Campaign Hijinks: Political Tactics May Signal Bruising GOP Congressional Race Marie Price The Journal Record OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma politics can be contentious at times, but this year’s 5th Congressional District Republican race may set the bar even higher – or lower, given your perspective. One series of automated phone calls about Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode and Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin has already generated an attorney general’s investigation, and a radio ad and phone “spamming” incident may spark another. Attorney General Drew Edmondson is looking into the last-minute phone calls, identified as being from Americans for Job Security, although they did not include a contact telephone number. AJS President Michael Dubke acknowledged Friday that his nonprofit business organization sponsored the calls, but he doesn’t believe a federal telephone consumer protection law covers them. Both Dubke and Sean McCaffrey, with Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett’s campaign, said they thought the probe was concluded. Edmondson spokesman Charlie Price said that’s not the case. “The investigation is continuing,” said Price. “We’ll follow the evidence wherever it leads us.” One call alleges that Bode pushed for a 125-percent fuel tax hike, reportedly a reference to a federal fuel tax increase in the early 1980s, and refers to her as a “former liberal Democrat.” Bode was once a Democrat. Bode’s campaign spokesman Ron Black termed the tax-hike-support allegation “patently false.” “That didn’t happen,” he said. Black said that when Bode was president of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, she fought against a Clinton administration BTU gas tax hike. Black said Bode is fiscally conservative, terming the allegations in the phone call “ridiculous.” Fallin and Cornett will face off in an Aug. 22 runoff. The other phone call refers to doctors leaving Oklahoma because they can’t afford liability insurance, terming it the “Mary Fallin legacy.” When asked why doctors leaving the state should be laid at a lieutenant governor’s door, Dubke said he didn’t write the script for the ad and would “have to look at my notes.” Asked whether anyone in Oklahoma requested that AJS make the calls, Dubke said, “I don’t recall exactly the Oklahoma situation. Frankly, I don’t want to get into how we make our decisions on the stuff that we do.” McCaffrey, with Wilson Research Strategies, was asked whether WRS or the Cornett campaign had anything to do with the phone calls. “Absolutely not,” he replied. “I don’t even know Mr. Dubke and I don’t know Americans for Job Security.” McCaffrey said he has offered to stand with the other campaigns and denounce the AJS messages. Bill Greener, president of Greener and Hook, a Virginia consulting firm that did advertising for Cornett, said his firm did one television ad for AJS in 2004, but he has had no contact with them since. “Not only didn’t we have anything to do with the phone calls, we don’t do phone calls,” Greener said. McCaffrey said he intends to bring a couple of other situations to the attorney general’s attention after the election. Denise Northrup, with Fallin’s campaign, said she informed McCaffrey of a radio ad that ran a couple of weeks ago, purporting to be a news account, in which Fallin criticized Cornett for taking credit for leading the effort to insure that children could not have access to gay-themed books in libraries. Northrup said the Fallin campaign had nothing to do with the ad. “We got phone calls from angry moms with children,” she said. The ad ended with the tag line “Thank you for listening to the Oklahoma Political News Service” and “Paid for by Oklahomans for Traditional Marriage.” On its Web site, OPNS denounced the ad as an impersonation of the news service in a letter to a radio station that ran the spot. McCaffrey said the ad was pulled by two of the stations after it ran a few times. Harold Patterson, general sales manager of KKNG and KOJK radio in Oklahoma City, said the ad was pulled temporarily off of Radio Disney because it violated Disney rules by mentioning the term “homosexuals.” “Once it was corrected, then we put it back on,” Patterson said. Patterson said the station received calls from both the Fallin and Cornett campaigns about the ad. Consultant Kirk Shelley declined to name the woman who initiated the ad, saying she has a relative who works for Oklahoma City and fears retaliation. Shelley said the ad quotes from news releases about a spat over who led the fight to remove the books from children’s access. “All of the information in the ad either came from the media or the press release everybody had already signed anyway,” Shelley said. McCaffrey indicated he may bring the ad and a telephone “spamming” incident to Edmondson’s attention. He said that beginning the day before the primary election, the Cornett campaign office started receiving a deluge of telemarketing calls for sales of campaign-related pens, signs and other items. “Some person with far too much time got online and subscribed Mick Cornett to receive telemarketing calls from every campaign service telemarketer on this side of the Mississippi,” he said. “That’s a felony. That one’s jail time.” Although he lost his sense of humor after about the 45th call, McCaffrey said an offer of 45,000 Cornett beer Koozies “cracked me up.” McCaffrey said he will ask the attorney general to trace the Internet incident, because he has asked all of the vendors for their contact information and data on the referral service that sent the Cornett contact information to them. “They’re a clever felon, but a felon nonetheless,” McCaffrey said. “But I have no idea who’s behind them.” McCaffrey was also critical of a purported political flyer carrying the names of Fallin, Cornett and fellow candidate Fred Morgan bearing the logo of a local church, which had nothing to do with the flyer. He said an incident like that could jeopardize the church’s tax-exempt status. “To attack a church – who does that?” he asked. Posted at 7/31/2006 04:18:00 PM |   

State legislators accept free Hornets tickets from lobbyists OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) State records show lobbyists gave tickets to New Orleans Hornets basketball games in Oklahoma City to almost 50 state legislators during the past season, state records show. The face value of the tickets given to legislators totaled about 57-hundred-dollars. Some legislators were give 130-dollar floor seats at the Ford Center. State Senator Harry Coates used lobbyist tickets to watch three Hornets games and the Seminole Republican says that he saw a lot of his colleagues down there. State legislators who received the 130-dollar Hornets tickets were Representative Marian Cooksey, an Edmond Republican; Representative David Braddock, an Altus Democrat; Representative Jabar Shumate, a Tulsa Democrat; Representative Joe Sweeden, a Pawhuska Democrat; and Senator Kathleen Wilcoxson, an Oklahoma City Republican. Most of the Hornets tickets used by legislators came from lobbyists for telecommunications company A-T-and-T. Posted at 7/31/2006 04:07:00 PM |   

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Four Republican candidates for the party's nomination to Congress in the Fifth District are endorsing Lieutenant Governor Mary Fallin in the runoff with Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett. Denise Bode (BOH'-dee), Kevin Calvey, Fred Morgan and Johnny Roy praised Fallin as a hard-working conservative. The four finished third through sixth in last Tuesday's primary in which Fallin received 35 percent of the vote while Cornett won 24 percent. The two will meet in an August 22nd runoff. The winner will face Doctor David Hunter of Edmond who won the Democratic primary. Incumbent Congressman Ernest Istook is running for governor instead of for re-election. Posted at 7/31/2006 09:02:00 AM |   

The Oklahoma Political News Service has heard rumors that Corporation Commissioner and former CD 5 candidate, Denise Bode will endorse Mary Fallin in the run-off for the 5th Congressional District seat. While Bode is closest ideologically to Mick Cornett, Fallin's opponent in the run off, sources say that Bode believes the 5th districts needs a "woman's perspective." The Oklahoma Political News Service will continue to follow the developing story. Posted at 7/30/2006 10:03:00 AM |   

By WILL LESTER The Associated Press Saturday, July 29, 2006; 9:02 PM WASHINGTON -- Presidential adviser Karl Rove said Saturday that journalists often criticize political professionals because they want to draw attention away from the "corrosive role" their own coverage plays in politics and government. "Some decry the professional role of politics, they would like to see it disappear," Rove told graduating students at the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management. "Some argue political professionals are ruining American politics _ trapping candidates in daily competition for the news cycle instead of long-term strategic thinking in the best interest of the country." But Rove turned that criticism on journalists. "It's odd to me that most of these critics are journalists and columnists," he said. "Perhaps they don't like sharing the field of play. Perhaps they want to draw attention away from the corrosive role their coverage has played focusing attention on process and not substance." Rove told about 100 graduates trained to be political operatives that they should respect the instincts of the American voter. "There are some in politics who hold that voters are dumb, ill informed and easily misled, that voters can be manipulated by a clever ad or a smart line," said Rove, who is credited with President Bush's victories in the 2000 and 2004 elections. "I've seen this cynicism over the years from political professionals and journalists. American people are not policy wonks, but they have great instincts and try to do the right thing." Rove said it is "wrong to underestimate the intelligence of the American voter, but easy to overestimate their interest. Much tugs at their attention." But he said voters are able to watch campaigns and candidates closely and "this messy and imperfect process has produced great leaders." Posted at 7/30/2006 10:01:00 AM |   

From the AP: Candidates in the upcoming primary runoff face the usual challenge of raising funds and getting better organized than their opponents if they want to advance to the November general election. But last Tuesday's poor primary turnout showed voter apathy, for one reason or another, making the candidates' task especially challenging as they look toward the Aug. 22 runoff. Posted at 7/30/2006 10:00:00 AM |   

Tulsa World (Excerpt) OKLAHOMA CITY -- U.S. Rep. Ernest Istook criticized Gov. Brad Henry on Thursday for worsening the problem of illegal immigration. Istook brought up the immigration issue during a Capitol news conference called to announce endorsements. He later would not answer additional questions from reporters, saying the subject of the news conference was Republican unity. Asked to describe his game plan for the race, Istook initially took a pass and then launched into the immigration issue. "For example, let's take illegal immigration," Istook said. "Brad Henry, you know, honored the request of President Bush for Oklahoma National Guard members to help at the border. But he hasn't done anything to help the larger problem with the huge number of illegal immigrants here in Oklahoma and elsewhere. "In fact, Brad Henry has made our illegal immigration problem worse by sponsoring public benefits for illegal immigrants, such as in-state tuition for people who are here illegally." Paul Sund, a spokesman for Henry, said the governor did not sponsor or propose the 2003 legislation. The measure was written by the late Sen. Keith Leftwich, D-Oklahoma City; former Sen. Mike Fair, R-Oklahoma City; Rep. Al Lindley, D-Oklahoma City; Rep. Kevin Calvey, R-Del City; and Rep. Rebecca Hamilton, D-Oklahoma City. It passed with bipartisan support and was sent to the governor along with hundreds of other bills, Sund said. The measure allows graduates of Oklahoma high schools to be eligible for in-state tuition if they were working toward legal status or preparing to begin the process, Sund said. "Republican and Democratic supporters of the bill said they didn't want to punish kids for something their parents did," he said. "Had the measure not required the students to be working toward legalized status, Gov. Henry would have vetoed it." When questioned about his use of the word "sponsor," Istook said Henry signed the bill. "You don't sign something if you don't approve of it," Istook said. "It is not a matter of quibbling over words. He should have vetoed the bill regardless of who sponsored it." Posted at 7/28/2006 04:30:00 PM |   

"John Boy" Edwards, failed presidential candidate, one term senator, and "son of a millworker" is coming to Oklahoma City next week. Edwards will be the special guest at a "rally for working Oklahomans" sponsored by the Oklahoma Democratic Win PAC. Edwards who is running for president under the populist theme of "ending poverty in America" will speak at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union Hall August 3rd. It is still a mystery to us, that a man who didn't run for reelection in North Carolina because he was so unpopular, can actually believe he is a viable candidate for president! I guess chasing ambulances and winning multi-million dollar judgments based on junk science doesn't have the appeal it once did. Posted at 7/28/2006 03:34:00 PM |   

Now that the primaries are over, civility and Ronald Reagan's 11th commandment is almost back in vogue. Republican governor candidate Ernest Istook has received the endorsement of two of his former rivals for the nomination at a press conference at the Capitol Thursday. Tulsa oilman Bob Sullivan, who finished second with about 31 percent of the votes, gave Istook the maximum amount allowed, $5,000. Oklahoma Political News Service wonders if an apology accompanied the check. Sullivan joked that "The check hasn't cleared [yet]". Sullivan went on to say, "We have a candidate who is not only capable but determined to beat Brad Henry. I want to throw my support 100 percent behind Ernest Istook because he will carry those good conservative values into the fray, and I'm convinced that he will prevail." Party Chairman Tom Daxon read a statement of support for Congressman Istook from Jim Williamson saying, "I have the utmost respect for Congressman Istook, and I am certain he will be a conservative, pro-growth governor." Jim Evanoff, the last place finsher in Tuesday's contest, (who was absent at the press conference) said he is undecided whom he'll be supporting November. Rumor has it that he was miffed for not being invited. I can't imagine the party or Istook not wanting a photo op or statement of support from his vanquished foes. Grow up Jim, you lost! Posted at 7/28/2006 11:28:00 AM |   

By Janice Francis-Smith The Journal Record (Illustration by Neil Cambre) OKLAHOMA CITY – Though the candidate with the most contributions is generally considered the front-runner in any race, the results of Tuesday’s primary elections showed that money doesn’t always guarantee votes. On the Democrat side, the lieutenant governor’s race followed the traditional formula. State Rep. Jari Askins, D-Duncan, had raised the most money – more than $530,000, including $350,000 she had loaned to her own campaign – and she came in first at the polls, with just over 40 percent of the votes. Pete Regan came in second in fundraising, with just over $420,000, and he came in second at the polls with 29 percent of the vote. State Sen. Cal Hobson, a latecomer to the race because he chose to wait until after the legislative session was over to announce his candidacy, raised more than $205,000 and came in third at 18 percent. Jim Rogers, who didn’t raise enough to report to the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, came in last with 12 percent. The Republican primary in the lieutenant governor’s race, however, bore some surprises. House Speaker Todd Hiett’s more than $1 million in campaign contributions garnered him first place in the race, with 42.82 percent of the vote. Sen. Scott Pruitt came in second with 33.73 percent of the vote and more than $748,000 in contributions – coming closer to Hiett’s lead in votes than he did in contributions. State Sen. Nancy Riley came in third in campaign contributions and third at the polls. But she managed to parlay just $11,000 in campaign contributions into 23.46 percent of the vote. Pruitt raised 68 times as much money as Riley, but Tuesday night’s primary results showed a 10-point difference between the two candidates, representing less than 20,000 votes. “We spent less than a dollar per vote,” said Riley from her Tulsa home on Wednesday. “My husband says Hiett spent $13 per vote and Pruitt spent $15 per vote. We had the right message, I think. We didn’t have the media money.” While Hiett’s and Pruitt’s television ads ran repeatedly during the last weeks of the campaign, Riley had no television ads at all – just a half-page ad in the newspaper and radio spots on the agricultural networks on Friday and Monday, she said. “People want to hear good things about Oklahoma,” said Riley. “And they just responded to that message wholeheartedly.” She and her husband/campaign manager worked hard and worked smart, she said, paying attention to the statistics and directing their efforts to areas where the registered Republican numbers provided the greatest bang for the buck. Riley said she next plans to run for re-election in her Senate district, but she did not rule out another run for lieutenant governor in the future. “They probably will not underestimate me on the next go-around,” she said. In the governor’s race as well, Tulsa oil and gas businessman Bob Sullivan raised well over $1 million, which included a $100,000 loan from himself, while U.S. Rep. Ernest Istook’s campaign raised about $700,000. Still, Sullivan said his campaign could not overcome the fact that from the beginning of the campaign, voters were already familiar with the 12-year congressman. Istook garnered nearly 55 percent of the vote, while Sullivan won just under 31 percent. Posted at 7/28/2006 11:14:00 AM |   

State Rep. and former CD5 candidate Kevin Calvey has endorsed Mary Fallin in the CD 5 run-off. Developing... Posted at 7/28/2006 10:14:00 AM |   

From the Wall Street Journal's Political Diary The importance of beating Henry Rep. Ernest Istook survived being portrayed as a Washington porker by a comedian who made pig noises in a TV commercial and won yesterday's GOP primary for the Oklahoma governorship. The pig jokes were courtesy of his primary rival, Tulsa oil millionaire Bob Sullivan, who combed Mr. Istook's Congressional record looking for pork buried in bills that Mr. Istook voted for in his long career (Mr. Istook served seven terms). The Congressman may look back on such indignities fondly in the next round. The primary outcome was never in doubt: Mr. Istook had the name recognition and won with 56% of the vote. He also undoubtedly attracted a certain number of votes out of simple respect for his decision to give up a supremely safe House seat in order to challenge a sitting governor, Democrat Brad Henry, who may be nigh unbeatable. Step one in improving these odds is appropriating some of his late opponent's campaign themes. Despite an oil boom and popular tax cut that have given the incumbent Democrat a 75% approval rating, the GOP upstart Mr. Sullivan insisted during the primary that Oklahoma was still "going sideways in 46th place. We've done that for 99 years." Mr. Sullivan offered several sensible ideas for modernizing the state, including a taxpayer bill of rights to control spending (Mr. Istook said he wanted to study the idea). He's also been a leading supporter of the national "65% solution" movement, a mandate that at least 65% of school funding should go to the classroom rather than overhead. Mr. Sullivan also proposed gradually eliminating Oklahoma's state income tax as a way to attract new businesses and keep more wealth inside the state. These are all good ideas that Mr. Istook is now free to adopt. He also could make up some ground by attacking Mr. Henry's excessive reliance on the expansion of lottery and casino gambling. Not only are the sin industries unpopular with Oklahoma's many social conservatives, but they represent exactly the kind of unproductive, faux "development" you'd expect from a state setting itself up to "go sideways" for another century. -- Holman W. Jenkins Jr. Posted at 7/27/2006 01:49:00 PM |   

By Aaron Blake (excerpt) Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett didn’t declare for Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District race until May and didn’t move into full campaign mode until this month. But the popular former sportscaster qualified for a runoff with Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin in Tuesday’s GOP primary, and now he’ll have a month to make up some ground and try to continue his fast rise in Oklahoma politics. Fallin and Cornett emerged from a six-way nomination race as the top two vote-getters Tuesday, and they will meet in the runoff Aug. 22 to determine the favorite to replace Republican Rep. Ernest Istook. Fallin finished first, with 35 percent of the vote, and Cornett edged out third-place finisher and state Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode 24-19 to earn the second spot in the runoff. The winner will face Dr. David Hunter, who won the Democratic primary 63-37 over teacher Bert Smith. The seat is generally not considered a takeover opportunity for Democrats. Istook, who is running for governor and won his primary Tuesday, routinely won two-thirds of the vote in the district. He will face Gov. Brad Henry (D) in the general election. The Republican congressional match-up pits the longtime favorite in the race, Fallin, against the candidate whose entry assured she would face a runoff. Before Cornett joined, Fallin had been polling around 50 percent and higher. Keith Gaddie, a professor of political science at Oklahoma University who has polled the race independently, has been doing second-choice polling in recent weeks and said most of Bode’s voters chose Fallin in a runoff. Fallin is the early favorite and would take about 60 percent of the vote if the runoff were held today, according to his numbers. While the campaign has been downright amiable until this past weekend, Gaddie said that should change quickly and Cornett will have to go negative on Fallin somehow, which is difficult to do in Oklahoma politics. “Now we have an actual campaign,” Gaddie said. He said the two remaining candidates will have to mobilize their bases and try to grab the hardcore conservatives who voted for further-right candidates like Bode as well as the Club for Growth- and Minuteman Project-endorsed state Rep. Kevin Calvey, who finished fourth with 10 percent of the vote. Gaddie added that Cornett might struggle in that regard because he doesn’t appeal as much as Fallin to traditional conservatives and older voters, who tend to dominate primary voting. And Cornett could be hurt by past support for increasing taxes and for a measure urging Congress to vote against restricting local governments’ powers of eminent domain. In an interview with The Hill yesterday, Fallin acknowledged that such issues constitute differences between the two candidates. Until now, they had been content to cast themselves as ideologically similar. She also emphasized Cornett’s relative newcomer status and the fact that he has not yet served a full term in any office. Cornett, who worked in television for 20 years, was elected as a city councilman in 2001 and won a special election to become mayor in 2004. He elected to a full term four months ago with 87 percent of the vote, and two months later he declared for Istook’s seat. Fallin, meanwhile, has been in her office since 1995 and said she has been much more involved in the Republican Party. “I’ve always been with the Republican caucus when it come to cutting taxes and working towards things that would make more efficient government and reform government,” Fallin said. “He’s come out against some things like the sales tax holiday, and that’s been one of the issues that we felt we needed some relief on.” Cornett should perform better in debates because of his background in television and would have a good shot to win if he can outspend Fallin, Gaddie said. Cornett raised $173,000 in the first two months of his campaign and had $119,000 on hand through July 5. Fallin raised $859,000 and had $316,000 on hand. The mayor has been bolstered recently by news that an Oklahoma City group is buying the Seattle SuperSonics franchise in the National Basketball Association. Cornett was instrumental in getting the New Orleans Hornets to play in Oklahoma City after Hurricane Katrina displaced the team last season, and the sale of the SuperSonics has led to speculation that the team will soon move to Oklahoma’s capital. Cornett has cautioned against assuming the team will move, but the news put him in the spotlight less than a week before the primary. Calls to his campaign seeking comment were not returned. Posted at 7/27/2006 08:42:00 AM |   

State Attorney General Drew Edmondson issued a release Tuesday saying the calls might have broken the law because they didn’t give recipients a contact phone number for the organization placing them, Americans for Job Security, which is based in Alexandria, Va. The release said the calls might violate the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and could lead to action in criminal or civil court. Americans for Job Security is nonprofit issue-advocacy group and is exempt from the TCPA. Reached by The Hill yesterday, President Michael Dubke said the attorney general’s office told him it was not investigating his organization but instead making sure one of the other candidates wasn’t behind the calls. Dubke said the attorney general’s office told him one of the candidates had done prerecorded calls incorrectly in the past, and he got the impression the office was making sure that candidate wasn’t responsible for the calls. Dubke said only Americans for Job Security paid for the calls. Read more... Posted at 7/26/2006 09:57:00 PM |   

The final two weeks of the primary campaign had OK voters listening and viewing a myriad of negative commercials, especially in high profile races to replace Congressman Istook in CD5 and to take on Brad Henry for Governor. Denise Bode and Bob Sullivan were both accused of breaking written pledges to not go negative. In these two cases, their ads didn't make much of a difference, both candidates came up woefully short. Negative advertising on both sides of the aisle for Lt. Governor didn't help these candidate's separate themselves enough in the public mind to avoid an August runoff. Hiett led the GOP primary with 76,622 votes or 42.8 percent. Pruitt was second with 60,357 votes or 33.7 percent. In one television ad, Hiett criticized Pruitt for missing close to 40 percent of the votes cast in the Senate this year. Pruitt criticized Hiett for refusing to publicly support the taxpayer’s bill of rights initiative petition, called TABOR, which would limit government spending. Pruitt, who signed that petition, also criticized Hiett by saying government spending has increased by 31 percent during Hiett’s leadership of the state House. In the Democratic primary, state Rep. Askins had 103,499 votes, or 40.2 percent to 74,773, or 29.1, percent for Pete Regan. Askins had some ads that called Regan a lobbyist. Her ad on Hobson referred to problems he had that caused him to resign as the Senate President Pro Tempore. Hobson resigned from that post because of a drinking problem. Posted at 7/26/2006 01:03:00 PM |   

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Lieutenant Governor Mary Fallin and Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett were the top two vote getters in the Republican primary to replace outgoing Representative Ernest Istook. Fallin had 35 percent of the vote and Cornett had 24 percent in a crowded field. Since neither got 50 percent of the vote, they will face each other in an August 22nd runoff that will determine the Republican nominee. From CQPolitics.com,: Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin and Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett are headed to an Aug. 22 runoff as the top two vote-getters in Tuesday’s Republican primary for Oklahoma’s 5th District seat, which Republican Rep. Ernest Istook left open to run for governor. The district, which includes most of the state capital of Oklahoma City, is a Republican stronghold: Istook won a seventh House term in 2004 with 66 percent of the vote, as President Bush was taking 64 percent in the district. The promise of longterm political job security for the winner drew in six Republican hopefuls, five of them current elected officials. Fallin topped the field with 35 percent of the vote; Cornett took 24 percent to claim the other runoff slot. State Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode, whose strong fundraising boosted her into the top tier, ran third with 19 percent of the vote. Further off the pace were state Reps. Kevin Calvey and Fred Morgan, with 10 percent and 9 percent respectively, and surgeon Johnny B. Roy with 3 percent. For the most part, the candidates conducted an amiable campaign, frequently discussing their opponents as “friends.” Fallin and Cornett, who must now court voters who did not support them in the primary, can be expected to continue highlighting their conservative profiles. According to political scientist Keith Gaddie of University of Oklahoma, Cornett is popular among casual and infrequent voters, and Fallin is highly popular with voters over the age of 50. Posted at 7/26/2006 10:27:00 AM |   

First openly gay candidate elected in Oklahoma OKLAHOMA CITY For the first time in state history, an openly gay candidate is poised to become a member of the Oklahoma Legislature. Democrat Al McAffrey won a three-candidate primary race tonight with 51 percent of the vote, avoiding a runoff in the House District 88 seat in the heart of Oklahoma City. No Republicans filed for the seat. McAffrey, a longtime Oklahoma City funeral director and a Navy veteran, said he didn't hide his sexual orientation, but didn't make it the focus of his campaign. The District 88 seat was held by longtime state Representative Debbie Blackburn, who's being forced out of office because of term limits. Posted at 7/26/2006 10:15:00 AM |   

Denise Bode is doing her best Al Gore impression, refusing to concede the race to Mary Fallin and Mick Cornett. With 85% of precincts reporting, time is running out. "I don't know how long it will take to get all the numbers in from Oklahoma County," she said. "I'm used to a statewide race where sometimes you have to wait all night." Posted at 7/25/2006 09:44:00 PM |   

Governor - - GOP Primary 2018 of 2249 Precincts Reporting - 89.73% Max Runoff Cands=2 Name Party Votes Pct Istook, Ernest GOP 86,617 57.205 Sullivan, Bob GOP 43,998 29.06 Williamson, James GOP 13,397 8.85 Evanoff, Jim GOP Lieutenant Governor - - Dem Primary 2032 of 2249 Precincts Reporting - 90.35% Max Runoff Cands=2 Name Party Votes Pct Askins, Jari Dem 96,622 40.33 Regan, Pete Dem 68,524 28.60 Hobson, Cal Dem 43,736 18.26 Rogers, Jim Dem 30,700 12.81 U.S. House - District 1 - GOP Primary 223 of 348 Precincts Reporting - 64.08% Max Runoff Cands=2 Name Party Votes Pct Sullivan, John (i) GOP 22,631 82.82 Rogers, Evelyn GOP 3,550 12.99 Moghaddam, Fran GOP 1,146 4.19 U.S. House - District 2 - GOP Primary 575 of 577 Precincts Reporting - 99.65% Name Party Votes Pct Miller, Patrick GOP 9,909 72.24 Wickson, Raymond GOP 3,807 27.76 U.S. House - District 3 - Dem Primary 549 of 573 Precincts Reporting - 95.81% Max Runoff Cands=2 Name Party Votes Pct Barton, Sue Dem 22,536 53.40 Wilson, Gregory Dem 10,485 24.85 Harris, John Dem 9,178 21.75 U.S. House - District 5 - Dem Primary 194 of 340 Precincts Reporting - 57.06% Name Party Votes Pct Hunter, David Dem 13,764 61.63 Smith, Bert Dem 8,571 38.37 U.S. House - District 5 - GOP Primary 195 of 340 Precincts Reporting - 57.35% Max Runoff Cands=2 Name Party Votes Pct Fallin, Mary GOP 9,056 35.42 Cornett, Mick GOP 6,042 23.63 Bode, Denise GOP 4,927 19.27 Calvey, Kevin GOP 2,584 10.11 Morgan, Fred GOP 2,320 9.07 Roy, Johnny GOP 639 2.50 Lieutenant Governor - - GOP Primary 1934 of 2249 Precincts Reporting - 85.99% Max Runoff Cands=2 Name Party Votes Pct Hiett, Todd GOP 59,224 44.40 Pruitt, Scott GOP 42,402 31.79 Riley, Nancy GOP 31,776 23.82 Treasurer - - GOP Primary 1934 of 2249 Precincts Reporting - 85.99% Name Party Votes Pct Barnett, Howard GOP 78,690 59.45 Keating, Daniel GOP 53,680 40.55 Posted at 7/25/2006 09:29:00 PM |   

The political commercials have been made, along with the countless speeches and press releases given and released from the candidates. Today is the day we witness if those efforts have made a positive or negative impact with Oklahoma primary voters. Oklahoma Political News Service will have up to the minute coverage of the election, incuding exclusive interviews with the winners and losers. This link will give real time election results when they become available. Posted at 7/25/2006 05:20:00 PM |   

Courtesy of okgopchat.com Denise Bode Will’s Coffee Shop Inside Will Roger’s Theatre Building 4322 N. Western Ave. Oklahoma City 6:30 p.m. Kevin Calvey Waterford Penn and 63rd Oklahoma City 7 p.m. Mick Cornett Nikz At the top of the Founders Tower 5900 Mosteller Dr. of NW Expressway 7 p.m. Mary Fallin Cole’s Garden 1415 NE 63rd Oklahoma City 7 p.m. Fred Morgan Campaign Headquarters 4915 N. Lincoln Blvd. Oklahoma City 7:30 p.m. Johnny Roy Louie’s NW Corner of 15th and Bryant Edmond 7 p.m. Ernest Istook 1. Character First 520 W. Main Oklahoma City 7 p.m. 2. Tulsa Campaign Headquarters 4415 E. 31st Tulsa 6:30 p.m. Bob Sullivan Renaissance Hotel 6808 S. 107th East Ave. Tulsa 7 p.m. James Williamson 6111 S. Trenton Ave. Tulsa 7-12 p.m. Todd Hiett Harris Event Center 643 NE 41st St. (41st and Lincoln Blvd) Oklahoma City 7 p.m. Scott Pruitt AT&T Bricktown Ballpark Diamond Lounge on the 2nd Floor (Enter from the Deep Right gate at the corner of Joe Carter and Reno Ave.) Oklahoma City 7 p.m. Howard Barnett Renaissance Hotel 6808 107th East Ave. Hospitality Suite 237 Tulsa 7 p.m. Bill Brown Gatesway Foundation Gymnasium 1217 E. College Broken Arrow 7 p.m. Dale DePue First United Presbyterian Fellowship Hall 6:30 p.m. Kim Dismuke The Home of Kim and Stacey Dismuke 612 Cactus Ct. Yukon 7 p.m. Mark McCullough The Home of Mark McCullough 4125 Dogwood Place Sapulpa 918-227-1282 Colby Schwartz Italian Jim's Pizzeria 342 S. Mustang Rd. Yukon 7:15 p.m. Tulsa County Republican Party Republican Headquarters Shadow Mountain Office Center 5840 S. Memorial Tulsa 6-10 p.m. Posted at 7/25/2006 05:03:00 PM |   

All Democratic candidates, their supporters, and friends are invited to our Tulsa County election night Primary Watch Party. Lot's of TV sets, lots of Democrats and a cash bar! Hosted by Workman For Tulsa [Mike Workman for OK House #70], the Tulsa Democratic Party MeetUp, DFA-Tulsa [Democracy For America, Tulsa], Alan Gentges for US House #1, Cory Spocogee for OK House #69, and others. RSVP online at http://tinyurl.com/gkepe or call 918-743-8165 Time: Tuesday, July 25 at 7:01 PM+ Location: Rick's Cafe Americain, 5107 S. Harvard Ave., Tulsa, OK 74135 Directions: On the southeast corner of South Harvard Avenue and East 51st Street South; just 1 block south of IH-44 Posted at 7/25/2006 05:00:00 PM |   

The Daily Oklahoman is reporting that voters in the 5th congressional district recieved phone messsages Monday attacking Mary Fallin and Denise Bode. The calls reportedly came from a group called Americans for Job Security. Reportedly, there was no call-back number on some of the calles, which Oklahoma considers to be a violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. We reported last Friday of possible push polling being conducted. Former State Rep. Tim Pope, now a political consultant, was accused of violating the consumer protection law in January.

Labels: Decision '06, Tim Pope

Posted at 7/25/2006 02:45:00 PM |   

By David M. Drucker Roll Call Staff A photo finish is expected today in Oklahoma's 5th district Republican primary, with Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin predicted to advance to an Aug. 22 runoff against either state Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode or Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett. With temperatures expected in the high 90s before the heat index is accounted for, turnout could be the key to victory in the crowded six-candidate field to replace Rep. Ernest Istook (R). Istook is projected to finish first in the GOP gubernatorial primary, and he will compete in a runoff unless he garners at least 50 percent of the vote today. "I'll be surprised if Mary Fallin is not the frontrunner," a knowledgeable Oklahoma Republican said Monday. "And I think it's real razor-thin between Denise Bode and Mick Cornett" for second place. Surgeon David Hunter and teacher Bert Smith are running for their party's nod in the 5th district Democratic primary. But the heavily Republican, Oklahoma City-area seat is considered safe for the GOP and unlikely to flip come November. The leading Republican candidates - including the Club for Growth-favored state Rep. Kevin Calvey - are all claiming a best-in-show ground game. Bode spokesman Ron Black said his candidate's team has knocked on more than 60,000 doors, while Cornett campaign spokesman Sean McCaffrey boasted a volunteer squad of well over 100. Fallin campaign spokeswoman Denise Northrup said the lieutenant governor's operation placed 25,000 automated phone calls on Monday. The state election board is projecting statewide turnout among registered voters in the low 30 percent range, which is considered average for an off-year election. That, combined with a Republican candidate field that has angled en masse for the conservative vote, and an electorate in which few voters are undecided at this point, could make turnout crucial. For instance, if the hot weather depresses turnout among senior citizens, who benefits and who suffers? One Republican operative said seniors are among Fallin's most ardent supporters and suggested she could be damaged if the forecasted 97-degree weather deters older voters from venturing to the polls. "I think it will be close and competitive. We're feeling very confident over here," McCaffrey said. "We have an amazing team of folks working hard to get out the vote." Of the three leading campaigns, the Bode and Cornett teams on Monday seemed to share the same feelings of confidence mixed with cautious optimism. Even Black, when asked to gauge his candidate's chances, backed away from predictions he made almost two weeks ago that Bode was gunning for a top finish in today's election, saying only that he fully expects her to advance to the runoff. Fallin, however, is notably buoyant. Northrup said all of the polling they have seen - including their own conducted by Oklahoma native Ed Goas - shows them leading the pack and making the runoff. She attributed Fallin's strong position to running a positive campaign and staying above the fray that has engulfed some of the candidates. "We feel really good. We have the momentum," Northrup said. "I think both [Bode and Cornett] are in a statistical dead heat, from numbers we've seen, and we're just waiting to see who's in the runoff with us." In the closing days, what has been a relatively civil campaign turned slightly heated, with Bode targeting Cornett's position on eminent domain in a radio ad and the mayor snapping back in a television interview, accusing the corporation commissioner of breaking her pledge not to go negative. In a comical exchange caught by a local television news crew at an event where Cornett and Bode were both appearing, the candidates shook hands, smiled at each other and looked as if they were in the middle of a friendly conversation, while in reality they were sparring verbally about the ad. Cornett said the ad distorts his position on eminent domain. Black said the ad was not a negative attack, but merely an attempt to showcase the substantive differences that exist between the candidates. "Here in the Oklahoma media, there has been this mantra that there's no distinguishing characteristics among the candidates," Black said. Calvey, considered the only candidate who can sneak into the top two and displace either Bode or Cornett, has benefited from the Club for Growth spending on his behalf. As of July 12, the political action committee reported spending more than $55,000 on Calvey. Calvey appears to have hung his chances on the issue of illegal immigration. His main television ad - and the only one he has run in the final weeks of the campaign - features Chris Simcox, president of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, the group that has placed sentries along the U.S. border. In the ad, Simcox endorses Calvey and praises his tough, anti-illegal immigration stance. Calvey also has been endorsed by Team America PAC, the political action committee founded by Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) for the sole purpose of funding candidates who share his position on illegal immigration. Calvey campaign spokeswoman Carissa Darling said 5th district voters are concerned about illegal immigration, adding that her candidate's military background makes him uniquely qualified to address the issue. Northrup predicted an above-average turnout in the 5th district that would surpass the statewide showing, based on voter intensity motivated by a competitive Republican primary and a gubernatorial primary on the GOP side that features Istook, the area's longtime and well-liked Congressman. She acknowledged that the hot weather could affect turnout among seniors, who are generally big Fallin supporters. But she said many have voted early over the past few days, with plans in place to drive others to the polls today as needed. "I think you'll find turnout affects who the other person in runoff will be" besides Fallin, Northrup said. Posted at 7/25/2006 12:07:00 PM |   

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Voter turnout for today's primary elections in Oklahoma is ranging from slow to heavy. Ellen Thames with the Muskogee County Election Board says turnout there is heavy this morning. She says a hotly contested race for district attorney is attracting voters. Oklahoma County Election Board officials say turnout is slow so far despite a high profile race for the Republican nomination to Congress in the Fifth District. Doug Sanderson says it may be too early to gauge what the turnout will be because voting tends to increase around noon and again at the last minute. Tulsa County election officials say they're still collecting early information on voter turnout. Posted at 7/25/2006 10:44:00 AM |   

From okdemocrat.com: "I hear a police report is being filed at Uniform Division East against Mac-Daddy (Jason McIntosh) for stealing large 2'x4' Connie Dodson signs. He was spotted in the act last night and later his car was found parked at Steve Gallo's home with Dodson signs in the outdoor trash bin. Photos were taken of J-Mac's car in the driveway and the signs in the trash bin and a report was filed with police, channel 2 and the Tulsa County Democratic Party.." Posted at 7/25/2006 10:15:00 AM |   

TV News Station KFOR captured Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett confronting fellow candidate Denise Bode about her negative attack ad and ran the above piece at 6:00. Interestingly, on the 10:00 news KFOR changed the story and called the ad "mudslinging."

In releated news, Oklahoma City Business Leader, activist Republican and Secretary of Commerce under former Governor Frank Keating, Russell Perry had a letter hand delivered to Commissioner Bode calling on her to pull her "negative attack ads", saying they “mischaracterize the issue.” The letter reads: “As a friend, I am writing to tell you that there is far too much negative campaigning already, and you are too classy to be a part of it. I respectfully ask you to take the particular ad off the air.” Perry points out Cornett’s position “empowers local governments by keeping the federal government at bay.” Perry ends the letter by saying, “I stand with Mick Cornett of this issue and ask again that you pull the ad in question directly, and that you relinquish your position on this for the good of Oklahoma.” As the Oklahoma Political News Service has pointed out before, Denise Bode pledged on multiple occasions not to run attack ads. Her media consultant, Ron Black, even wrote, "You have not only Denise's word, but my word. Denise will NOT attack first.”

Click here to read the entire Russell Perry letter to Bode.

Posted at 7/24/2006 11:28:00 AM |   

Majority of Oklahomans approve of Bush's performance TULSA, Okla. (AP) A new poll shows a majority of Oklahomans approve of President Bush's job performance, but his approval rating has dropped since January. Fifty-four percent of one-thousand-60 likely voters surveyed statewide July 8th through the 11th by SoonerPoll-dot-com say they approve of the president's job performance. The telephone survey of 503 Republicans, 503 Democrats and 54 independents was sponsored by the Tulsa World and K-O-T-V, channel 6. The poll's margin of error is plus or minus about three percent. A similar poll conducted in January showed Bush had a 59 percent approval rating. Still, Bush's approval rating in Oklahoma is almost 20 points higher than nationally. Bush is more popular in Oklahoma City, where his approval rating is pushing 61 percent. His approval rating is 53 percent in Tulsa and 51 percent in the rest of the state. Posted at 7/24/2006 08:21:00 AM |   

OKLAHOMA CITY -- About one in three registered voters are expected to cast ballots in Oklahoma's primary election Tuesday. State Election Board Secretary Mike Clingman said that means 600,000 to 700,000 registered voters are expected to vote. Historically, Democrats are more likely to vote in a primary than Republicans, but Clingman said "that could be changing, particularly this time." According to the National Weather Service, a high of 95 degrees is predicted for the Tulsa area Tuesday. Republican Party Chairman Tom Daxon said this is the most significant election in state history for his party, and he expects a strong GOP turnout in the primary. In November's general election, Republicans are eyeing a possible takeover of the state Senate, which has been controlled by the Democrats since statehood. Read more in the Tulsa World... Posted at 7/23/2006 03:45:00 PM |   

The Enid News & Eagle released thier endorsements today: For Governor: Brad Henry (D) & Ernest Istook (R) in their respective primaries For Lt. Governor: Jari Askins (D) & Todd Hiett (R) in their respective primaries Read more... Posted at 7/23/2006 03:40:00 PM |   

According to Oklahoma County Election Board Secretary Doug Sanderson 709 voters cast ballots Friday at the election board office, 4201 Lincoln Blvd. "It's still not like we'd see in a general election, but it is a respectable number for the first day of early voting," he said. While election turnout in some states has been down this year, pundits point to the all time record high turnout in the Nebraska primary in June being most similar to this years Oklahoma primary. Overall turnout in Nebraska was among the highest ever for a primary election in the state according to the Lincoln Journal Star. Looking at Nebraska and the competitive Fifth District race, informed observers are predicting a record turnout in Oklahoma on Tuesday. Registered voters across Oklahoma could begin casting ballots Friday under Oklahoma's three-day, in-person absentee law. They must vote at their county election board. County election boards will be open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday. Click here to find your own polling location (be sure to hit the "Search" button in the upper right hand corner). Posted at 7/22/2006 12:00:00 AM |   

Phones across the state have begun ringing off the hook as candidates for offices big as small engage in a last minute effort to persuade voters. While most calls are positive issues calls, the Oklahoma Political News Service has learned that some of these calls are illegal push polls aimed at disseminating false information under the guise of being a legitimate survey. Moreover, this calls are illegal since the law requires all political phone calls to identify who is calling and the campaign that is affiliated with the call. The Oklahoma Political News Service will investigate. Posted at 7/21/2006 05:50:00 PM |   

The CD 5 race took a turn for the negative today as Denise Bode broke a campaign promise not to go negative and began running attack radio spots and sent a negative email to supporters. The attack centers on Cornett's support of a January 26th U.S. Conference of Mayors Resolution on the responsible use of eminent domain. The resolution was circulated during a five-day Mayors conference and signed by 85 mayors urging that local governments maintain some flexibility to use eminent domain to assemble property for affordable housing, hospitals, educational institutions and for other purposes that serve the general public. Reportedly, Cornett was asked to take this position by Oklahoma City Chamber Urban Renewal Committee members Clay Bennett, Fred Hall, Russell Perry and Larry Nichols. Senator Tom Coburn supported Cornett on this. Interestingly, Cornett had testified before congress on the issue of eminent domain. According to an article on the U.S. Conference of Mayors website "[Cornett] told Senator C