Posted on 01/08/2002 7:37:41 AM PST by 2Jedismom
TULSA, Okla., Jan. 7 - A Republican who beat the state's first lady in the primary, prompting the governor to call voters ''dumb,'' is vying against a former school board member in the race to replace Rep. Steve Largent.
A SPECIAL ELECTION Tuesday will decide the former football star's replacement for the 1st Congressional District. Largent, a Republican, is stepping down to run for governor.
The race pits Democrat Doug Dodd against Republican state Rep. John Sullivan.
Largent's seat has been held by Republicans since 1986, but with Republicans holding a slim 222-211 edge in the U.S. House, there is extra pressure heading into the midterm election. The winner of Tuesday's race will face re-election this fall.
Gov. Frank Keating criticized voters for choosing Sullivan over his wife, Cathy Keating, in the Dec. 11 primary, saying she would have been an ''instant star'' for the GOP as a conservative woman.
''I am just saying my hometown, to do this, was very dumb,'' Keating told the Tulsa World after the primary. ''They did it and they will have to live with it.''
He later apologized for his comments.
The national Republican Party gave Sullivan the maximum $5,000 contribution and paid for ads praising Sullivan and attacking Dodd's attendance record as a school board member.
Dodd has gotten no direct funding from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, but the fiscal conservative said he remains confident of his chances.
''I don't believe that it's a district that a Democrat can't win if it's the right Democrat,'' the attorney and former broadcaster said.
Largent, who won the seat in 1994, decided to resign Feb. 15 to run for governor. Term limits prevent Frank Keating from seeking a third term.
Both Dodd and Sullivan want tax cuts or tax holidays. Both say they want to strengthen national defense, protect entitlements for the elderly and pass an energy policy to help consumers and Oklahoma oil companies.
The 1st Congressional District includes Tulsa County and Tulsa suburbs that jut into Wagoner County to the east. Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats 161,000 to 133,000 in Tulsa County. There are 36,000 independents.
Though outspent almost 4-to-1 in the primary and behind in polls, Sullivan received 46 percent of the vote to 30 percent for Cathy Keating. The first lady first vowed to campaign hard in a planned runoff, but then dropped out of the race, making the runoff unneccessary. Dodd easily won the Democratic primary.
Also on the ballot Tuesday are independents David Fares and Neil Mavis.
I didn't Vote for Brad either. :-)
I didn't Vote for him either. :-)
Steve Largent is an upstanding, decent man, and a (rare) rising star in the GOP. Sadly, it appears the Keatings have more in common with the Clintons than I would have ever previously imagined.
Cathy Keating is a good sort, and ended up taking the high road and pulling out of what could have been a very difficult run-off. I've met her, I liked her, but she just wasn't the one for this job. The one that I felt was the best person for the job came in third in the primaries.
Steve Largent may be a rising star in the GOP, but he is a China-loving, Elian-hating, do nothing on abortion pretty-boy who accomplished exactly ZERO while in Congress. I'll never vote for him again.
Are these figures accurate? If so, it represents a positive change from when I was there ('78-'89) in the Jones and Inhofe eras. Seems like the dems. outnumbered, then.
In any case, any repub you get will be pretty good. Take it from a former Tulsan/Broken Arrowan, present upstate NY'er. All we have here are RINO's and {{{{shuddddder}}}}} Xillary.
BTW, is the Tulsa World the liberal rag bird cage liner it always was? Too bad the Tribune folded.
I believe she was over her head. As for her husband, just once I wish he would keep his mouth shut on matters like this! Could never figure why she ran except someone convinced the Keatings it was a slam dunk! It was a gross miscalculation and if she hadn't pulled out at the request of some Republicans it could have cost us the seat!
I have not heard one single poll concerning Dodd and Sullivan. The local media came across as real maroons.
I've got a homeschool meeting tonight, but does anyone have plans for a watch party?
You are invited…
WATCH PARTY
Honoring our next Congressman
John Sullivan
January 8, 2002
Doubletree Warren Place Ballroom
61st & Yale
Tulsa
6:45 p.m.
Please join our family, friends and the greatest volunteers in the world for a grand VICTORY celebration…
Information: 712-2245
DO NOT FORGET TO VOTE ON JANUARY 8th!!
ENDORSEMENTS:
The Sullivan Campaign is excited to announce our endorsements:
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH
VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY
SENATOR JIM INHOFE
SENATOR DON NICKLES
CONGRESSMAN STEVE LARGENT
CONGRESSMAN J.C. WATTS
CONGRESSMAN WES WATKINS
CONGRESSMAN ERNEST ISTOOK
CONGRESSMAN FRANK LUCAS
FORMER TULSA MAYOR ROBERT J. LAFORTUNE
PASTOR EMERITUS WARREN C. HULTGREN
DEWEY F. BARTETT, PRESIDENT KEENER OIL
ANN BARTLETT BURKE
ED KELLER, PRESIDENT BANK ONE OF OKLAHOMA
JOAN HASTINGS, FORMER TULSA CTY. CLERK
EARLENE WILSON, TULSA CTY. CLERK
MIKE TINKER, MAYOR OF JENKS
TODD HUSTON, TULSA CITY COUNCILOR
CLAY BIRD, TULSA CITY COUNCILOR
CRAIG THURMOND, BROKEN ARROW CITY COUNCIL
STATE REPRESENTATIVE MARK LIOTTA
STATE REPRESENTATIVE CHRIS HASTINGS
STATE REPRESENTATIVE RON PETERS
FROMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE DON WEESE
STATE SENATOR SCOTT PRUITT
ANY THOUSANDS OF OTHERS…
GROUPS:
NRA (NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION)
NATIONAL RIGHT TO LIFE
EAGLE FORUM
NFIB (NATIONAL FEDERATION INDEPENDENT BUSINESS)
LAW ENFORCEMENT ALLAINCE OF AMERICA
BROKEN ARROW FIRE FIGHTERS
TULSA WORLD
DAILY OKLAHOMAN
AND MANY OTHERS…
PLEASE JOIN US IN ENDORSING JOHN SULLIVAN BY VOTING FOR JOHN ON JANUARY 8, 2002.
I understand. After all, its not like Abortion is a life and death issue or anything.
Oh wait ... it is.
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