Sebelius says she’s not interested in Senate run

4/18/2014
NEW YORK TIMES

WASHINGTON — Kathleen Sebelius, the soon-to-be former secretary of the Health and Human Services Department, said through a spokeswoman Thursday that she was not interested in running for the Senate in Kansas, despite recent entreaties from Democrats.

“Secretary Sebelius is continuing her important work at HHS and is not considering a run for the Senate,” the spokeswoman said.

Sebelius said last week that she was resigning after overseeing the department during the tumultuous rollout of the Affordable Care Act. Democrats began seeking her out almost immediately to run for Senate in Kansas, where she was elected twice as governor.

Sen. Pat Roberts, the Republican incumbent, has been targeted as vulnerable by Democrats.

But Sebelius, who would face tremendous odds in a state where the president and his health care law are deeply unpopular, wanted to put to rest any speculation as she finishes her tenure as secretary.