U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn’s Washington office denied speculations that surfaced Thursday that the Muskogee doctor would be tapped by GOP presidential hopeful John McCain as a running mate.

Coburn, R-Okla., who endorsed McCain as the Republican Party presidential nominee, introduced the Arizona senator Thursday to the 2008 convention of the Conservative Political Action Conference.

Coburn’s introductory speech lauded McCain as “a man of rare courage and character, who I believe is uniquely equipped to lead our nation through the difficult challenges ahead.” Coburn told the group of conservatives that McCain would be well-suited to combat Islamic extremism and the “financial catastrophe that will hit our economy when the Baby Boomers retire.”

“The fact is, we haven’t had a president over the last eight years who had the guts to take on the excesses of a Republican and Democrat Congress,” Coburn said.

Even though Coburn’s remarks, which came on the heels of Mitt Romney’s announcement made at the same event about his decision to suspend his presidential bid, sounded somewhat like a vice presidential running mate, at least one local Republican leader doubted the rumors.

“I am convinced ... that this is not being considered,” Muskogee County Republican Club Chairman Jerry Huffer said. “I have heard Dr. Coburn say before that he would not have an interest in the position, and we would hope he would run for at least a second term as U.S. senator.”

Huffer said a McCain-Coburn ticket would rally the conservative wing of the Republican party, which has been slow to jump on the bandwagon of someone many see as a political maverick.

McCain, whose invitation to Thursday’s CPAC event came only after McCain told political commentators on Sunday he would address the group if he were invited to do so. McCain’s CPAC appearance, according to his speech, was an attempt to lure the GOP’s conservative base to his campaign and unite the party.

Romney, in announcing the suspension of his campaign, told the group the continuation of his uphill battle against McCain would hurt the Republican Party and its ultimate presidential nominee.