A poll of 500 likely Republican voters taken by SoonerPoll.com, commissioned by KOTV and the Tulsa World, shows Tulsa Mayor Bill LaFortune has the support of less than 40% of likely voters in his own party. There were as many undecided as supporters of LaFortune, and 37.1% of likely voters in his own party don't approve of his performance.
These are startlingly bad numbers for an incumbent Republican, and they point to either a primary defeat for LaFortune or a loss in the general election. GOP voters are notoriously loyal to their elected officials, and having less than 60% support in your own party would be a danger sign; less than 40% is a catastrophe. I can't think of a Republican incumbent at any level who survived to reelection with less than 40% party support four months before an election. Even George H. W. Bush's numbers were better than this.
Here's the KOTV story on the poll. KOTV and the Whirled have conflicting reports of Chris Medlock's approve/disapprove numbers -- the Whirled has it at 38.6% approve, 34.5% disapprove; KOTV reverses the numbers. Either way, Medlock has a tall hill to climb. It's interesting that he has about the same approval numbers as Bill Christiansen and Randi Miller, and much higher disapproval numbers, but has two to three times the support for Mayor. That suggests that Medlock's support base is pretty solid.
More analysis later.
Comments (3)
The new slogan for LaFortune should be
LET'S MAKE A DEAL!......continued.......
THAT IS .......
LET'S MAKE A DEAL....HEY MAYBE YOU CAN Get some of that LaFortune foundation money to take liability for a defaulted loan to the now-defunct Great Plains Airlines.
"the taxpayers are going to pay one way or another" ...quotes Mayor LaFortune.....continued...
"the city of Tulsa can either enter into a settlement to resolve the situation or risk the financial repercussions of a bankrupt airport, a DESTROYED RELATIONSHIP WITH BOK which I assume he
called a leading corporate entity in the area.
Is anyone else uncomfortable with all those who were involved in the Great Plains Airlines decisions SHOULD NOT BE IN OFFICE ANYMORE????????
THE "WHITE KNIGHT CANDIDATE" was quoted as hoping a new candidate's name will pop up soon on the ballot brave enough to try running for Mayor of Tulsa.
WHITE KNIGHT ...ask those that listen to Batesline radio time to have a poll and ask if M.D.Bates should consider running for Mayor.
Posted by susan | October 17, 2005 12:26 AM
Posted on October 17, 2005 00:26
The Tulsa World newspaper also had to put a correction in the newspaper saying the photo they put of Medlock in the Sunday clip of the Oklahoma Poll New on 6 approval ratings was not City Council Chris Medlock. The real photo of Chris Medlock appears today.
Investigators including the City Council (yes that means councilor SUSAN NEAL and other councilors such as TOM BAKER and other fighting Chris Medlock on the Great Plains Airline financial issues) need to go back to the beginning FINANCIAL DEALS of who ALL the deal makers were with the Great Plains Airlines.
Taxpayers could be left with the $7.5 MILLION tab!
Posted by susan | October 17, 2005 8:45 AM
Posted on October 17, 2005 08:45
I voted for 2025 and I still hold out hope for the arena and convention center projects however the continued lack of honesty by our elected officials and the Tulsa World is beginning to make me question Tulsa as a whole. I lived in OKC during the MAPS vote and it had its moments of doubt but Mayor Norick and Humphries never lied or covered the truth. OKC is so far ahead of Tulsa it seems unfair to compare at this time.
Hey Tulsa what happened?
Posted by Robert | October 21, 2005 10:27 PM
Posted on October 21, 2005 22:27