Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) will seek reelection in 2010, according to a conservative news site.
The New Ledger quotes a single “Oklahoma supporter close to Coburn” who says the senator has decided to run again.
“He’s invested in having an impact on health care, on judicial nominees, on holding the line on some critically important issues and legislation,” the source said. “He still doesn’t like Washington, but he believes he needs to stay there for now.”
Coburn has said that he will make an official announcement on Monday, but it has been anybody’s guess as to what that announcement would be.
While his those in Oklahoma said they thought he would seek another term, others were less sure about their unpredictable senator’s true intentions.
The race for Coburn’s seat will likely be an afterthought now that he is running for reelection. Had he vacated the seat, there would have been pressure on term-limited Gov. Brad Henry (D) and Rep. Dan Boren (D-Okla.) to run for the seat. Former Gov. Frank Keating (D) has also been mentioned as a potential contender, should Coburn step aside.
A Public Policy Polling survey from earlier this month showed Coburn leading both Henry and Boren by double digits, but either Democrat was in a virtual tie in an open seat race.
Coburn’s reelection will therefore save national Republicans the trouble of having to raise money for and defend an otherwise safe seat.
Oklahoma was GOP presidential nominee John McCain’s best state in 2008, going for him by a 65-35 margin.
–Aaron Blake