Huelskamp says he won’t run for Senate

Staunchly conservative Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.) says he does not plan to run for the Senate and challenge Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.).

{mosads}Huelskamp, who had previously signaled he was open to the bid, told Roll Call, when asked Wednesday if he would run for Senate, “Nope, my wife’s pretty clear on that.”

Moran could still face a primary challenge. In 2014, Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts (R) was caught off guard by Tea Party challenger Milton Wolf, before ultimately fending off the challenge. 

Huelskamp himself could face a primary challenge in Kansas’s 1st District. While he is not part of the Republican establishment — he voted against Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) this week — there are concerns about his views on agriculture policy. 

He supported a measure to essentially eliminate government subsidies for biofuels, a major issue in his agricultural district. He won 54 percent to 46 percent in 2014 against a primary challenge from farmer Alan LaPolice. 

In 2012, Huelskamp was kicked off the Agriculture Committee in what was seen as retribution for his opposition of leadership.