Some interesting details from last night’s primary:
- Rep. Mary Fallin won her gubernatorial primary and is well on track to flip the governorship from Democrat to Republican this fall. The voters apparently decided to forgive her for TARP; it doesn’t look like they’re quite ready to forgive Lt. Governor Jari Askins for being a Democrat. It’s that kind of year.
- Rep. Dan Boren (D-no-seriously, OK-02) likewise demonstrated that voting against the health care bill is not precisely a deal-killer; he easily crushed his primary opponent, darn it.
- In OK-05, it’s Club For Growth (Kevin Calvey) vs. the Tea Parties (James Lankford)… and whoever wins gets the seat, essentially.
- Tom Coburn had a primary. It went about as you’d expect; I really do wish that there was some way to convince the DSCC to potlatch some money on Coburn’s Democratic opponent, but that would require actual mind control rays to accomplish.
The most important lesson there seems to be coming from the gubernatorial race, which is easily the most competitive of the ones mentioned. Essentially, this isn’t a Democratic year, despite the hopes of the Democrats that this would be just an anti-incumbent one; when you’re an incumbent Lt. Governor and 40% is your ceiling, you are officially in trouble. Democrats are, of course, more than welcome to ask themselves “What’s the matter with Oklahoma?”, particularly if it means that they don’t worry about the problem generally…
Moe Lane
Crossposted to Moe Lane.