Coburn Splits With Inhofe, Bridenstine, Mullin On De-funding ObamaCare
Oklahoma Republican lawmakers split on effort to deny funding for Obamacare
By Chris Casteel August 5, 2013
WASHINGTON — An effort to deny funding for Obamacare has splintered the all-Republican Oklahoma congressional delegation, as some worry the fight could lead to a politically destructive government shutdown in a few weeks.
Sen. Jim Inhofe, the most senior member of the state’s seven-man delegation, is backing the effort, along with the two freshmen, Reps. Jim Bridenstine and Markwayne Mullin.
Sen. Tom Coburn, typically an anti-establishment agitator, has been one of the most outspoken opponents of the GOP strategy to stop funding for Obamacare; and Reps. Tom Cole, James Lankford and Frank Lucas — who are all part of the House Republican leadership team or closely aligned with it — have been skeptical of the mechanics and critical of the shutdown threat.
Many of the lawmakers driving the effort are relatively new to Congress, including first-term Republican Sens. Mike Lee, of Utah; Ted Cruz, of Texas, and Marco Rubio, of Florida.