Participation in primary elections is much less than in the general election. So, if you do vote, it carries more weight in these elections. Usually, only about 25% - 35% of eligible voters will participate in these elections. So, those who actually show up and vote will have a disproportionate share of influence in selecting their party's candidates for office.
I have the good fortune to know a few individuals up for election this Tuesday. Here are my thoughts on their races:
- Kyle Loveless - Kyle is a long-time friend of mine. We worked on the staff of former Congressman Ernest Istook together many years ago. Kyle actually doesn't have a primary or general election. He has developed such a strong reputation in his district that not a single individual (Republican or Democrat) chose to challenge him for election. This is a first for an open State Senate seat in Oklahoma. Even though he doesn't have an election, Kyle can still use your support. He is having a fundraiser (hosted by Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb) in July, and I hope you will support Kyle.
- Brian Maughan - Brian is another long-time friend. We have actually campaigned against each other and for each other. Brian has worked tirelessly over many years to create a better community for those who live in S. OKC. He was elected to the Board of County Commissioners for OK County four years ago and has done an excellent job. Brian is especially proud of his S.H.I.N.E. program which has helped create a more attractive community while also lessening the burden on our county jail. He has also done a great job of maintaining or repairing the roads and bridges in his district. While I want to keep this mostly positive about Brian, I do want to say that I am very disappointed that his opponent is either quite misinformed about the issues, or he has chosen to mislead the public about Brian's record. If you live in District 2 of Oklahoma County, I encourage you to re-elect Brian Maughan.
- Clark Jolley/Paul Blair - I have met both of these individuals, but must admit I am more familiar, and have more mutual friends with Clark Jolley. The question here is do voters in this Edmond Senate District believe Jolley has effectively represented them? It is unfortunate that both sides have apparently devolved into distorting reality about the other candidate to some extent. As far as I can tell, both are good men doing what they believe is best for their community and state. So it is doubly disappointing that both candidates have resorted to negative campaigning on issues of little significance. I hope voters will make an informed choice and ignore the name-calling.
- Charles Key/Tim Rhodes - There are actually two other candidates in this race, but I have heard from neither of them, and believe it will come down to the two I have mentioned. This is for Oklahoma County Court Clerk - a position that probably should be appointed rather than elected. Having said that, this race is between an insider - Tim Rhodes - who has the support of most of the other County elected officials, and an outsider - Charles Key - who is a retiring State Representative. It's becoming apparent that state legislators are cluing in that if they can't move up (getting elected to statewide office) then the county isn't a bad alternative. In some cases, county officials make more than statewide elected officials, and they have less headaches. Rhodes has been in the Court Clerk's office for many years and no doubt understands how it operates. When I worked in OK County, Tim was always professional, courteous, and knowledgeable. I can't say the same about Charles Key - at least when it comes to this position. He seems to lack a basic understanding of the operations of county government, and he seems to focus on issues not directly related to the office. While I don't expect Tim to act in an independent manner (from the majority of other county officials), and I certainly don't expect him to "shake things up," this seems to be what the public actually prefers in their county officers. I'll probably be voting for Tim, too.
