Treat, Brecheen comment on Coburn’s announced retirement from U.S. Senate

State Sens. Greg Treat and Josh Brecheen, who both served in the office of Sen. Tom Coburn, today commended their mentor for his accomplished record of service to his country and the state of Oklahoma. Coburn yesterday announced his intention to retire from the U.S. Senate after the current session of Congress.

Treat interned in Washington D.C. in 1999 for then-Congressman Coburn, and later served as regional director for his successful 2004 Senate campaign. Treat then served Dr. Coburn as a field representative and state government liaison for six years. Treat’s brother, Brian, currently serves as Coburn’s Chief of Staff.

"Apart from my faith and my parents, there has been nothing or no one who has shaped my thoughts and philosophy more than Dr. Coburn,” said Treat, R-Oklahoma City. "I vividly remember Mrs. Carolyn Coburn telling my brother, Jerry Morris, Curt Price, and myself that we were crazy for trying to talk 'my Tommy' into running for U.S. Senate in their living room in 2003 while he was battling his second bout of cancer. He beat that round of cancer and I am confident that he will beat this fourth round of cancer.”

“He is an awesome man of faith and the smartest, most driven individual that I have ever had the pleasure of working for or knowing,” Treat said. “I love him and pray that God keeps His hand on his life and completely heals his body.”

Prior to his election to the state Senate, Brecheen served for more than five years as a field representative for Coburn. Brecheen also served on Coburn’s 2004 Senate campaign.

“Like all of our former colleagues on Dr. Coburn's staff, Sen. Treat and I know just how truly rare and authentic an elected official Tom Coburn is,” said Brecheen, R-Colgate. “I sense we all share a common concern that this may be the worst time to be losing Dr. Coburn's straight-shooting approach to governing in D.C. Dr. Coburn leaves behind a legacy of mentorship in conservatism for more than just those who worked for him.”

“Dr. No paved the unpopular and lonely pathway of fiscal restraint, and has been the constant voice of reason in the D. C. wilderness for almost 20 years,” Brecheen said. “His legacy is truly a gift to our children and grandchildren – he looked out for them when others wouldn't.”