Inhofe: Another term 'highly unlikely' at 86, but doesn't rule out 2024 race

May 4—Despite having said he wouldn't run for office again upon his November reelection, Oklahoma Sen. Jim Inhofe now seems to be softening his stance.

Inhofe said during a stop in Enid on Friday it'd be "highly unlikely" due to his age that he'd pursue a sixth full term in the Senate.

But he also denied saying this would be his last six years in office and that he wouldn't run again.

"If it happened that I was in a unique position to do a job in the two areas I'm most interested in ... I'd probably run again," Inhofe said, referring to his committee assignments in both defense and public works in the Senate.

"The thing is, my body doesn't know I'm 86 years old," he said.

The longtime U.S. senator said during a Nov. 3 election night party that his fifth full term would be his last.

"You mean am I gonna do this again?" Inhofe told the Tulsa World when asked if he'd run again. "No. You heard it here."

Oklahoma news stations Fox23 News and KJRH also both reported Inhofe saying on Nov. 3 it would be his final term.

Further attempts to clarify Inhofe's statements with his communications team in Washington have gone unanswered since Saturday.

Ewald is copy editor and city/education reporter for the Enid News & Eagle.

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