. nm

[GP6971]

5. My bet is that he will

be replaced by someone more conservative then him

[jmowreader]

10. Is that possible?

[GP6971]

11. Of course. We're talking Texas

Although it is leaning purple so I have hope

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

13. The OP says Oklahoma... nt

[GP6971]

34. Oops. n/t

[jmowreader]

15. Texas doesn't have legislators as bad as Dr. No

Cruz has the POTENTIAL to be just as awful as Oklahoma's Coburn, but he's young and inexperienced.

[Paladin]

28. Texas will go blue before Oklahoma does. (nt)

[Tx4obama]

6. He should retire way BEFORE the end of the year, that way election to fill seat could be Nov 2014

If he retires at the 'end of year' there will need to be a special election in 2015 which will cost taxpayers more money.

[CBGLuthier]

20. No need for an election. They will just replace him until his term expires

Did it before and nothing has changed they will do it again. It is up the the STATES how they replace Senators and that is what they will do.

[Tx4obama]

35. Governor can NOT appoint replacement. There WILL be a special election, see below

Sen. Coburn Retirement Sets Up Potentially Bloody GOP Primary

-snip-

Coburn announced his decision to retire on Thursday after it became public that the he was once again battling prostate cancer. His retirement sets into motion a special election, since Coburn will be retiring two years before his term is up. Oklahoma state law does not give Gov. Mary Fallin (R) the power to appoint a replacement senator. Instead, she will pick a special election date within a 30-day window from when Coburn formally resigns, which can be sometime after that window.

-snip-

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/sen-coburn-retirement-sets-up-potentially-bloody-gop-primary

[Warpy]

8. Everybody I met during trips across OK were ultra nice

and it always struck me as so odd that they'd send such colossal shitstains to Washington to represent them. I just didn't get it.

Maybe the next one won't be as bad as Coburn. They certainly deserve a lot better than they've had.

[davidpdx]

14. I'm sure they were

I have traveled across and stayed in Nebraska (this was about 20 years ago) and everyone was nice there as well.

It is pretty much a given that person elected to replace him is going to be just as much of a dick as he was.

[Coyotl]

9. K&R

[SoapBox]

12. Good riddance Sen. Asshole.

Oh ya...fuck off.

[OKNancy]

16. This is my prediction.

Our lunatic governor Mary Fallin will resign and then the Lt. Governor will appoint her to fill the term.
If there could be someone worse than Coburn, it would be Fallin.

[CBGLuthier]

19. History does repeat. Especially as long as the usual idiots are still in charge

Of course they were all "democrats" the last time they pulled that.

[OKNancy]

22. Edmondson and Nigh were great Democrats

don't know why they should have quotes around the word

[CBGLuthier]

23. Well because most of the rest of the nation doesn't view Oklahoma Dems as real dems.

Yes, back then they were a lot closer to the ideal democrat. It is truly amazing that Nigh was able to win all the state when elected governor. The republicans sure have been successful in bullshitting our people..

I met Nigh once and he seemed like a pretty decent guy. He had skin like fine leather by then.

Still, I do think what they did, resigning and getting the new job was kind of unethical. I am not old enough to remember but I imagine the republicans were a little pissed by the maneuver.

[OKNancy]

24. I am old enough

and I don't recall much bluster about it. Nigh was hugely popular. Smart as a whip too.
I blame our turn on a few things but I think the most influence was the evangelicals who squatted in our state.

[redstatebluegirl]

26. That is what I told my husband last night when we heard this.

Fallin would be a nightmare. It said in the paper this morning there would be a special election, I am not sure about the procedure here in Oklahoma but I'm going to check today. Some of the names being thrown about are frightening, Lankford, the nut from Tulsa I can never remember his name and Fallin of course. They said because of the short time between now and the special election it would need to be someone with name recognition. Great, how about Brad Henry .

[Helen Highwater]

30. And if it could be worse than Fallin

Sally Kern?

[bucolic_frolic]

17. Democrats should nominate a Native American woman for this seat

At least she could lay the groundwork for issues that Oklahoma
has never heard before

[CBGLuthier]

18. We got an alert on this right before bed last night. We went to bed with smiles on our faces

Just the other day I was ranting how Rep Lankford would be a shitty senator and now he will probably get his chance.

Or maybe they will pull an Edmonson. For those who do not know, back in the 60's US senator Robert S. Kerr died suddenly. The sitting governor of Oklahoma, with NINE days left on his term resigned and the newly elevated governor appointed him Senator.

Get ready for Senator Mary Fallon folks. The zoo may get even stupider.

Sorry.

[CBGLuthier]

21. Local sources say they will be replacing him as part of the November election.

so no shenanigans like last time.

[sinkingfeeling]

25. So, will Oklahoma hold a special election or does the governor get to appoint

a fill-in until 2016?

[Blue_Tires]

27. He's probably getting out a few weeks ahead of a major scandal breaking...

[Helen Highwater]

31. I doubt it...he's wrong on just about every issue but

he isn't his older brother or father (both "letch"s but both dead now).

[Orsino]

32. To spend more time lying to his family. n/t

[hrmjustin]

33. Won't miss him!

[gerogie2]

36. He has cancer and the taxpayers are paying for it

Typical republican. We barks about providing government health care for the poor, disabled and elderly. When he needs health care he makes sure the government pays for his.