Oklahoma - Brad Henry (D) upsets Steve Largent in governor's race

Associated Press | November 5, 2002

[HAL9000]

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- Democratic state Senator Brad Henry has upset former Congressman Steve Largent in the race for governor.

Henry beat Largent by a razor-thin margin out of about one (m) million votes cast today, leading by about five-thousand votes.

Henry did not declare victory with about one percent of the precincts still uncounted and Largent did not concede.

Largent was considered a heavy favorite in the race and Henry was a virtual political unknown six months ago.

Largent won big in Oklahoma City and in Tulsa, but Henry won most rural counties, especially in eastern Oklahoma where a state question to ban cockfighting resulted in a large turnout.

(Copyright 2002 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[jbstrick]

Not so fast....

http://www.state.ok.us/~elections/02gen.html

[VOA]

...but Henry won most rural counties, especially in eastern Oklahoma where a state
question to ban cockfighting resulted in a large turnout.

So, the folks in the eastern counties turned out to vote for cock-fighting and Brad Henry?

I love my old home state...
(although they should have voted for Largent)

[ambrose]

to lose because of cockfighting... too funny...

[Burdened White Man]

So, the folks in the eastern counties turned out to vote for cock-fighting and Brad Henry?

and yet the cock-fighting ban appears to have passed rather handily (thank goodness) so it remains to be seen if there's a correlation. I think Largent's opposition to a state lottery may have been his undoing.

[VOA]

to lose because of cockfighting... too funny...

Yes, but what I thought was rich is that it sounds like Brad Henry (the Democrat)
may have won because of cockfighting!

I can't wait to get PhiKapMom's update on this...

(I've been out of the state too long...but I think a "ringer" of a third candidate
may have substantial contributed to Largent's loss...)

But when cockfighting is in the mix...it overshadows all else!

[State'sRightsStandSupreme]

Largent has not lost yet.

And if he does, it's because of the Independant candidate Richardson.

[KsSunflower]

The posted link has Largent up by 10,000 votes.

[Burdened White Man]

that's because it's not showing all precincts reported.

[PhiKapMom]

From what I heard tonight from the Cole Campaign Watch Party -- we won the 4th District of J.C. Watts after they (Keating) redistricted four heavily DemocRAT counties into the 4th -- Keating encouraged putting cockfighting on the ballot during this election. Very DUMB move!

[jbstrick]

Here are my thoughts.

Largent did not make an effort tp dispell the myths of a state lottery. Most people are voting for the other canidates because they support a lottery. They think it is a magis bullet to solve the education system's fiscal irresponsibility.

I did not hear a valid arguement from the Largent campaign for his stance against the issue. (I am against it and have converted many of my neighbors with some simple points)

I hear he won handily in OKC and Tulsa. Did he make any trips outside of the metro areas? I don't remember.

It appears to me that the loss is completely self inflicted.

John
Ponca City, OK

[2Jedismom]

I think the people that voted for Henry and Richardson were voting for the lottery...I suspect Richardson stole votes from Henry. I hate to say it, but had Richardson not been on the ballot, it would have been a blowout for Henry.

It's 3:35am here...what's the latest news?

[kjam22]

I agree with you. Largent did not run a good campaign. He ran on "I'm steve largent.... I played football.... and I'm a republican"

[HetLoo]

So, the folks in the eastern counties turned out to vote for cock-fighting and Brad Henry?

Yup. Largent had his head up his you-know-where bigtime on this one.

Cockfighting was a freedom issue and Largent failed the test.

[jbstrick]

"Cockfighting is a freedom issue.."

What the....??? And why do you say that? I have a problem with this conception? Why is it OK to fight Chickens and not dogs or any other animal?

[HetLoo]

Who said it's wrong to fight dogs? Are you talking morally or legally? 'Cause I don't remember ever voting to ban fighting of any kind of animal or human.

Of course now that the ban has passed, it doesn't matter if you think its right or wrong. Your ability to make a moral decision has been ripped right out from under you.