Getting a free ride
The following statewide and Tulsa-area Democratic candidates are currently without a challenger. The filing deadline is 5 p.m. today.
- Sandy Garrett, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
- Mary Easley, State Senate District 18
- Lucky Lamons, State House District 66
- Darrell Gilbert, State House District 72
- Jabar Shumate, State House District 73
Additionally, Doris Fransein, the District Judge who bizarrely reversed herself on the Tulsa City Council District 5 voting irregularities case, has yet to draw an opponent for her re-election. Unlike appeals court and supreme court judges, who face a yes-or-no retention ballot, district judges face contested elections, so in order to get rid of a district judge, someone has to run against her or him.
Also yet to draw an opponent: Ron Peters, from State House District 70, one of a handful of renegade Republicans who supported the lottery and the expansion of casino gambling, and the sponsor of a number of developer-backed bills intruding on local control of zoning and land use regulation. He hasn't had a challenger since 2000.
Greg Peters, son of Ron, is running for the open District 74 house seat, which covers Owasso and Catoosa, but Greg Peters has drawn a primary opponent, David Derby, and there are three Democrats and an independent in the race.
To my surprise, only one candidate, Weldon Watson, has entered the State House District 79 race, an open seat now held by Chris Hastings, who is leaving because of term limits. That's a very Republican district, so I'm surprised more candidates haven't seized that opportunity. (UPDATE: Deborah Davis, also a Republican, has now filed for that seat.)
Caroline Wall, one of the candidates for Tulsa County Associate District Judge lists, 500 S. Denver Rm 633, as her place of residence. I guess she loves her job -- that is a room in the Tulsa County Courthouse. Seems to me another candidate could contest that declaration of candidacy.
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Are there any Republicans running unopposed?
99% of winning is just showin' up.
Judge Wall might be making a good call using the Courthouse address. For a time, I used 102 N Denver as my campaign HQ address. Mostly for the symbolism, but I didn't really want to receive letters from peeps like da Ted Kaczynski. Personal safety and all dat crap. I wonder if they actually have some of my campaign mail. Better go check.
DAMMIT. DAMMIT. DAMMIT. I should have popped 200 clams myself to run against Christensen for Commish. Too short-sighted. CRAPOLA.
My bad. Spoke too soon. Cliff is in for D3. Yay.
sandy garrett - i'd like to see a change to someone more open to consolidation of districts
none of the house races are my district but i hate unopposed in principle. it implies apathy. i'm dissapointed.
to all readers - what's your evaluation of what's your evaluation of the republican party's recruitment of candidates statewide?
tongue in cheek - cuold they not cinvince bill lafortune to run for the state house?