There is little drama in Oklahoma with no statewide races on the ballot. Perhaps one of the reddest of red states, it is certain that the eventual GOP nominee will take Oklahoma’s seven electoral votes. Instead, the interest will be on the Congressional races, especially the 2nd District.

In the 1st, Republican John Sullivan, who has held the district since 2002, faces his biggest challenge from a Republican in a primary. Some of the suburbs of Tulsa were moved into the 2nd District.

In teh 2nd District, Oklahoma’s lone Democratic Representative, Dan Boren, is retiring, leaving this an open race. In redistricting, it received the more conservative suburbs of Tulsa as well as more Democratic-leaning territory from Marshall County. There is no shortage of Democrats lining up to succeed Boren and keep this district in Democratic hands. Former representative Brad Carson has decided against a run which is a boost to Republican chances. There are two declared Democratic candidates and Wayne Herriman has the early inside track. However, all that could change should state senator Jim Wilson enter the race. For the Republican nomination in the district, there are six declared candidates. Most experts expect this race to come down to state representative George Faught against political novice Markwayne Mullin. Expect a Faught-Herriman general election battle. I think because of a down ballot effect, Faught will win this race.

The 3rd District expande to include parts of Canadian and Creek counties and is safely Republican while the 4th got smaller in size due to population growth and is also safely Republican. James Lankford will win re-election in the 5th and keep it also in Republican hands.

All four members of the Kansas congressional delegation are Republican. Likewise, all are popular within their districts, all are running for re-election and all four saw no major changes to their districts. Hence, all four will be sent back to Washington after the General Election in November, 2012.

OK- it was a quick entry and an obvious one. However, I have to hit all the states to give them their due.

Running totals thus far:
Obama with 83 electoral votes to 87 for eventual GOP nominee;
Net gain of 2 Governors;
Net gain of 1 Senate seat, and;
Net loss of 5 House seats.

Next: Colorado

In its never-ending quest to stop the peril this country faces from natural gas, the New York Times takes on Rep. Dan Boren, the sole Democrat in Oklahoma’s congressional delegation. He co-chairs the House Natural Gas Caucus and serves as a member of the House Natural Resources Committee. As a representative of the #3 gas-producing state, it’s not surprising that his voting record is decidedly pro-industry, and specifically, pro-fracking. (Boren, one of the more conservative Democrats in the House, has announced that he will not be seeking reelection in 2012.)

Of course, the Times tries to portray the Congressman’s voting record as corrupt, since he has income from a (silent) interest in a family enterprise (on the order of $100K/year). Added to that, his father, former U.S. Sen. David Boren (D-OK) receives compensation for his service on the board of a successful oil company. (David Boren, as the Times chooses not to report, is president of the University of Oklahoma since 1994, and a member of several corporate boards.)

The congressman’s income has jumped in the last six years, thanks to two family businesses he partly owns that have signed more than 300 mineral leases, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Many of those deals are with Chesapeake Energy, a top donor to his campaigns. …

House ethics rules do not prohibit lawmakers from taking steps to aid industries in which they have a financial stake. But some ethics experts say such actions are still inadvisable. [Emphasis added.]

“Some experts say…” It wouldn’t be a Times article without that chestnut.

“Even if it is legal, if every member of Congress pushed for industries that they have financial ties to, there would be an outcry from the public,” said Robert M. Stern, a California lawyer who has helped draft state ethics and campaign finance laws.

You gotta be kidding me, chief.

Read More →

In its never-ending quest to stop the peril this country faces from natural gas, the New York Times takes on Rep. Dan Boren, the sole Democrat in Oklahoma’s congressional delegation. He co-chairs the House Natural Gas Caucus and serves as a member of the House Natural Resources Committee. As a representative of the #3 gas-producing state, it’s not surprising that his voting record is decidedly pro-industry, and specifically, pro-fracking. (Boren, one of the more conservative Democrats in the House, has announced that he will not be seeking reelection in 2012.)

Of course, the Times tries to portray the Congressman’s voting record as corrupt, since he has income from a (silent) interest in a family enterprise (on the order of $100K/year). Added to that, his father, former U.S. Sen. David Boren (D-OK) receives compensation for his service on the board of a successful oil company. (David Boren, as the Times chooses not to report, is president of the University of Oklahoma since 1994, and a member of several corporate boards.)

The congressman’s income has jumped in the last six years, thanks to two family businesses he partly owns that have signed more than 300 mineral leases, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Many of those deals are with Chesapeake Energy, a top donor to his campaigns. …

House ethics rules do not prohibit lawmakers from taking steps to aid industries in which they have a financial stake. But some ethics experts say such actions are still inadvisable. [Emphasis added.]

“Some experts say…” It wouldn’t be a Times article without that chestnut.

“Even if it is legal, if every member of Congress pushed for industries that they have financial ties to, there would be an outcry from the public,” said Robert M. Stern, a California lawyer who has helped draft state ethics and campaign finance laws.

You gotta be kidding me, chief.

Read More →