With the end of session, several legislators have set their sights on higher offices. Here’s a quick look at the announced candidates for various state offices that will be on the ballot in 2010 as well as the race for the next Republican leaders in the House and Senate.
Senator Randy Brogdon of Owasso is the only legislator to enter the Governors race so far. Brogdon, who is widely considered to be the most conservative member of the Senate, has a solid voting record, including authoring this year’s resolution declaring the state’s sovereign immunity under the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. But Brogdon’s ultra-conservatism also has put him at odds with the business community making it difficult for him to raise the campaign warchest necessary to be a competitve candidate against Mary Fallin.
On the Democratic side, former House member and current Lt. Governor Jari Askins has already begun her campaign for Governor, and current Attorney General Drew Edmondson (who has already raised nearly $500,000 and has not even announced his intentions yet) is rumored to be running.
Several legislators are eyeing the Lieutenant Governor’s seat, left open because of Jari Askins’s decision to run for Governor. On the Democratic side are term-limited State Senator Kenneth Corn from LeFlore County (already announced he’s in) and State Representative John Carey from Durant. Carey has indicated he’s going to run, but will make a formal announcement very soon.
On the Republican side, the field is already more crowded. This past week term limited State Representative John Wright of Broken Arrow announced he’s a candidate. Both State Senator Todd Lamb of Edmond and State Representative Colby Schwartz of Yukon are probably going to run and both have said they will make formal announcements this summer. Given how close he came to winning in 2006, former House Speaker Todd Hiett of Kellyville, must not be counted out. Other than helping the Oklahoma Republican Party and the Mary Fallin for Governor campaign raise money, Hiett has kept a pretty low profile, but should he enter the race, he would instantly become a front runner for the GOP nomination.
All other statewide offices (except one of the three Corporation Commissioners) will be on the ballot next year. Among the Republican names being discussed for those seats are: Speaker Chris Benge, former Chickasha State Representative Susan Winchester, and former State Senator Owen Laughlin of Woodward for State Treasurer; former House staff attorney Jason Reese (he has already kicked off his campaign) and Mark Wayne Mullin, owner of Mullin Plumbing, (who has already begun raising money) in the race for Labor Commissioner, and Dr. Janet Baressi, former Co-Chair of the Achieving Classroom Excellence (ACE) Task Force that was created in 2007, for State Superintendent.
The Attorney General’srace seems to be drawing a lot of early interest on both sides. On the Republican side are Sheldon Sperling, the current (though outgoing) U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District. Sperling is the man who took down Gene Stipe and prosecuted him; Senate Pro-Tempore Glenn Coffee, State Senator Jonathan Nichols of Norman, Oklahoma City attorney Ryan Leonard (who has already kicked off his campaign) and former Broken Arrow State Senator Scott Pruitt.
Democratic State Senator Tom Adelson of Tulsa is considering a run for Attorney General should Edmondson not seek reelection. And there’s speculation that Treasurer Scott Meacham, who is a close friend of Governor Henry and has done a good job of appearing to be a “pro-business Democrat” is looking at this race. Okiepundit.com has learned that Meacham’s political team has been doing work for Edmondson’s campaign, a good indication that he will run for Edmondson’s vacated position.
In the race for the 5th Congressional District, State Representative Mike Thompson of Oklahoma City and former State Representative Kevin Calvey have both already kicked off their campaigns. Other Republicans rumored to be looking at that race are State Senator Clark Jolley of Edmond, Corporation Commissioner Jeff Cloud, and Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, who lost to Mary Fallin in the 2006 Primary run-off.
There are also two big races inside the Capitol – the race to be the next Senate President Pro-Tempore and Speaker of the House. Both men who hold those positions right now, Glenn Coffee and Chris Benge, are term limited in 2010.
The Speaker’s race, much to the chagrin of some in the Republican caucus, has already begun with members Kris Steele and Ken Miller both seeking to be the next Speaker. House caucus rules say that the election cannot be held until sometime between September and December this year – an attempt to keep the internal politicking from interrupting the unity of the caucus – but Rep. Kris Steele and his supporters were passing around pledge cards during this session. Rep. Ken Miller has taken a different approach, focusing on his duties as Chariman of the Appropriations and Budget Committee during this session and waiting until the interim to begin gathering his support. Both Steele and Miller are leaders within the caucus and that race will probably be as close as previous races for Speaker have been in the recent past.
Over in the Senate, no real race has begun yet as perhaps Republican Senators are waiting to see who in their caucus ends up running for state wide and Congressional positions. Should Todd Lamb opt not to run for Lt. Governor, he may be considered a strong choice to replace Coffee as President Pro-Tempore. Lamb currently has the number 2 postion in the Senate – Floor Leader. Other potential candidates are Senator Brian Bingman of Sapulpa and Senator Clark Jolley of Edmond.
There is still a lot of time left before November 2010 and there will surely be many additions and maybe some subtractions to the list of candidates above.
