Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma
has announced that he will retire at the end of the current congressional session:
Coburn, R-Muskogee, has been battling a recurrence of prostate cancer but said he wasn't leaving early because of his health. [...]
In a prepared statement, he said, "My commitment to the people of Oklahoma has always been that I would serve no more than two terms. Our founders saw public service and politics as a calling rather than a career."
With two years left in Coburn's term, his replacement
will be chosen in a special election:
Under Oklahoma law, Gov. Mary Fallin (R-Okla.) cannot appoint an interim senator, but with Coburn announcing his decision now, a special election can likely be held in conjunction with the November midterm elections, where Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) is also up for re-election.
Obviously this is a safe Republican seat.