CLEVELAND –Former Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn was open to a draft by the Republican National Convention were shot down Oklahoma GOP Party Chair Pam Pollard.
The rumor broke around shortly before noon saying the senator would accept a nomination from the Republican Party is he was given the nomination via a draft following a post by Quin Hillyer, a sometime Louisiana newspaper columnist and political operative.
“I can reliably report that the former U.S. Senator from Oklahoma, Dr. Tom Coburn, would accept a draft from the convention floor if delegates petition successfully to put his name in nomination,” Hillyer wrote.
Read more at Coburn draft move.
But after the rumors went unconfirmed, questions arose whether it would be a possibility following the adoption of the convention rules later in the afternoon.
Pollard emphatically said in a text message that a Coburn draft it is not a possibility after the rules were adopted.
“Senator Coburn is not in Cleveland and I am 100 percent sure he will not be nominated. He does not meet the requirements in the RNC rules and the rules have already been adopted by this convention. The rumors are without merit,” Pollard said.
Gary Jones, Oklahoma State Auditor, said rule 40, as adopted by the convention would require a majority of the delegates from eight states to nominate a new candidate.
When asked about the possibility of Coburn meeting the RNC requirements Jones said
it doesn’t look as if it would be a possibility for Coburn to be nominated the way the rules are written in a text message.
The former Oklahoma senator was unable to be reached for comment regarding the rumors.
Hillyer wrote Coburn would “accept and run with enthusiasm if nominated”, but is not actively seeking the nomination.
Gloria Noble is a senior broadcast journalism student with concentrations in sports and politics. The senior spent two weeks in Iowa for the causes in January and followed the progression throughout the spring and into summer. She plans to attend both conventions in Cleveland and Philadelphia. Ms. Noble hopes to attend graduate school following graduation in May 2017 to earn a degree in political science to help prepare her to become a niche political reporter.
Nick Conte is a senior journalism student, with a focus in online media, at the University of Oklahoma. The senior is new to political journalism but is enthusiastic to have the opportunity to participate in the political trail. He hopes to pursue a career in sports journalism after graduating in 2017.