Fmr. US Senator Tom Coburn dies at 72

Former U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, a physician who became a powerful force in Congress on fiscal matters, died early Saturday morning after a long fight with prostate cancer. He was 72.

Coburn, of Muskogee, served in the Senate from 2005 to 2015 and in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2001. After leaving the Senate, he pushed for a constitutional convention and advocated for a range of conservative fiscal causes.

A statement from Coburn's family on Saturday morning said, "Because of his strong faith, he rested in the hope found in John chapter 11 verse 25 where Jesus said, 'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, will live, even though they die.' Today he lives in heaven."

A memorial service will be held at a later date and will be announced, the family stated.

Coburn, whose medical practice focused primarily on obstetrics, won a U.S. House seat in 1994 in the Republican wave year that gave the GOP a House majority for the first time in decades. He limited himself to three terms and did not run for re-election in 2000.

Four years later, he ran for the Senate, entering the race relatively late, but he still easily beat the Republican field and then defeated former U.S. Rep. Brad Carson in the general election.

He was in the same freshman class as former President Barack Obama, and the two senators and their wives became friends.

Oklahoma Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat commented on the passing of former U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn:

“One of the greatest honors of my life was to have known and worked for Dr. Tom Coburn. He was a mentor to me and lived out a great example of how to serve with conviction, honor and compassion. Whether it was fighting for the unborn or the next generation of Americans, he was unshakeable in his convictions, regardless of the extreme political or public pressures, and was successful in pulling America back to its core values and principles."

"He was a man of God devoted to his family and friends, and not afraid to let anyone know that. I’m saddened by his passing, and my heart is with his family and all those who had the great fortune to have worked for him over the years. Besides family, no one has had a more profound impact on my life than Tom Coburn. His impact on our nation was real and his legacy lives on through all of those who were blessed to know and learn from him.”

Governor Kevin Stitt also released a statement Saturday morning:

“We lost a giant today – an Oklahoma legend. Dr. Coburn devoted his life to serving others both by way of his career as a physician and by tirelessly fighting for our country as a true statesman. Our state and our nation are better because of the lessons in fiscal responsibility we’ve learned from Dr. Coburn and I pray especially in these trying times ahead of us that we can find ways to ensure his legacy lives on.”