Former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) has decided not to attend the Republican National Committee’s summer meeting following speculation that he is interested in becoming RNC chairman, CNN reported Monday evening.

Coleman spokeswoman Liz Maruggi did not tell CNN why Coleman will not be at the meeting this month in Kansas City, Mo., as planned.

Speculation that Coleman might challenge RNC Chairman Michael Steele began late last month. RNC members will decide early next year whether to re-elect Steele, who resisted calls to resign after he said in early July that the war in Afghanistan was of President Barack Obama’s choosing and insinuated it could not be won.