HHS Secretary Thompson Reportedly Considering 2004 Senate Bid
HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson, who could be the first Bush administration Cabinet official to leave, might challenge Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) in 2004, the Washington Post reports (Allen, Washington Post, 11/22). In August, Thompson told reporters that he was not committed to the position beyond February 2003. But in September, he stated that he planned to serve as HHS secretary for the full four years of President Bush's first term (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 9/4). Some sources have speculated that Thompson also could leave the administration for the private sector, and others said that if Thompson runs against Feingold, he would benefit from "heavy campaigning" by President Bush. Sources also said that Thompson has not yet made a decision. If he does opt to run for the Senate, it is not certain when he would leave HHS. For his part, Thompson has denied he is considering a Senate campaign. "I haven't even considered it," he said, adding that he has opted not to run for Congress when opportunities arose in the past. Should Thompson resign, it is unclear who would replace him. According to some sources, a leading contender could be Gail Wilensky, Bush's chief health care adviser during his presidential campaign and a former administrator of CMS, then known as HCFA (Cusack, Inside CMS, 11/20).
This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
