Okla. newbie scores 'unfathomable' primary win

Politico.com ^ | 7/28/2010 | ALEX ISENSTADT

[comps4spice]

Youth camp director James Lankford’s first-place finish in Tuesday’s Oklahoma 5th District primary has Washington Republicans, many of whom backed former state Rep. Kevin Calvey, scratching their heads.

A slate of prominent conservative groups—including the Club for Growth, Concerned Women for America, the American Conservative Union, and the Gun Owners of America—endorsed and provided financial backing for Calvey in his bid for the Oklahoma City-area open seat, only to wake up Wednesday to find that the former state legislator finished behind Lankford, a little-known political newcomer waging his first campaign for office.

“I think the question is, ‘Who is James Lankford?’” remarked one Washington-based GOP operative who is supporting Calvey. “I didn’t know Lankford’s name until four weeks ago.”

[comps4spice]

Interesting outcome. Is this another example of the electorate being weary of "Washington insiders", regardless of party?

[chuck_the_tv_out]

The fact is, very few people vote in primaries. A popular guy with a few hundred friends can make a big dent.

[Puddleglum]

No, this is an example of a man who used to be a camp counsellor at the biggest Baptist summer camp in a heavily Baptist state rallying all his former pupils to donate and beat the street. He is earnest not substantial. But he may be a fit for his district.

[saganite]

Unfathomable? Maybe not:

Lankford, who ran the Christian Falls Creek summer camp and carried the backing of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Rep. J.C. Watts (R-Okla.), heads toward an Aug. 24 runoff with Calvey after finishing first with 34 percent in the five-way primary. Calvey, who served in the state House from 1998 to 2006, followed in second with 33 percent.

GOP strategists reviewing the primary results suggested a host of explanations for Lankford’s success. Though he spent a relatively modest $284,000 – about half of what the better-funded Calvey invested – he ran an aggressive, grassroots-oriented effort that mobilized the local Christian community

[Wpin]

More like Christian power coming back...thank God!

[Carley]

Uh oh. Testing voter fraud in the most unsuspecting districts?

[oldmomster]

“We will never change the status quo in Washington if we send the status quo to Washington.”

is the GOP listening? maybe they can hire this guy, cause if they dont come up with some substantial platform ideas that RESONATE with the public, we will be in for the nightmare of all nightmares in november.

[yoe]

“Washington doesn’t know me, and I don’t know Washington,” he said. “I come from a non-political background.”

Refreshing to say the least....

[comps4spice]

Absolutely.

[comps4spice]

This was an excerpt, but for whatever reason it doesn’t look like one.

[RegulatorCountry]

Washington-based GOP operative who is supporting Calvey. “I didn’t know Lankford’s name until four weeks ago.”

Washington-based "political operatives" find being rejected "unfathomable." Given the current state of affairs, I can only ask them "why?"

NOTA isn't exactly a new phenonenon. Some states have even had it on the ballot, if I'm not mistaken.

[RegulatorCountry]

Pardon the typos, my right arm is in a cast.,

[cc2k]

Ping to Sager4Congress

Jason Sager is another grassroots candidate taking on the Washington establishment. This is in Florida's 5th district. His opponent Sheriff Richard Nugent is funded by Washington PACs, including a lot of incumbent "Leadership PACs" and has staffed his campaign with DC insiders.

Please, Stand with Sager in this important August 24th Primary. Also, steal my sig and use it in your posts here on FreeRepublic. You can get the HTML on my FreeRepublic profile page.

---

I stand with Jason Sager in Florida's 5th Congressional District.

[dalebert]

Im my area of OK I was told to register as a Democrat if I wanted to vote in local elections(still dont understand it)..this year we were handed 2 seperate lists to vote with. one listed all the democrats and the other republicans. strange voting here..we had some strange local wins for a county that has been voting republican in larger electons.I dont think Replicans worked this area like they used to.

[bert]

bump

[grame]

‘Who is James Lankford?’” remarked one Washington-based GOP operative who is supporting Calvey. “I didn’t know Lankford’s name until four weeks ago.”

(Washington-based GOP operative)

This could be the ‘operative’ statement here. I don't want my representative chosen by this guy. Even unnamed, they don't have such a good track record.

[George from New England]

Dittos for Sager. go Jason GO !@
Send Nugent home to play with his non-assault toy guns.

[Jack Hydrazine]

Is this the start of the Facebook politician generation?

[rrrod]

another classic example of how out of toouch the RNC/GOP DC crowd is out of touch with Americans.

[bert]

He has not yet won. When the runoff comes, he must broaden his rather narrow base to prevail.