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Pauls Valley Democrat Tuesday, January 21, 2014 Page 5A

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Sean MurphyAssociated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) —Republican U.S. Rep. James Lankfordannounced his candidacy Monday forthe U.S. Senate seat left open by Sen.Tom Coburn who said last week hewould resign the post at the end of thiscongressional session.

Lankford said Monday that reduc-ing the nation’s deficit and long-termdebt and pushing for states’ rights willcontinue to be among his top prioritiesin office.

“Conservatives have increasing-ly grown more and more frustratedand caustic when we should growmore committed and more focused,”Lankford said to a group of support-ers during a press conference at theOklahoma History Center. “The prob-

lems we face today and the gridlock inCongress will be solved with a clearset of conservative solutions, a com-mitment to do the work, and a Senatetransformation.”

A longtime director of one of thenation’s largest Christian youth sum-mer camps, Lankford was a politicalunknown when he emerged from acrowded Republican primary field in

2010 to win the U.S. House seat. Hewon re-election in 2012 and was theonly member of Oklahoma’s Housedelegation to not face a GOP primaryopponent that year.

Lankford also has risen quicklyamong the GOP leadership in theHouse, and is currently the chairmanof the Republican Policy Committee.He also landed a spot on the House

budget committee.The decision by Coburn, who is bat-

tling a recurrence of cancer, to resignthe seat two years early has turned asomewhat predictable election yearin Oklahoma on its head. The specialelection will coincide with the regularelection cycle in 2014, meaning therewill be two U.S. Senate seats on the

ballot in Oklahoma as U.S. Sen. JimInhofe seeks re-election.

“A week ago we were talking about

a concern for voter intensity. I thinkthis takes care of that,” said DaveWeston, chairman of the OklahomaRepublican Party.

It’s the first time since 2004 thatOklahoma has had an open Senateseat, and Republicans will be heavilyfavored to maintain it. Oklahoma hasnot elected a Democrat to the U.S.Senate since David Boren in 1978.

Among Democrats expected to consid-er the race are former Gov. Brad Henryand former Attorney General DrewEdmondson. Telephone messages leftMonday for Henry and Edmondsonwere not immediately returned.

Other Republicans considering run-ning for the open Senate seat are U.S.Rep. Jim Bridenstine of Tulsa andstate House Speaker T.W. Shannon ofLawton.

“No one can replace Tom Coburn, but someone will succeed him,”Shannon said in a statement Monday.“I am praying with my family aboutwhether to enter the race to do justthat, and I know the Lord will clearly

place on my heart what my assignmentis.”

Bridenstine spokeswoman SherylKaufman said the first-term congress-man is considering a run, “but he’s not

inclined to make a rushed decision.”Lankford has the advantage of ahefty campaign account. He reportedhaving more than $450,000 in cashon hand at the end of September,the most recent report available, andthat money can be used for a Senatecampaign. Bridenstine reported havingabout $180,000 in cash at the end ofSeptember.

Lankford declined to say how muchhe currently has raised, but the nextcampaign finance report is due nextweek.

On Sunday, Attorney General ScottPruitt and U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., both said they would not run forCoburn’s seat. Gov. Mary Fallin alsohas said she won’t run for the seat.

The timing of the special electionmeans most officeholders who run forthe seat, including Lankford, will not

be able to run for re-election to theircurrent positions. His announcementis expected to trigger another wave ofcandidates seeking to replace him inthe 5th District. Republicans consider-ing a race for Lankford’s seat includeCorporation Commissioner PatriceDouglas, state Sen. Clark Jolley, for-mer state Sen. Steve Russell, and stateRep. Paul Wesselhoft.

Lankford said Monday he has no plans to endorse a candidate in the primary race for his open seat.

“I’ll stay out of it,” he said.Retired University of Central

Oklahoma professor Tom Guild, whoran unsuccessfully for the post in 2010and 2012, already has announced his

plans to run again for the 5th Districtin 2014.

US Rep. Lankford announces run for US Senate seat

Chickasaw Nation’s gov won’trun for US Senate

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The longtime gov-ernor of one of the state’s most powerful NativeAmerican tribes says he has no plans to run forOklahoma’s open U.S. Senate seat this year.

Chickasaw Nation Gov. Bill Anoatubby (AN’-uh-tuh-bee) released a statement Monday that said whilehe’s honored to be mentioned as a potential candidate,he doesn’t intend to run. Anoatubby says he hopes tocontinue in his role as head of the tribe “if it is the willof the Chickasaw people.”

Anoatubby has been governor of the tribe since

1987.U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn announced last week thathe was foregoing the last two years of his term amidanother battle against cancer.

Republican U.S. Rep. James Lankford said Mondayhe planned to run for the seat.

Master plan to be unveiled byOkla. university

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (AP) — Northeastern StateUniversity is scheduled to unveil its master plan this

week at its three Oklahoma campuses.

The plan represents the school’s long-range strat-egy for building the physical resources to support theuniversity’s mission and vision. It was developed after16 months of research, discussion and review.

The school says goal of the process is to providea single, unified master plan for the university whileretaining the unique identity of each of the three cam-

puses in Tahlequah. Muskogee and Broken Arrow.Organizers say the process is designed to encour-

age consensus-building by providing outreach oppor-tunities for both students and residents.

For more information about the master plan, go towww.nsuok.edu/masterplan .