Posted on 09/06/2006 11:02:15 AM PDT by okstate
Incumbent Brad Henry is firmly in control of his bid for a second term as Oklahoma’s governor. The latest Rasmussen Reports election poll shows Henry leading his Republican challenger, U.S. Rep. Ernest Istook, 54% to 33%. That’s a 10-point jump in Henry’s lead since our last poll in May.
Henry is faring much better with his party base as evidenced by the 83% of Democrats who say they’ll support him versus 58% of Republicans for Istook. He also has stronger crossover pull, drawing support from 27% of GOP voters.
Twenty-nine percent (29%) of Oklahoma voters have a “very favorable” opinion of Henry, only five points higher than those who say the same of Istook. The candidates part ways when it comes to unfavorables, though. Eighteen percent (18%) of voters have a very unfavorable opinion of Istook. Only 7% hold such an negative view of the Governor.
Most voters classify their governor as politically moderate (51%). Confirming his middle of the road positioning, an equal number (21%) see Henry as conservative and liberal.
Most (52%) also see Istook as conservative while just 26% see him as a moderate. Sixteen percent (16%) of those surveyed say they aren’t sure how to categorize the challenger’s political ideology.
Though Governor Henry, a Democrat, fares well, 59% of Oklahoma voters trust President Bush more than Congressional Democrats on matters relating to national security and Iraq, The same outcome is true of matters relating to managing the economy—56% choose President Bush and 38% say Congressional Democrats.
Henry spent much of last week engaged in a modern day version of a whistle stop campaign via a recreational vehicle bringing his “Oklahoma on the Move” tour to several stops across the state. Istook, who is reportedly planning his own 77-county tour, must campaign in earnest over the next two months to remain in elected office; he’s had to give up his seat in Congress to run for governor.
Ouch.
In Oklahoma???
Geeesh!
He's got balls.
In 2004 all the polls had Brad Carson leading Sen Coburn by double digits including one a week out and Dr. Coburn won big.
One reason polling in this state is so out of whack is the number of Dems that always vote Republican but won't switch as long as their parents are alive. That is a common thing I hear where I live.
We also have a lot of Indy's that always vote Republican. This race is just getting started. Wait until Oklahomans on the right find out the Indians are pressing the Governor for Class III Las Vegas style gambling -- since he gave them the sweetheart deal on the tobacco compacts look for more sweetheart deals in exchange for votes. A lot of things to come out on Gov Dolittle between now and the election so don't count Ernest out yet.
How about the fact he signed and supported a bill that gave illegal immigrants in-state tuition which was before Republicans controlled the House in OK? That wasn't enough, he also has now taken money in the Oklahoma Tuitiion Assistance Grants fund and made sure that some of it was given to illegal immigrants which means thousands of Oklahomans received no money as the illegals got it first.
Our tax dollars at work -- fund illegal immigrant college education, and I have to pay for my two kids at OU who were born in this Country.
That is just one of the many items that Mr. Brad Henry has in his background which you will be hearing more about from Ernest in the days ahead!
For Freepers who might not know, Henry is an accidental governor.
Steve Largent was ahead in the polls and ran a very unenergetic campaign assuming he could coast in.
A third party Tulsa trial lawyer pulled a lot more votes than anyone though possible, probably pulling 2 votes from Largent for every vote he pulled from Henry.
The election also included an initiative on banning cock fighting. Therefore, every gap-toothed, bare foot Yellow Dog hillbily in Little Dixie managed to drag themselves away from their methamphetamine labs just long enough to vote against the initiative and, oh-by-the-way the democrat whoever he might be.
Add it all up and we end up with a governor who sleeps until 11:00 to wake up in time for Sportscenter. What an embarassment for the state.
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