Politics

Former Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn Says He Won’t Run Third Party

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Alex Pappas Political Reporter
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Former Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn, who has been encouraged to run as a third party candidate against Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, says he isn’t interested in a presidential campaign.

In a statement provided to The Daily Caller, Coburn said Wednesday: “I am not in that race and won’t be.”

The Republican, who retired from the Senate in 2014 and has battled prostate cancer, is one of several people who have been floated as a possible candidate to challenge the two major party nominees in November’s election. While in the Senate, Coburn was known as a crusader against wasteful government spending.

Politico reported Wednesday that some of the conservatives trying to recruit a candidate have narrowed their targets to Coburn, Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse and 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney.

Sasse, who has been outspoken in his opposition to Trump, has publicly said he won’t run. James Wegmann, a spokesman for Sasse, told TheDC last week: “Senator Sasse has been clear when asked this before: he has three little kids and the only callings he wants — raising them and serving Nebraskans.”

Meanwhile, Yahoo News reported Wednesday that Romney, who has encouraged others, like Ohio Gov. John Kasich to run third party, is not interested in running himself.

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