Tom Coburn

Who is Tom Coburn?

Thomas Allen "Tom" Coburn is an American politician, medical doctor and Southern Baptist deacon. A member of the Republican Party, he is the junior United States Senator from Oklahoma.

Coburn was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994 as part of the Republican Revolution. He upheld his campaign pledge to serve no more than three consecutive terms and did not run for re-election in 2000. In 2004, he returned to political office with a successful run for the U.S. Senate. Coburn was re-elected to a second term in 2010 and pledged not to seek a third term in 2016. In January, 2014, Coburn announced he would retire before the natural expiration of his final term. He has submitted an irrevocable letter of resignation to Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin, effective at the end of the 113th Congress.

Coburn is a fiscal and social conservative, known for his opposition to deficit spending and pork barrel projects and for his leadership in the pro-life movement. Described as the "godfather of the modern conservative, austerity movement", he supports term limits, gun rights and the death penalty and opposes gay rights and embryonic stem cell research. In the Senate, he is known as "Dr. No" for his tendency to place holds on and vote against bills he views as unconstitutional.