Henry with huge lead; some down-ballot races close
OU poli-sci professor Keith Gaddie has done a statewide poll for TVPoll.com and Oklahoma City's News 9. The sample size was 921, which gives a margin of error of +/-3.23%.
You've probably already heard a summary of the results, but you can also download the details of the poll, including extensive crosstabs, which break the results down by sex, congressional district, political party registration, ideology, and support for President Bush (who has, by the way, a 57% approval rating in Oklahoma). There's also a thorough disclosure of the methodology used.
Some notes:
- Brad Henry has a 65% approval rating, Istook has a 50% favorability rating statewide. Henry leads Istook, 59.5 to 33.2, with a tiny 7.3% undecided.
- Attorney General Drew Edmondson is the only other candidate with more than 50% in this poll.
- There's a strong partisan split on all the races except for governor, attorney general, and corporation commission -- Henry and Edmondson have the support of 28% and 25% of Republicans respectively, while Bob Anthony has the support of 25% of the Democrats.
- 43% of the sample identified as very or somewhat conservative -- almost evenly divided between the two choices, 22% as very or somewhat liberal, 33% as moderate.
- 61% said they attend church at least once a week.
- In the strongly Republican 1st Congressional District, Henry leads Istook 55-36, Askins leads Hiett 49-41, and Edmondson leads Dunn 54-33. Treasurer Scott Meacham and his challenger Howard Barnett are in a dead heat in CD 1.
- Even among very conservative voters, Henry has a 48% approval rating.
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The Tulsa World also predicted a huge lead of the Kathy Taylor/Bill LaFortune race, and only
because she outspent Bill LaFortune is why she
won by just a few points.
I think if you look at the gambling problems in Oklahoma and how many counselors we now have on hand since Henry took office, he didn't do much with the State Sen. Stratton Taylor trial lawyer situation (Henry straddled the fence on that) (he straddled the fence on cockfighting -- animal cruelty). Oklahoma kids still don't have exceptional educational tests scores statewide -- there is a lot to improve on with teachers -- they all definitely don't deserve pay raises. Some just go through the motions -- don't really put any real effort in creative teaching techniques to make sure students are completely understanding the lessons.
About the kids - it wasn't so long ago was it, while under Brad Henry's watch, that the DHS was exposed as an utter and tragic failure in protecting the kids? The State governmental systems and boards that monitor hospitals, doctors, etc. are another gross miscarriage of taxes.
In other words - big government - big failures.
As for education? You are right. OK kids fall behind on test scores. How much longer are Oklahomans going to continue to keep Dem's in power with this failing educational record.
That being said, I must express my deep concern over the current state of attitude in today's youth - young youth - too young to be rude and downright rebelious.....
I am not sure that the problem with the bad grades of our educational system is solely the fault of the teachers, at least in the younger ages.
These younger one's too often have no ability/desire to focus on a task and complete it to fruition. You can make excuses and call it ADD, or whatever, I call it lack of proper parenting. Plain and simple. I am sick of the establishment making excuses for ill mannered syndromes.
Too many children have not been taught to listen, mind their manners, been properly disciplined for wrong doing, etc. Perhaps it's due to the busy lifestyles of today's families, dual income working parents, latch key kids, daycare centers that don't care, kids atttending kindergarten for two full years because the parents need a babysitter (sad) etc.
It is amazing to hear a four year old child say to their new teacher - "I don't want to." "I don't have to." "You're an idiot." Or just downright lie to the teacher's face. Frightening to say the least. What will they be when the grow up? A politician?
Having spent many hours in rooms full of five years olds - they all had one thing in common. They were out of control, ill mannered, brats. The well behaved child was the minority. Out of 26 - 30 students maybe 3 - 4 could be classified as well behaved children who respected authority.
I can say without a doubt that my children would have never talked back to another adult, especially their teachers.
Back to Brad....I have no respect for how his government offices handled our particular issue we needed help with some years ago.
Incompetent is an understatement. Bad manners was the norm.