Topeka — U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., on Thursday said he would not seek re-election in 2010, but declined to address speculation that he plans to run for governor.
“I think we made it pretty clear in the announcement for this press conference, I wasn’t going to be talking about future plans. There will be plenty of time to talk about that in the future,” Brownback said.
Brownback, 52, said he was honoring a pledge he made to serve only two full six-year terms.
He acknowledged that his voluntary decision had a downside for Kansas since there are no term limits for Congress.
“It’s a seniority-based system,” he said of the Senate. “You do lose that seniority basis in stepping down. But for me, I would lose a lot more, and, I think, the people of Kansas would lose a lot more for breaking my word.”
Brownback was elected to the Senate in 1996 to fill the unexpired term of Sen. Bob Dole, who resigned to be the GOP nominee for president. Brownback then easily won full, six-year terms in 1998 and 2004.
Last year, Brownback ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination, dropping out early in the race and supporting eventual nominee U.S. Sen. John McCain.
Brownback’s bid for Kansas governor has been widely anticipated. Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ final term runs through 2010.
Brownback conducted a news conference in the Capitol with Philip Blumel, president of U.S. Term Limits, which advocates for term limits of elected officials.
Blumel praised Brownback for keeping his promise, which Brownback made in 1998. “This simple act of integrity is worthy of special note,” said Blumel, who noted that many politicians who signed a term-limit pledge have later broken that promise.
Brownback said he would spend his final two years in the Senate fighting for Kansas issues, such as funding for the $450 million National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility proposed for Manhattan, trying to secure an air tanker contract for Boeing, and preventing detainees from Guantanamo Bay from being moved to Fort Leavenworth.
He said he also wanted to help President-elect Barack Obama’s new administration, but that he opposed some of Obama’s proposals, which Brownback said looked like “spending your way into prosperity, that hadn’t worked in the past.”
U.S. Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Hays, who has said he is considering running for Brownback’s position, praised Brownback for his public service.
“The senator is someone who is unwavering in his beliefs and steadfast in his principles, including sticking to a term-limit pledge he made more than a decade ago to run for just two terms in the United States Senate,” Moran said.
U.S. Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, also is considering running for the Senate position.
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was_freashpowder2 (Alexander Neighbors) says…
Brownback said he would spend his final two years in the Senate fighting for Kansas issues, such as funding for the $450 million National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility proposed for Manhattan, trying to secure an air tanker contract for Boeing, and preventing detainees from Guantanamo Bay from being moved to Fort Leavenworth.How about he looks into the yellow house case and why there has been no trial for 4 years and why the neighbors continue to be attacked by a few crooks in the Lawrence police department. He could mandate that police departments have a independent review board.-Just a suggestion.
srj (anonymous) says…
Note sure why he feels so strongly about the "preventing detainees from Guantanamo Bay from being moved to Fort Leavenworth" They deserve a trial somewhere, Kansas is as good as anywhere else.
alm77 (anonymous) says…
Ok, after that log, I'm with multi on this one. Hell has officially frozen over...
CLARKKENT (anonymous) says…
wow, glad to hear he will be gone.please, no governor !!!!!!!!!!!
mommaeffortx2 (anonymous) says…
let me guess logrithmic you are happy?
dsmith84 (anonymous) says…
say goodbye to your civil liberties!
75x55 (anonymous) says…
Lol! Celebrate, have a good time - wwwwhhhheeeee!!!!Then realize that nothing will keep him out of the governor's office. Roller coasters are fun, aren't they?
OonlyBonly (anonymous) says…
Sure won't break my heart!
SearchingForTruth (anonymous) says…
At least both he and Boyda voted against the banker bailout. Maybe he voted against it because he knew he wasn't going to run again and thus decided to vote for what the people wanted?
RedwoodCoast (anonymous) says…
A few months ago, I was looking through one of my dad's old high school yearbooks. Ol' Sammy was in there. He played basketball, played the clarinet, and was a member of the FFA, if I do recall correctly. He was the same squinty-eyed dude back then, only much smaller.
labmonkey (anonymous) says…
Bill Graves has a nice ring to it. Good, moderate, Republican.
srj (anonymous) says…
I might even start a drive for people to join me and go to the courthouse early in 2010 and switch parties so we can vote for Sec of State Ron Thornburgh for Gov. Bad thing is I might get republican mail and calls, but a small price to pay.
nativedaughter (anonymous) says…
Brownback as Governor would be such an embarrassment. Remember this???http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=116130&title=moment-of-zen-sam-brownback
merrill (anonymous) says…
The question becomes more like will Rep. Tihart and Rep Moran run for two years instead of doing what they were elected to do? Is this in the job description?Where do elected officials get the idea it is okay to work part time? And spend sooooooo much time raising campaign funds? Is this in the job description?Aren't taxpayers a little sick of elected politicians on all sides of the aisle spending sooo much time on campaigns? Is it any wonder our economy is in chaos when no one is paying attention but too busy campaigning?Voters it is up to us to stop this foolishness? The more time they spend the more they become beholden to those special interest funds who now run the country? If we remain silent are we not giving up our country?
jayhawkbarrister (anonymous) says…
President Obama could really help us out by nominating Sammie B. to be ambassador to some outpost where the internet is nonexistent, phone service questionable, and mail gets delivered every other Thursday. The only tough parts would be President Obama would have to make the nomination with a straight face and get through the press conference without cracking up. . . . and remembering not to pick up the mail every other Thursday. Maybe LJW could have a trivia contest. Name one law known as the Sammie B. Law that Sammie B. sponsored in 12 years that passed. . . . Would be a very short contest.
leftylucky (anonymous) says…
12 years of failed statemanship. With Amanda Akins becoming the head of the repooplican party(she was his campaign manager in 2004) it is obvious that he will run for governor. Lapdog for Bush and a lapdog for Fox news.
deskboy04 (anonymous) says…
Brownback is very conservative...and I have never supported him. But I think that he is a man of his word and he has not been a "lap dog" for Bush. I don't agree with him on most issues...but I do respect him.
jumpin_catfish (anonymous) says…
The lefties can't wait to hate, says something about their character I think. Anyway, I think Brownback is a descent man and on this subject clearly a man of his word.
63BC (anonymous) says…
Promise made. Promise kept.