Tulsa Election 2018: June 2018 Archives

I'll be on with Pat Campbell on 1170 KFAQ at 7 a.m. Wednesday morning to discuss tonight's results.

We are headed for runoffs galore.

As I write this a bit after 11 p.m., Kevin Stitt is leading Todd Lamb for the second spot in the runoff by about 2400 votes. There are 11 precincts yet to report statewide in Tulsa, Cleveland, Canadian, Rogers, and Wagoner counties, where Kevin Stitt leads Todd Lamb among precincts already reporting by about 15,000 votes, so it appears that we will have a Cornett-Stitt runoff. Despite his name recognition and his home field advantage, Cornett failed to break 50% in Oklahoma county. Winner in August will face Ayatollah Drew Edmondson, who will spend the summer watching the Republicans do his opposition research for him.

The result sets up an OKC vs. Tulsa runoff in several races: In the Lt. Governor's race, Dana Murphy's strong showing in metro OKC outweighed Matt Pinnell's dominance in metro Tulsa, for a result of 46% to 36%. In the AG race, Mike Hunter came close to 50% in Oklahoma County; Gentner Drummond beat Hunter in Tulsa County 44%-40%. In the Corporation Commission's race, Bob Anthony won the two largest counties, but by a narrower margin in Tulsa County.

The results in the Republican Governor's and 1st Congressional District primaries demonstrate once again the hazards of top-two runoffs and the need for instant runoff voting (effectively, multiple layers of runoffs) to ensure that the will of the majority is accomplished. In the Governor's primary, about 22% of the vote went to the seven bottom candidates; five of those candidates had more votes than the margin between Lamb and Stitt. In CD 1, had either Andy Coleman or Nathan Dahm dropped out, the other candidate likely would have beaten Kevin Hern into a runoff with Tim Harris. Even last-place Danny Stockstill's votes could have re-arranged the order of finish.

In the absence of instant runoff voting, voting tactically is the wise thing to do, but it is impossible to cast a successful tactical vote without good polling information. You have to know which of your preferred candidates has the best shot at making the runoff. After the polls closed, and only then, I learned that there was polling showing that Coleman had the best chance of beating Hern in a runoff. Tim Harris's first-place finish was a complete surprise, as there seemed to be very little energy behind his campaign, despite the name recognition from his years as DA. I am surprised that neither the Coleman campaign or groups supporting him tried to make a tactical-voting pitch to Dahm supporters.

Likewise, I'm surprised that Todd Lamb's campaign failed to reach out to supporters of Fisher, Jones, and Richardson in the last week. Lamb would have been second choice for many of these voters.

As I write this, State Auditor candidate Cindy Byrd is 2,277 votes shy of an outright primary win.

Platform Caucus members, who voted against the tax increases, had a tough night. Voters in the highly-taxed and expensive Bixby and Jenks school districts voted for candidates promising even higher taxes to fund their plush schools. Looks like the Bixby Education Association's strategic list was successful in turning out the people they wanted to vote, as were the dark-money ads claiming that conservative incumbents were really liberals. Incumbents Scott McEachin and Chuck Strohm lost their primaries by wide margins. Mike Ritze made it to a runoff, but finished second to a challenger. They stood for the taxpayers, but we failed to stand by them. "Grassroots conservatives" is a meaningless phrase unless grassroots "activists" show up to knock doors and help their elected officials rebut slanderous, well-funded accusations from special interest groups.

Shelley Brumbaugh, who narrowly lost the special election primary to succeed her late husband, lost her second try against tax-hiker Ross Ford by a wide margin.

Other pro-taxpayer legislators did better. Mark Dean Allen and Tom Gann won their primaries by a wide margin. Jeff Coody, Travis Dunlap, Sean Roberts, and Tess Teague finished first in their primaries, but barely, and each faces a runoff. George Faught and Bobby Cleveland will also have runoffs, but they have a 16- or 17-point lead on their next nearest opponents.

I was happy to see Dan Hicks make it to his runoff for the open House 79 seat, but he finished second by 169 votes to tax-hiker Karen Gilbert.

I was also pleasantly surprised to see State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister fail to win renomination outright. Linda Murphy has a long road to victory, but it's possible.

Big shock of the night: Osage/Pawnee DA Rex Duncan's 65%-35% defeat to challenger Mike Fisher.

Tulsa County DA Steve Kunzweiler will have to deal with a runoff, but he beat Ben Fu and Tammy Westcott by 13 points. Westcott missed the runoff by only 613 votes, despite Fu's FOP backing.

Each of the judicial races will have a runoff at the general election in November, and all but one of my picks survived:

District 14 Office 1: Caroline Wall vs. Tom Sawyer. Even though Wall topped 50%, the top two in the Tulsa County-only primary go to a runoff in November for both Tulsa County and Pawnee County voters.

District 14 Office 3: Incumbent Jim Caputo made the runoff but finished second to Tracy Priddy, who has a great deal of support from leftist-friendly donors. I expect that Jim Williamson's voters will support Caputo in November's runoff.

District 14, Office 12: Special Judge Martha Rupp Carter and former City Councilor Rick Westcott will be in the November runoff.

Tulsa County Associate District Judge: Special Judge Cliff Smith and former State Sen. Brian Crain won the top two slots in a close three-way race with Adam Weintraub.

Upset of the night goes to Joe Howell's 60-40 win over State Sen. Ervin Yen.

Polls are open today until 7 p.m. The Oklahoma State Election Board's online voter tool will let you know where to vote and will show you a sample of the ballot you'll see. After 7, tune into 1170 KFAQ to listen to election night commentary from Pat Campbell, Dr. Everett Piper, Ronda Vuillemont-Smith, and myself.

Here are the candidates I'm recommending and (if in the district) voting for in the Oklahoma primary elections on June 26, 2018. Click the hyperlink on the office to see detailed information on that race and its candidates. (This entry will change as I decide to add more detail, link previous articles, or discuss additional races between now and election day. The entry is post-dated to keep it at the top.)

As I post this, I'm still unsure about several races, and there are other races I had planned to write about in detail, but time is short, people are voting, and many have asked for a summary of my recommendations. My most enthusiastic choices are in bold; in other races (e.g. 1st Congressional District), there may be one or two other candidates that would be acceptable, or I simply don't know the endorsed candidate as well as I would like. There are certain incumbents that I'd like to see defeated, but I don't feel comfortable endorsing an opponent at this point. I'll try to fill in TBDs and NOTs before Tuesday.

1st Congressional District: Nathan Dahm
2nd Congressional District: Jarrin Jackson

Governor: Dan Fisher
Lt. Governor: Matt Pinnell
Auditor and Inspector: Cindy Byrd
Attorney General: Mike Hunter
Superintendent of Public Instruction: Linda Murphy
Labor Commissioner: Cathy Costello
Insurance Commissioner: Donald Chasteen
Corporation Commissioner: Bob Anthony

District Attorney, District 14: Steve Kunzweiler

State Senate 4: Mark Dean Allen
State Senate 18: Eric Tomlinson
State Senate 20: Aiya Kelley
State Senate 22: Leslie Nessmith
State Senate 36: Dana Prieto
State Senate 40: NOT Erwin Yen

State House 5: NOT Josh West
State House 8: Tom Gann
State House 10: Travis Dunlap
State House 12: NOT Kevin McDugle
State House 14: George Faught
State House 20: Bobby Cleveland
State House 36: Sean Roberts
State House 61: Colton Buckley
State House 63: Jeff Coody
State House 66: Emily DeLozier
State House 67: Scott McEachin
State House 68: Nicole Nixon
State House 69: Chuck Strohm
State House 71: Mark Kosinski
State House 74: Bradley Peixotto
State House 76: Shelley Brumbaugh
State House 79: Dan Hicks
State House 80: Mike Ritze
State House 83: Jason Reese
State House 98: Wesley Pratt
State House 101: Tess Teague

Tulsa County Assessor: John Wright

County Commissioner District 1: Tracey J. Wilson
County Commissioner District 3: Donny Tiemann

Tracey Wilson is running against Stan Sallee in District 1 for an open seat. In District 3, Donny Tiemann and Richie Stewart are running against incumbent Ron Peters. We need reform and transparency at the County Courthouse. Peters and Sallee are backed by the usual chambercrats and special interests. In District 3 Donny Tiemann, a solid social and fiscal conservative and a backer of Ted Cruz's presidential campaign, has been working hard to defeat the incumbent, and he would be a great ally of Tulsa County taxpayers, someone who won't be led astray. Other conservative friends are supporting Bixby City Councilor Richie Stewart, saying that he's shown himself to be a fiscal conservative and a defender of the interests of ordinary taxpayers against special interests.

In District 1 (north and east Tulsa County) Tracey Wilson's focus on basic county services would be a welcome change from the expensive pursuits of his predecessors, and it's time that rural north Tulsa County had representation at the courthouse.

District 14 District Judge, Office 1: Tom Sawyer
District 14 District Judge, Office 3: Jim Williamson
District 14 District Judge, Office 12: Rick Westcott
Tulsa County Associate Judge: Brian Crain

When in doubt, I look at campaign contributions, which often tell a story about a candidate's ideological leanings or close ties with local power brokers. That has led me to support the least-funded candidates in two races, more by process of elimination than as a positive endorsement: Tom Sawyer for Office 1 and Brian Crain for Associate District Judge. I wasn't a fan of Crain's service as State Senator, but I know that he is pro-life, and I'm worried by some of the names I see on his opponents' donor lists. Tom Sawyer says that he supports Crisis Pregnancy Outreach, which is a hopeful indication of his world view.

For Office 3, I supported Jim Williamson's runs for State Senate and Governor, and I supported Jim Caputo in his earlier runs for a judgeship. I consider them both good men, and I wish that Williamson had run against a different incumbent. I'm leaning toward Williamson because I have a clearer sense of his political philosophy and world view.

SQ 788: Just say no to a badly written bill that permits recreational use and protects it as if it were medicinal.

MORE INFORMATION:

Tulsa Bible Church pastor Phil Martin has put together a comprehensive collection of links to candidate websites.

OTHER CONSERVATIVE VOICES:

Here are some blogs, endorsement lists, candidate questionnaires, and sources of information for your consideration.

• 1170 KFAQ Pat Campbell candidate interviews
• Muskogee Politico news, questionnaires, and analysis -- and here are Jamison Faught's endorsements
• Oklahoma Republican Assembly / Tulsa Area Republican Assembly endorsements
• Oklahoma Conservative PAC endorsements
• Oklahomans for Life candidate surveys
• Tulsa 9/12 Project leader Ronda Vuillemont-Smith shares her selections
• Jenni White, one of the leaders of the defeat of Common Core, Mayor of Luther, and a writer for The Federalist, shares her picks
• NRA-PVF endorsements

There are three candidates for the Republican nomination for Oklahoma Attorney General. One of them, Mike Hunter, was appointed Attorney General to fill the unexpired term of Scott Pruitt following his appointment as EPA Administrator. I will be voting to elect him to a full term.

Hunter has had a long and varied career dealing with many aspects of Oklahoma's constitution and statutes. He served as a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, Secretary of State, secretary of the Commissioners of the Land Office, general counsel of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, and Gov. Frank Keating's liaison to the legislature and our congressional delegation. During Keating's tenures heading the American Banking Association and the American Council of Life Insurers, Hunter served as chief operating officer. Hunter has been endorsed by the NRA.

One of the most important roles the AG plays is to defend our state against federal overreach. When the legislature passes a law, we need an AG who will vigorously defend the decisions of our elected representatives in the event of a court challenge. In other states, the AG has effectively exercised a veto by refusing to defend a law enacted by the people or their representatives.

We also need an AG who will push back when federal agencies overreach their statutory bounds. One of the best legacies of Pruitt's tenure was the establishment of a "Federalism Unit" in the AG's office. While the change in control of the White House should reduce the need for state AGs to push back against Washington, the nature of the beast means it will never go away entirely.

While I disagreed with the basis of the Oklahoma State Election Board's ruling on Hunter's eligibility to run -- if years in residence is going to be a meaningful requirement, residence needs to mean where you lay your head at night -- I'm glad Hunter is still on the ballot.

His well-funded opponent, Gentner Drummond, is running as a Republican, but he was a major contributor to Democrat Brad Carson's 2004 run for U. S. Senate and Democrat Dan Boren's campaigns for U. S. House. However "moderate" those two candidates may have been, Drummond's support for their candidacies was support for Democrat majorities in Washington and for leftist Democrats like Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi to run the committees and set the legislative agenda.

Drummond's unwillingness to be interviewed by Tulsa conservative talk show host Pat Campbell suggests that the veneer of conservatism conjured up by his campaign consultants wouldn't stand up to even 20 minutes of careful questioning.

And what does Drummond's support for a 2018 candidate for district judge say about his ideological leanings? Drummond contributed $1,000 to Chris Brecht, a candidate for District 14 (Tulsa & Pawnee counties) Office 9, and the Drummonds are named as members of Brecht's campaign committee. (The race has only two candidates and will not be on the ballot until November. The linked report shows that DA candidate Ben Fu is a $200 donor to Brecht's campaign.)

Christopher Uric Brecht-Smith, as he calls himself on his Facebook profile, is "married" to another man, and he supports the use of government force to compel Christian adoption agencies to pretend that a "gay marriage" is equivalent in every respect to a natural marriage between a man and a woman, referring to SB1140, which protects the rights of adoption agencies to make decisions in the best interests of the child and in accordance with their values, as "hateful, discriminatory and blatantly unconstitutional on its face." I think it's fair to assume that, as a judge, Mr. Brecht would be hateful and discriminatory to people who uphold natural understandings of marriage and sexuality and would twist the federal and state constitutions and statutes to use government power to impose his twisted opinions on those issues on the people of Oklahoma.

Whether or not Drummond recruited Brecht to run, as he has been accused of doing, Drummond is enthusiastically backing Brecht's campaign, and it says something worrying about Drummond's own judgment. If Gentner Drummond thinks that Brecht would make a good judge, I don't think we can count on Drummond, as AG, to defend vigorously our state's religious liberty protections. When asked by the Enid News for his opinion of SB1140, Drummond used the possibility of future litigation (and any issue could potentially be the subject of litigation) as an excuse not to comment.

One other candidate in the race, Angela Bonilla, is running a low-budget campaign. Bonilla is opposed to capital punishment and SB1140's protections for adoption agencies, which are both show-stoppers for me. Oklahoma's use of the death penalty for murder is under threat from anti-capital-punishment activists who are employing a combination of commercial and legal pressure to accomplish an effective repeal. Attorney General Mike Hunter has already been working to defend Oklahoma's laws against these attacks.

Time is short, but here is a brief explanation of my choice in this race, a reiteration of what I said on KFAQ last week.

I thought at the time that Steve Kunzweiler made the right, but uncomfortable, decision in the Shelby case, and I still feel that way, given the factual questions about the actions of Terence Crutcher and the reactions of Officer Shelby. Many of my legal friends who have both prosecuted and defended criminal cases feel the same way. Kunzweiler defended his decision on KFAQ last year, on June 21, 2017.

Compare that to Ben Fu's decision to drop a client he was defending in a criminal case once his involvement, a matter of public record, came to public attention. This client was Darius Padillow, who, it is alleged, shot at police officers, admitted it, and said it was to "send a message." Notwithstanding the appalling nature of the allegations, every defendant deserves a competent, vigorous defense, and to this layman's mind, it seems weak-kneed and unjust to undertake to provide that defense, but then drop it like a hot potato when the public becomes aware. We need steadiness and resolution from our DA.

I am certain that Tammy Westcott has the intelligence and integrity to serve as DA, but as I listened to her interview with Pat Campbell, I simply found myself disagreeing with the platform she outlined, particularly her focus on reducing incarceration rates.

You can hear all three DA candidates in Monday's debate on the Pat Campbell Show.

Steve Kunzweiler has made some tough calls in his four years as DA, but he has made those calls with fairness and professionalism. I am glad to have endorsed him four years ago, and I am happy to endorse Steve Kunzweiler for re-election as District Attorney.

After sitting through the Tulsa 9/12 congressional candidate forum (my live-tweet thread is here), I came to the conclusion that I would be happy to have either Andy Coleman, former District Attorney Tim Harris, or State Senator Nathan Dahm representing us in Washington. All three appear to be men of principle and character and to have a proper understanding of the limits on the role of the federal government.

(Of the other two: Kevin Hern was a no-show. Danny Stockstill had a few impressive moments, but he seemed vague on the issues and ill-prepared.)

Of the three acceptable possibilities, I've decided to vote for Nathan Dahm. Sen. Dahm is the only candidate with legislative experience -- six years in the Oklahoma State Senate. He is respected by colleagues on both sides of the aisle for his careful study of the rules and process and of the legislation he is asked to vote on. In a high-pressure environment, especially during this past session, Dahm has stuck to his principles. He has also demonstrated a great deal of maturity and self-control in making the case in the media for the policies he has pursued.

Andy Coleman has a very impressive record including both his military service and his work on behalf of Voice of the Martyrs. He has won the support of many members of the House Freedom Caucus and thoughtful conservative voices like Oklahoma Wesleyan University president Everett Piper.

Tim Harris is well-respected for his service as District Attorney, particularly by those who have worked with him in the legal community.

You often see the words "proven" and "tested" in campaign material. Those words are true of Nathan Dahm. He has been tested during his time in the State Senate, and he has proven his mettle in the same sort of role and environment he would encounter in Washington. While Harris and Coleman have been tested in many ways in their careers, the temptations that Dahm has faced as a legislator are less direct but more insidious.

I've heard people say, "I like Nathan, but we need him at the State Capitol." Happily, even if he loses this race, he will remain a state senator, as his seat does not expire until 2020. While we are blessed to have Nathan Dahm in the State Senate, he could make an even greater difference in Washington, and his electoral success would encourage legislators to pursue principled conservatism as the best way to climb the electoral ladder.

Nathan Dahm is the sole candidate to receive an A+ and an endorsement from the NRA. Other candidates received an AQ for giving pro-Second Amendment answers to the questionnaire; Dahm received an A+ because he has had legislative success promoting and protecting our Second Amendment rights at the State Capitol.

RELATED:

Kevin Hern got a public rebuke from former Congressman Jim Bridenstine regarding the use of his name and image. Here's the statement from last week:

Kevin Hern has been using my name and image in his campaign ads for Oklahoma's First Congressional District. Voters should know that Kevin Hern initiated a run against me in 2016 and poll tested messages that included terrible lies about me. I learned of this when the pollster called my home. Now he uses my name and image in ads as if we are close. Kevin Hern's later support of me was opportunistic and based on self interest knowing I had limited my terms.

Given Hern's current relationship with the Republican Main Street Partnership, it's not surprising that he was working to defeat Bridenstine in 2016. Targeting tea partiers, fiscal and social conservatives is what RMSP does. They want malleable squishes who will make good crony capitalist. We're blessed to have three good choices in the congressional race. Kevin Hern is NOT one of those good choices.

Here's the podcast of the 1st Congressional District debate.

The Bixby Education Association (BEA), local branch of the National Education Association, the left-wing teachers' union, is using Bixby Public Schools facilities, specifically the Media Center at Bixby North Intermediate High School for phone banking to get out the vote for next Tuesday's primary elections.

A message announcing the GOTV effort was posted to the BEA's Facebook page on June 15, 2018, at 11:25 am. Here is the original text of the message:

In 2016 in Tulsa County, 23% of registered voters determined the outcome of the primary elections. Let's ALL use our voice and GET OUT THE VOTE for a better Oklahoma on 6/26. From phone banking, to local canvassing, to March on Memorial, there's a spot for everyone to help! We will be focusing our efforts on HD's 67, 69, and 80.

Sign-up links below each activity will have specific dates/times for you to view.

Phone Banking:
Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080f4aacab22a1fc1-phone
When: June 20th, 21st, 24th, 25th; Various Times
Where: North Intermediate Media Center
What: We will be calling a strategic list reminding voters to head to the polls first for early voting and then on 6/26. Script will be provided. There will be no need to discuss issues or candidates, just a simple reminder to VOTE!

Literature Drop/Door Hangers:
Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080f4aacab22a1fc1-literature
When: June 23rd; 9AM-12PM
Where: Bixby North Intermediate/Local Neighborhoods
What: We will be using a strategic list to canvass locally and hang "Remember to Vote!" literature on door knobs! Don't worry, it's not like door knocking, no conversing necessary, just grab a buddy (we will go in pairs)! We will meet at the Bixby North Intermediate parking lot at 9AM to organize and divide up lists. You and your buddy will proceed from there and we will meet back up for lunch at noon, location TBD.

March on Memorial VOTE Edition:
Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080f4aacab22a1fc1-march
When: June 26th; Various Times
Where: 121st & Memorial
What: We will gather back at our favorite spot to remind our community to VOTE! There are three available "shifts," remember to bring your signs!

Bixby North Intermediate PTO Bixby Northeast Elementary and Intermediate PTO Bixby Central Intermediate PTO Bixby North Elementary School PTO

The post was edited on June 18 at 5:30 pm to read as shown below. The earlier version can be viewed in Facebook by clicking the three dots at the upper right of the post and

In 2016 in Tulsa County, 23% of registered voters determined the outcome of the primary elections. Let's ALL use our voice and GET OUT THE VOTE for a better Oklahoma on 6/26. From phone banking, to local canvassing, to March on Memorial, there's a spot for everyone to help! We will be focusing our efforts on HD's 67, 69, and 80.

Sign-up links below each activity will have specific dates/times for you to view.

Phone Banking:
Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080f4aacab22a1fc1-phone
When: June 20th, 21st, 24th, 25th; Various Times
Where: North Intermediate Media Center
What: We will be making calls to remind voters to head to the polls first for early voting and then on 6/26. Script will be provided. There will be no need to discuss issues or candidates, just a simple reminder to VOTE!

Literature Drop/Door Hangers:
Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080f4aacab22a1fc1-literature
When: June 23rd; 9AM-12PM
Where: Bixby North Intermediate/Local Neighborhoods
What: We will be canvassing locally and hanging "Remember to Vote!" literature on door knobs! Don't worry, it's not like door knocking, no conversing necessary, just grab a buddy (we will go in pairs)! We will meet at the Bixby North Intermediate parking lot at 9AM to organize and divide up lists. You and your buddy will proceed from there and we will meet back up for lunch at noon, location TBD.

March on Memorial VOTE Edition:
Sign Up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080f4aacab22a1fc1-march
When: June 26th; Various Times
Where: 121st & Memorial
What: We will gather back at our favorite spot to remind our community to VOTE! There are three available "shifts," remember to bring your signs!

Bixby North Intermediate PTO Bixby Northeast Elementary and Intermediate PTO Bixby Central Intermediate PTO Bixby North Elementary School PTO

I've sent a message through the BEA Facebook page asking some questions:

I'm writing an article about your phone banking effort and have several questions:

1. What is the source of your calling list?

2. An earlier version of your post described your list as "strategic." Which voters have been selected to receive a reminder to vote? What is the purpose of the strategy behind the list?

3. Would you provide a copy of your calling script?

4. Would you provide a copy of your calling list (names and addresses would be sufficient -- phone numbers could be redacted) for the purpose of comparison to the full list of voters?

Thank you for your assistance in obtaining the information needed to produce a comprehensive and fair story on your phone banking effort at public school facilities.

I will post any answers I receive as soon as I get them.

ANALYSIS:

Is this legal? Is it ethical? It would depend on the answers to the questions above.

The now-deleted phrase "strategic list" suggests more than a neutral call to all voters to remind everyone to vote. Reading between the lines, the word "strategic" suggests that the aim is to target specific voters who have been identified as supporters of BEA's preferred candidates. Simply by reminding these selected voters to go to the polls, the phone bank can assist their preferred candidates without expressly stating an endorsement.

The Republican incumbents in House Districts 67, 69, and 80, Scott McEachin, Chuck Strohm, and Mike Ritze, respectively all voted for the teachers' pay raise, but all three voted against the union's demand for tax increases to fund it, and all three oppose the Left's assaults on Oklahoma's constitutional protections against tax increases without a vote of the people. All three have been targeted for defeat by the teachers' unions and other groups that want Oklahomans to pay higher taxes.

While state law encourages the use of public school facilities by outside groups, including political organizations, allowing those facilities to be used to advance a particular set of candidates would violate the political neutrality we expect from taxpayer funded institutions.

Screenshots showing the original and final versions of the post, after the jump. Click any screenshot to expand to full size.

The Platform Caucus was right. The Platform Caucus, that small group of Oklahoma state representatives and state senators who support the conservative, grassroots-crafted, limited-government platform of the Oklahoma Republican Party, was right to insist that there is and always was enough money coming into the state treasury to fund a raise for teachers without raising taxes. Some rules might have to be changed in order to move the money to where it was most needed, but the State Capitol already had enough of our cash, if only the Legislature and the school boards would work to get that cash to the teachers.

Even the legislative leaders, who refused to work with the Platform Caucus, punished them for not going along with the tax increases, the legislative leaders who teamed with the lobbyists and bureaucrats to insist upon tax increases as the only way to fund teachers' raises, now acknowledge that if the tax increases are overturned by the voters, the money is there even at the old rates. They already have a plan to ensure that the salary increases are funded if the tax increases are repealed. State revenue is at record levels.

Those "pragmatic" legislative leaders got played. They thought if they agreed to tax increases, the teachers would be appeased and would stay in the classroom. But the teachers' groups (if not the individual teachers) always wanted a strike. They wanted chaos, they wanted drama that would focus negative public attention on the legislature, cultivating a "throw the bums out" attitude with the voters that would help elect more leftists, steering Oklahoma into a big left turn -- bigger and more intrusive government generally, hostile to Christianity and traditional values. In Oklahoma, as in Arizona, West Virginia, and many other states that have had teacher walkouts and protests, the Left is using teachers to regain the ground they've lost at the state level across the nation.

In this primary election season, Platform Caucus members are under attack by forces who want to be able to squeeze Oklahoma taxpayers at whim. Beneficiaries of Big Government want to break the constitutional protections that slow down state government's ability to grab more of your money. Well-funded independent expenditure campaigns are targeting these brave, grassroots-backed candidates, depicting them as anti-teacher, even though they all voted for the teacher pay raise.

Platform Caucus members don't play the capitol game. They read legislation before they agree to vote for it. They don't accept meals or game tickets or trinkets from lobbyists. They stand for the ordinary Oklahomans who don't have lobbyists or labor unions or corporate PACs standing for us.

The squishy compromisers hate the Platform Caucus, because the Platform Caucus stalwarts strip away their excuses for capitulating to the lobbyists. The Platform Caucus refusal to play the capitol game exposes the squishes as unprincipled and weak-kneed, and it infuriates them. The lobbyists and the labor unions want more squishes; they want legislators who can be seduced and manipulated.

These are the taxpayers' friends who are on next Tuesday's primary ballot. Some of them are on record as having joined the Platform Caucus; others are perhaps not caucus members, but have consistently the conservative grassroots principles the platform embodies. Every one of them voted in favor of the pay raise for teachers, and every one of them had the guts to vote against unnecessary tax increases. While those are only two votes, they happen to be very representative of the principled strength under pressure that they've displayed on many other issues, and because of that strength, they have been targeted for defeat in the primary by the tax-and-spenders.

House 8: Tom Gann
House 10: Travis Dunlap
House 14: George Faught
House 20: Bobby Cleveland
House 36: Sean Roberts
House 63: Jeff Coody
House 67: Scott McEachin
House 69: Chuck Strohm
House 80: Mike Ritze
House 101: Tess Teague

Senate 4: Mark Dean Allen

I wish I had time to write about each of them individually. They deserve your vote and your support.

As we've often discussed here, public choice theory -- concentrated benefits vs. diffuse costs -- means that there will always be more campaign money coming from the special interests, because they stand to gain a significant return on that investment in the form of tax credits, union dues, contracts, regulatory burdens on potential competitors, etc., and less money available to support those who defend our interests as taxpayers and ordinary citizens.

A legislative district is small enough that grassroots activism can beat big money, but that take volunteers willing to give their time. Even if you don't live in one of their districts, I encourage you to show your appreciation for their courage by volunteering on this final weekend of the campaign -- make calls, knock doors on their behalf. Make contact through the links above and see what you can do to help.

NOTES:

HB 1010XX (tax increases): House votes, Senate votes.
HB1023XX (salary increase for teachers): House votes, Senate votes.

MORE:

George Faught, one of the legislators we should re-elect, is fighting against a last-minute smear campaign regarding his votes on teacher pay and benefits. I've added links to the bills he mentions, all of which passed by near-unanimous majorities.

FACT: George Faught voted for EVERY teacher pay raise since he was elected ( HB1134, 2008; HB1114, 2017; HB1023XX, 2018) FACT: George Faught voted for the budget that included the most money EVER for education (HB3705, 2018; SB1600, 2018) FACT: George Faught fought to make sure that local teachers received bonuses that they rightly deserved (HB1593, 2007) FACT: George Faught voted to stabilize the Teacher Retirement Fund that Democrats had raided and left in peril.

Faught didn't list a specific bill on the last point, but I believe he is referring to HB2132, 2011, the Oklahoma Pension Legislation Actuarial Analysis Act.

It has been interesting to learn that many of my medical friends who are advocates of alternative medicine and of the medical use of CBD oil (cannabidiol) and hemp are also opponents of SQ 788, the initiative petition that would, for all practical purposes, legalize recreational use of marijuana in Oklahoma while protecting recreational users as if they were taking prescribed medicine.

SQ 788 is statutory. It would not amend the state constitution but would instead create new law on Oklahoma's statute books. You can read the official and complete text of the legislation that would be enacted by SQ 788 here.

Many of the organizations opposing SQ 788 are groups that deal in heavy, dangerous machinery, such as the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Oklahoma Trucking Association, Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance, Associated Builders and Contractors of Oklahoma, and Oklahoma Railroad Association. Medical associations and law enforcement organizations also stand in opposition. SQ 788 would make it easy for anyone to acquire a two-year license to use marijuana, and then it would prohibit use of marijuana from being considered by employers, landlords, judges in child custody disputes, or government agencies issuing licenses.

SQ 788 is a license to be stoned all the time while being protected against any of the social consequences reasonably accruing to a stoner. From section six of the proposal:

A. No school or landlord may refuse to enroll or lease to and may not otherwise penalize a person solely for his status as a medical marijuana license holder, unless failing to do so would imminently cause the school or landlord to lose a monetary or licensing related benefit under federal law or regulations.

B. Unless a failure to do so would cause an employer to imminently lose a monetary or licensing related benefit under federal law or regulations, an employer may not discriminate against a person in hiring, termination or imposing any term or condition of employment or otherwise penalize a person based upon either:

1. The person's status as a medical marijuana license holder; or

2. Employers may take action against a holder of a medical marijuana license holder if the holder uses or possesses marijuana while in the holder's place of employment or during the hours of employment. Employers may not take action against the holder of a medical marijuana license solely based upon the status of an employee as a medical marijuana license holder or the results of a drug test showing positive for marijuana or its components.

C. For the purposes of medical care, including organ transplants, a medical marijuana license holder's authorized use of marijuana must be considered the equivalent of the use of any other medication under the direction of a physician and does not constitute the use of an illicit substance or otherwise disqualify a registered qualifying patient from medical care.

D. No medical marijuana license holder may be denied custody of or visitation or parenting time with a minor, and there is no presumption of neglect or child endangerment for conduct allowed under this law, unless the person's behavior creates an unreasonable danger to the safety of the minor.

E. No person holding a medical marijuana license may unduly be withheld from holding a state issued license by virtue of their being a medical marijuana license holder. This would include such things as a concealed carry permit.

F. No city or local municipality may unduly change or restrict zoning laws to prevent the opening of a retail marijuana establishment.

G. The location of any retail marijuana establishment is specifically prohibited within one thousand (1,000) feet from any public or private school entrance.

H. Research will be provided under this law. A researcher may apply to the Oklahoma Department of Health for a special research license. That license will be granted, provided the applicant meet the criteria listed under Section 421. B. Research license holders will be required to file monthly consumption reports to the Oklahoma Department of Health with amounts of marijuana used for research.

Writing in the Journal Record last month, attorney Aaron Tifft of Tulsa's Hall Estill firm points out that the passage of SQ 788 "could pose more legal risks for employers than the full legalization of the drug."

It would become unlawful for an employer to discriminate in employment based on a person's status as a medical marijuana license holder or penalize a person for testing positive for marijuana. Although its use or possession on the job would be actionable, the law is silent on working under the influence of marijuana.

Because the initiative is silent on working under the influence of marijuana, it would be arguable that the person's medical condition should be considered a disability. If the person is disabled, the marijuana could be deemed a necessary medical intervention to treat the disability - much like any number of other powerful prescription drugs -carrying protections under the law....

Alternatively, legalization of marijuana for recreational use might somewhat increase its availability, but would not elevate it to the level and protections of a prescribed medical drug. Cannabis could take its place among the other prevalent recreational drugs in American culture - alcohol, tobacco, and (dare I say it) caffeine. Just as there is no doubt an employer could restrict the use of alcohol, there would be no doubt an employer could restrict the recreational use of marijuana.

With SQ 788, there is doubt. The scope of employers' rights regarding employees with a medical marijuana license is not currently evident. Employers should be aware of this risk if the measure is passed.

Here's another example of a vaguely worded attempt, from Section 1 of the legislation proposed by SQ 788, to eliminate social consequences relating to marijuana.

M. All applications for a medical license must be signed by an Oklahoma Board certified physician. There are no qualifying conditions. A medical marijuana license must be recommended according to the accepted standards a reasonable and prudent physician would follow when recommending or approving any medication. No physician may be unduly stigmatized or harassed for signing a medical marijuana license application.

Nothing in the bill explains what degree of stigmatization is undue, nor is there anything specifying whether stigmatization is a misdemeanor or a felony.

Typically, state laws allow local jurisdictions to be more restrictive, but not more permissive. Not SQ 788. Just in case the statewide allowances (3 oz. on you, 8 oz. at home, plus a Big Texan steak (72 oz.) of edible marijuana, six mature plants, six seedlings, and an ounce of concentrated marijuana) are deemed too stingy, cities and counties can raise those allowances locally without limit:

N. Counties and cities may enact medical marijuana guidelines allowing medical marijuana license holders or caregivers to exceed the state limits set forth in subsection A of this section.

The reality is that medicine from the cannabis plant has been legal in Oklahoma for a couple of years. In 2015, Gov. Fallin signed a law that legalized the use of CBD oil for children with certain medical conditions; in subsequent years legal applications of CBD oil were expanded and industrial (very low concentration of THC) hemp production was legalized. The 2014 federal farm bill authorized states to grow industrial hemp under pilot programs. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has introduced the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 to simplify rules and allow industrial hemp production on a permanent basis.

While many medicines are derived from plants, making a plant into medicine involves a process. The doctors at M. D. Anderson Center don't give their cancer patients pieces of Pacific yew bark to chew on. The active ingredients have to be isolated and purified so that precise doses can be measured and delivered, so as to maximize impact on the cancer while minimizing side effects on the patient.

Dr. David Asher, a Tulsa osteopathic physician with a focus on pain management, says that all of the health benefits of cannabis are currently available in full-spectrum hemp oil, without the side effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive substance found in marijuana.

Dr. Asher writes that the hemp and marijuana are the same species of plant, but cultivated in a different manner. With hemp, the plant is allowed to pollinate and grow, developing seeds and fiber-rich stalks. Marijuana is protected from pollination and so stays close to the ground, putting its energy into leaves and flowers. Marijuana growers selectively breed for higher concentrations of THC. The higher the concentration of THC, the lower the amount of CBD oil and the fewer the health benefits.

SQ 788 looks like something Cheech and Chong would have written after their van made of pot caught fire. Just say no.

I'll be on AM 1170 KFAQ with Pat Campbell at 8:00 am tomorrow morning, Tuesday, June 19, 2018, to talk about next week's primary. Pat has done a ton of interviews with candidates, and they're online on the Pat Campbell podcast page. Pat asks great questions, and these interviews are one of your best resources for getting a sense of the candidates in a friendly but challenging environment. For your convenience and mine, I thought I'd organize the podcasts by office and candidate, starting with the most recent.

I've included podcasts where the candidate is on to talk about an issue in his current official capacity, such as State Sen. Nathan Dahm discussing the veto of his constitutional carry law, or State Auditor Gary Jones discussing misuse of funds at the Health Department. If there's a candidate you don't see on the list, it's almost certainly because the candidate hasn't agreed to appear on the show.

This list is far from complete, and I will add to it as I come across earlier podcasts of interest. I hope to find at least one podcast for each candidate in the major races.

U. S. House, 1st District

Andy Coleman, 2018/01/29

Nathan Dahm, 2018/06/13
Nathan Dahm, 2018/06/04 (Constitutional Carry)
Nathan Dahm, 2018/05/16 (Constitutional Carry veto override)
Nathan Dahm, 2018/05/07 (Constitutional Carry, adoption agency protection bill)
Nathan Dahm, 2018/05/03 (gun license bill)
Nathan Dahm, 2018/05/01 (wind subsidy bill amendment)
Nathan Dahm, 2018/04/23 (legislative session review)
Nathan Dahm, 2018/04/10 (teacher walkout)
Nathan Dahm, 2018/04/06 (GOP disunity)
Nathan Dahm, 2018/03/29 (Senate passes tax increase)
Nathan Dahm (why he's running, SQ 788)

Kevin Hern, 2018/06/18

Danny Stockstill,

U. S. House, 2nd District

Jarrin Jackson, 2018/06/07
Jarrin Jackson, 2018/04/17

Markwayne Mullin, 2018/03/14

Governor

Dan Fisher, 2018/05/30
David Van Risseghem letter to Dan Fisher

Gary Jones, 2018/06/13
Gary Jones, 2018/05/25 (Tar Creek)
Gary Jones, 2018/05/23 (Health Department)
Gary Jones, 2018/04/11 (support for tax increase, rant against the Republican platform)
Gary Jones, 2018/02/19 (why his tax plan will work)
Gary Jones, 2018/02/01 (defends plan to raise taxes)

Todd Lamb, 2018/05/21 (Will he call special session for constitutional carry veto override?)

Gary Richardson, 2018/05/21

Kevin Stitt, 2018/05/02

Mick Cornett, 2018/01/12: Evasive interview, has not allowed Campbell to interview him since.

Lt. Governor

Matt Pinnell, 2018/05/31

Attorney General

Angela Bonilla, 2018/06/18

Mike Hunter, 2018/05/14

State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Linda Murphy, 2018/05/29
Linda Murphy, 2018/04/17
Linda Murphy, 2018/04/09 (teacher walkouts)
Linda Murphy, 2018/03/15 (teacher pay raise)

Tulsa County District Attorney

Tulsa County District Attorney debate, 2018/06/25

Ben Fu, 2018/03/19
Tammy Westcott, 2018/04/26

Tulsa County Commissioner, District 1

Stan Sallee, 2018/06/07

State Senate District 36

David Dambroso, 2018/05/08

State House DIstrict 8

Tom Gann, 2018/02/19 (plan to raise teacher pay without raising taxes)

State House District 12

FOP letter about McDugle / Mahoney controversy, 2018/05/10
Kevin McDugle, Nick Mahoney controversy, 2018/05/09
Kevin McDugle, 2018/04/18 (ideas for teachers)

State Senate District 80

Mike Ritze, 2018/04/06
Mike Ritze, 2018 (proposal to remove judge in Falls Creek rape case

General:

Michael Bates on upcoming primaries, 2018/06/19
Michael Bates on governor's race, 2018/04/11
Michael Bates on tax proposals for teacher pay, 2018/03/28

Club for Growth Action, a political action committee that promotes tax cuts and reducing government waste and regulation in the interests of economic growth, is making major media buys in opposition to McDonald's franchisee Kevin Hern, a candidate to fill the Oklahoma 1st Congressional District seat held until recently by NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.

CfGA is running TV and radio ads claiming that Hern has a "habit of backing Democrats," noting that "Hern gave seventeen thousand dollars to a political committee that supported liberal Democrats . . . including Chuck Schumer, Harry Reid, Maxine Waters, and Sheila Jackson Lee" and that "Hern even wrote personal check to make a campaign contribution to the Democrat Senator who cast the deciding vote for Obamacare."

It's all true, but here's some context:

According to data retrieved from the Federal Election Committee website, in 1998, Hern, then with an address in Maumelle, Arkansas, made two contributions totalling $850 to Nate Coulter, a Democratic candidate for the open U. S. Senate seat. Coulter finished last in the primary. On September 17, 1998, Hern then made a $500 contribution to the Democratic nominee, then-former U. S. Representative Blanche Lambert Lincoln, who went on to win the seat in November 1998, keeping the seat in the Democrat column.

Eleven years later, Sen. Lincoln did indeed vote for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. The vote for cloture passed 60-39 on a strict party-line vote, and Lincoln voted in favor, ending the Republican filibuster and allowing Obamacare to be approved by the Democrat majority. Had she voted no or abstained on the cloture vote, Obamacare would have been stopped.

It's reasonable to say that Lincoln cast the deciding vote for Obamacare. Certainly she cast one of the deciding votes: Lincoln was one of several Democrats from conservative states who might have reasonably voted no in accord with her constituents, but instead voted with her party over their wishes. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Ben Nelson from Nebraska were another couple of potential no votes who also voted yes. Lincoln was duly punished by the voters the following year, losing her re-election bid by 58-37 to Republican John Boozman.

According to a report generated on OpenSecrets.org (which has some more effective ways to search FEC data), those three 1998 contributions are Kevin Hern's only direct donations to Democratic candidates for federal office. Beginning with his move to Muskogee, Hern began supporting Republican candidates: Andy Ewing ($1,250), the 2000 nominee to succeed Tom Coburn in the U. S. House; Tom Coburn's 2004 and 2010 campaigns for U. S. Senate ($6,800); 2nd District Congressman Markwayne Mullin ($10,200); James Lankford's campaigns for House and Senate ($6,300); Jim Bridenstine ($7,700); Marco Rubio's presidential campaign ($1,000); and Senators John Boozman, Bob Corker, and Pat Toomey, Oklahoma 5th District Congressman Steve Russell, and Florida 19th District Congressman Francis Rooney.

As for his support for PACs, Hern has given $16,055 to Oklahoma Leadership Council (whose major 2016 contributions were to state Republican Party organizations in Florida and Pennsylvania), $2,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee, $1,000 each to LankPAC (affiliated with James Lankford) and Oklahoma Strong Leadership PAC (associated with Scott Pruitt), and $250 to the Republican National Committee.

But what about this?

Hern has given $17,100 to McDonald's Corp PAC, which gave significantly more to Republicans to Democrats through the 2008 cycle, but since that time has evened things up considerably. In the 2016 cycle, for example, Hern gave $2,500 dollars to McDonald's Corp PAC, and the PAC supported Democrat Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Maxine Waters, but they also supported Republican House members like Bob Goodlatte, Mia Love, Steve Scalise, and Devin Nunes and Senators like Chuck Grassley and Tim Scott. In the 2012 cycle, Hern gave $4,000, and the PAC backed Democrats like Rep. Shiela Jackson-Lee and Sen. Harry Reid, as well as Republicans like John Boehner, Tom Cole, and John Boozman.

Hern's contributions to McDonald's Corp PAC were as follows:

• 11/12/2004, $2,100.00
• 5/8/2006, $2,000.00
• 2/20/2009, $2,000.00
• 1/26/2010, $2,000.00
• 2/16/2011, $2,000.00
• 1/25/2012, $2,000.00
• 2/23/2016, $2,500.00
• 7/11/2017, $2,500.00

In the current election cycle, Hern has gotten most of his money back from McDonald's Corp PAC. Hern is one of two candidates to have received a $10,000 donation from the PAC; the other is House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a leading candidate to succeed Paul Ryan as Speaker of the House.

It's understandable that McDonald's would want to spread money around Washington to protect its interests, but it's hard to understand why a conservative would continue to donate to a PAC that helps congressmen and senators who are working to undermine and overregulate the free market.

I'm not bothered by Kevin Hern's contributions to local Democrats 20 years ago when he was a young businessman in a state where Democrats were still influential. I am bothered by his ongoing contributions to a PAC that works for McDonald's best interests even when they're in conflict with America's best interests by keeping the likes of Chuck Schumer and Maxine Waters in office. If Hern has a reasonable explanation, he needs to provide it.

Instead, Hern has complained of dirty campaigning and demanded that Andy Coleman (who is endorsed by Club for Growth Action) denounce the ad.

As a conservative, free market voter, I'm less concerned that Hern is a liberal and more worried that he's a Chamber of Commerce-type crony capitalist who will sell out American taxpayers and workers for the sake of sweetheart deals, pork barrel, and cheap illegal-immigrant labor. Hern has the endorsement of the Republican Main Street Partnership PAC, an organization that promotes Republicans who will compromise with the left in the name of pragmatism. Among its members, RMSP has Irish-terrorist booster Peter King, Bill Shuster of the central Pennsylvania pork-barrel dynasty, and Fred Upton, who led the charge to ban cheap and reliable light bulbs. Michelle Malkin has described the affilliated Republican Main Street Partnership as "statists in populist clothing... running a Washington incumbency protection racket." This is an organization that works to defend squishy Republican incumbents against principled conservative primary challengers. If they're backing Hern, I have to believe it's because they think Kevin Hern is malleable enough to become part of the Washington swamp, like the other politicians the group supports. Hern's failure to repudiate their endorsement ought to worry 1st District conservative voters.

Hern's ongoing donations to the McDonald's Corp PAC suggests poor judgment, Hern's decision to respond to the Club for Growth Action ads with attacks instead of explanations shows worse judgment, and Hern's endorsement by Republican Main Street Partnership PAC ought to alarm every conservative voter and send them in search of another candidate to support.

The June 2018 issue of Tulsa Lawyer Magazine, published by the Tulsa County Bar Association, is the special 2018-2019 election issue. It devotes seven pages to questionnaire responses from the candidates for District Judge and Associate District Judge who will be on the June 26, 2018, primary election ballot. (Two seats drew only two candidates each and will only be on the November ballot.) The issue is available to read online, but cannot be downloaded.

The questionnaire covers basic background information -- current occupation, law school, years in practice, judicial docket or legal specialization -- and asks about civic involvement and community service, management strengths, changes, and personal strengths that are important to service as a judge. There's a box for stats: Percentage of work devoted to civil litigation, criminal litigation, and arbitration / mediation, number of cases tried to verdict, tried to juries, and for current judges, number of bench trials conducted.

Of course, this is only each candidate's testimony about himself. There is no cross-examination. Keith McArtor doesn't mention that he used to be chairman of the Tulsa County Democratic Party. Martha Rupp Carter briefly mentions her service as City Attorney, but not the circumstances of her resignation from that office. Still the basic information preesented here is useful.

The same issue has profiles of candidates for Tulsa County Bar Association offices for the coming term, including delegates to the American Bar Association and Oklahoma Bar Association. The voting period ended yesterday.

Back on May 31, TCBA also jointly hosted, with the Tulsa Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, a "Judicial Review" featuring 16 of the candidates for district judge and associate district judge. The videos are online here.

Three candidates have filed for Judicial District 14, Office 12, to replace retiring District Judge Doris Fransein. All three will be on the ballot in Tulsa County only on the June 26, 2018, primary, and then the top two will advance to the November 6, 2018, general election ballot in Tulsa and Pawnee counties, even if one candidate receives a majority of the primary vote. The candidates are Rick Westcott (Rick Dalton Westcott, Republican, 64), Martha Rupp Carter (independent, 63), and Stephen Clark (Stephen Robert Clark, Republican, 71)

I'll be voting for Rick Westcott. I got to know Rick principally through his civic involvement. Westcott served from 2006 to 2011 as a Tulsa City Councilor representing District 2, including a stint as Council Chairman. Prior to being a councilor, Westcott served on the City's Sales Tax Overview Committee, and when the city establishment (aka the Cockroach Caucus) used recall elections to target two city councilors who were not toeing the establishment line, Rick Westcott headed Tulsans for Election Integrity, the organization that successfully defeated the recall elections.

Westcott is a rare case of an attorney who has both a long career in law (nearly 25 years) as well as a breadth of experience in other professions. He served as a Tulsa Police officer, worked 20 years in radio, worked as a loan officer a bank, and taught government and pre-law courses at ORU, his undergraduate alma mater, for 14 years, writing the curriculum for the Pre-Law program, serving as Coordinator of the Government Department, teaching Criminal Procedure, American Constitutional Law, American Jurisprudence, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, American Government, and American History. He is a private pilot, and he has been actively involved in trying to secure regular passenger rail service between Tulsa and Oklahoma City. He grew up along the Sand Springs Line, west of downtown Tulsa, graduating from Tulsa's Central High School.

On the council, Westcott was a stalwart looking out for the interests of his own often-neglected constituents and neighbors in West Tulsa, and the interests of homeowners and taxpayers generally, and holding the executive branch of city government accountable, through the mayoral terms of both Kathy Taylor and Dewey Bartlett Jr. Most impartial observers regarded Westcott as fair-minded and even-tempered, but no good deed goes unpunished in Tulsa politics, and he and the rest of the council were smeared and sued by allies of the Mayor and the Cockroach Caucus. Westcott would have been drawn out of his district by the 2011 Bartlett-Ahlgren gerrymander, but when he opted not to run for re-election, the old boundaries were restored.

During his council service, Westcott often wrote and published detailed rationales for his decisions. While I didn't always agree with his conclusions, his reasoning was always fact-based, thorough, and careful.

Back when Westcott was first running for office in 2006, I wrote a piece for Urban Tulsa Weekly about the connection between faith and political courage, and asked others to contribute their own thoughts on the subject. Rick Westcott had this to say on the subject:

I also think that a person's faith gives them a sense of identity which helps ground them in times of trouble. Because I know who I am in Christ, who God made me, because I know He has a plan for me, it gives me a sense of identity that isn't shaken by those who might attack me. I don't need the external validation that some seek from others.

A judge who knows his Creator and is secure in his relationship with God will not be swayed by power or money or political clout.

Westcott's two opponents for the open seat are both currently special judges. One of them, Martha Rupp Carter, was City Attorney, appointed by Democrat Mayor Susan Savage and continuing to serve under Republican Mayor Bill LaFortune, before resigning under a cloud of controversy over a number of decisions that were very costly to Tulsa taxpayers.

At the time of Rupp Carter's resignation in 2004, I wrote:

The list of [Martha Rupp Carter] decisions which either got the City sued or could have is a long one: handling of outside legal support in the Black Officers' lawsuit, the 71st & Harvard ruling against the neighborhood's protest petition, allowing ex-Councilor David Patrick to remain in office despite the fact that he had not been lawfully elected to a new term, speaking to the press about election allegations against Councilor Roscoe Turner. The City Attorney's office under her direction always seemed to be working in the interests of some person or persons other than the ordinary citizens of this city.

I also wrote that it would be a mistake to let Rupp Carter leave office quietly without holding her fully accountable for her poor decisions:

So many Tulsans were relieved to see Susan Savage apparently leave public life, only to be appalled by her resurrection as Secretary of State. It would be a shame if, by failing to drive a stake through the career of Savage's jogging buddy, city officials allow her to "fail up" into a more prominent and influential position, after her legal advice cost the city and its taxpayers so much.

Rupp Carter's campaign ethics reports shows support from a large number of left-wing
and powerful Tulsa establishment figures, including former Democrat Mayor Kathy Taylor, former Democrat Corporation Commissioner Norma Eagleton, former Tulsa County Democratic Party Chairman John Nicks (husband of District Judge Linda Morrissey), failed judicial candidate Jill Webb, and George Kaiser Family Foundation president Frederick Dorwart and members of his law firm, which represents GKFF, Bank of Oklahoma and its sister banks, and other branches of the far-reaching Kaiser network. While I've heard positive evaluations of her performance as a special judge, her history as city attorney and the list of her backers are not reassuring.

I have known Rick Westcott for over 15 years, and I've consistently observed his diligence to determine facts, his careful reasoning, his clarity of expression, and his fairness to all. It would be a blessing to have Rick Westcott serving as our District Judge. I urge you to join me in voting for Rick Westcott on June 26.

MORE:

Rick Westcott was profiled in the June 2015 issue of Tulsa People.

The 2018 filing period for Tulsa City Auditor and all nine Tulsa City Council seats has ended.

Thirteen Democrats, nine Republicans, one Libertarian, and one independent filed for the ten positions.

Incumbents Cathy Criswell (Auditor), Jeannie Cue (District 2), Anna America (District 7), and Phil Lakin (District 8) have been re-elected without opposition.

The remaining six city council seats will be on the August 28, 2018, ballot, with a top-two runoff on November 6, 2018, in races where no candidate received 50% of the vote. The new filing and election dates are the result of an ill-advised and whimsical charter change approved last year by the voters.

Three first-term incumbents drew opponents:

• District 1: Incumbent Vanessa Hall-Harper, challengers Lana Turner and Jerry Goodwin
• District 6: Incumbent Connie Dodson, challenger Dezeray Edwards
• District 9: Incumbent Ben Kimbro, challenger Paul Tay

Districts 3, 4, and 5 have open seats, and drew three, four, and four candidates, respectively.

Below is the full list as of the end of filing, complete with party affiliations, which were confirmed today through the Oklahoma State Election Board voter search tool. The first name on the line is the name that will appear on the ballot; the name in parentheses is the name under which the candidate is registered to vote. Order of names is order of filing.

CITY AUDITOR
Cathy Criswell (Cathy Ann Criswell), 4120 E 22nd Pl, Tulsa OK 74114, 07-10-54, Democrat

CITY COUNCILOR OFFICE NO. 9
Paul Tay (Paul C Tay), 4004 S Toledo, Tulsa OK 74135, 09-01-62, Libertarian
Ben Kimbro (Benjamin Wade Kimbro), 3207 South Evanston Avenue, Tulsa OK 74105, 07-03-72, Republican

My second endorsement this year is another easy call. I have known Dan Hicks for close to 20 years as a tireless volunteer for conservative candidates and causes. This year, Hicks has put his own name on the ballot for State Representative for District 79, an open seat because incumbent Weldon Watson is term-limited.

We need Dan Hicks and many more like him in the Oklahoma Legislature. Mention Dan Hicks and the words that spring to mind are principled, persistent, hard-working, and humble. As a campaign volunteer, he has offered his time only to those candidates who share his commitment to limited and efficient government and the protection of unborn human life. Once committed to a cause, Dan throws himself into it with his whole heart, willing to do whatever job needs to be done, without looking for credit or honor. But plenty of elected officials have honored Dan because of his hard work on their behalf. Former District Attorney Tim Harris, outgoing Tulsa County Assessor Ken Yazel, State Rep. George Faught, former State Rep. John Wright and former State Rep. Pam Peterson, who served in Republican House leadership, have all endorsed Hicks, as did State Rep. David Brumbaugh before his untimely death last year.

Dan and his wife are committed Bible-believing Christians, members of Journey Bible Church, teaching children's classes there as they did previously at Tulsa Bible Church for over 30 years.

Dan Hicks is lead designer at a Tulsa architectural firm. His work includes public school facilities such as the Robson Performing Arts Center at Claremore High School and Broken Arrow's Centennial Middle School, as well as private school and church facilities such as the Monte Cassino Childhood Center and South Tulsa Baptist Church. I'm not aware of anyone else with Hicks's professional background who has served in the Oklahoma Legislature. Given the amount of money spent on buildings by state agencies, colleges, CareerTech centers, and public schools, it would be a great asset to Oklahoma taxpayers to have someone like Dan Hicks in the legislature who understands the tradeoffs between cost, functionality, and appearance, someone who has a sense of how much a building should cost and what tends to drive costs higher.

I've written about how Republican candidates often "go native" when they become legislators. They forget the voters who elected them and begin to identify with the legislators, lobbyists, and staffers at the Capitol. To keep that from happening, we have to elect legislators who understand that dynamic and are prepared to resist it. I know that Dan Hicks has felt disappointment and betrayal in some of the candidates he worked tirelessly to elect. Because of that, I am confident that Dan Hicks will stay true to his principles and faithful to the voters who elected him and that he will arrive at the State Capitol immune to the blandishments of the Capitol crowd.

House District 79 is in southeast Tulsa, entirely within the city limits, extending from 41st Street to 81st Street, Yale Ave to Garnett Rd. Dan has been as hard-working on his own campaign as he has on his friends' campaigns, and you see the evidence in campaign signs supporting him in front of homes and businesses across the district.

Hicks faces two opponents in the June 26, 2018, primary: Tulsa city councilor Karen Gilbert and Matthew Lee. Ethics reports show that Gilbert is backed by the usual chambercrats who want to raise your taxes and boost their cronies at your expense. By contrast, Dan Hicks's campaign funds come from friends and family, as well as his own funds. There will be an August runoff if no one receives 50% of the vote in the primary. The winner will face the Democrat nominee and independent Teresa Marler in November.

I hope all my Republican friends in District 79 will turn out on June 26 to vote for my friend Dan Hicks, a stalwart, hard-working conservative.

Thanks to last year's ill-advised, whimsical change to the Tulsa City Charter, the 2018 City of Tulsa elections are even further out of sync with the rest of the political calendar. Today was the first day of the three-day filing period for City Auditor and all nine City Council seats. Filing requires a $50 deposit, refundable if you are unopposed or receive more than 15% of the vote.

The city "general" election will be held on August 28, 2018, coinciding with the state runoff primary. This year, the state runoff is likely to draw heavy Republican turnout for the governor's race and the First Congressional District race, neither of which are likely to be decided in the June primary, and this could very well skew the city results. If no one receives a majority in a given race in the August "general," the top two candidates in the race will advance to a "runoff" that falls on the November state and federal general election date, with a much higher turnout than the August election.

It's a mess, and it relegates city elections and city issues to the backburner.

On the first day of filing, at least one candidate filed for every seat. Nine Democrats, four Republicans, and one Libertarian filed. Incumbents Cathy Criswell (Auditor), Jeannie Cue (District 2), Connie Dodson (District 6), Anna America (District 7), Phil Lakin (District 8), and Ben Kimbro (District 9) have all filed for re-election. Of this group only Kimbro has drawn an opponent: Paul Tay.

Incumbent Vanessa Hall-Harper (District 1) has not yet filed, but two challengers have: Lana Turner and Jerry Goodwin.

Long-time District 3 councilor David Patrick is not running, but his daughter Cristin Patrick is, as is Justin Rolph. So far, only Barbara Kingsley has filed to replace District 4 councilor Blake Ewing. District 5 councilor Karen Gilbert is running for a seat in the State House; Mykey Arthrell and Eliah Misthaven are running to succeed her.

Below is the full list of the first day's filings, complete with party affiliations, which were confirmed today through the Oklahoma State Election Board voter search tool. The first name on the line is the name that will appear on the ballot; the name in parentheses is the name under which the candidate is registered to vote.

Although City of Tulsa elections are non-partisan, and nothing other than a name will appear on the ballot, party affiliation is at least some indication of governing philosophy, so I note it here. Also, party organizations will often make resources available to candidates of their party running in non-partisan school and municipal elections. Personally, I would love to see a full slate of candidates running on the principles espoused by Strong Towns.

CITY AUDITOR
Cathy Criswell (Cathy Ann Criswell), 4120 E 22nd Pl, Tulsa OK 74114, 07-10-54, Democrat

CITY COUNCILOR OFFICE NO. 9
Paul Tay (Paul C Tay), 4004 S Toledo, Tulsa OK 74135, 09-01-62, Libertarian
Ben Kimbro (Benjamin Wade Kimbro), 3207 South Evanston Avenue, Tulsa OK 74105, 07-03-72, Republican

This is an update of an entry from 2006 about the judicial offices in Judicial District 14. The structure and offices are the same, but some of the names are different for 2018.

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Judicial races are the trickiest part of the ballot. In Oklahoma, only district court races are contested, and all judicial elections are non-partisan. The Oklahoma Code of Judicial Conduct, set by the State Supreme Court, tightly controls what judicial candidates can say and how they can campaign. This code grants a private club, the Oklahoma Bar Association, an official role in policing judicial candidates. Attorneys, who have first-hand experience with the capabilities and character of judicial candidates, are wary of speaking out against a judge before whom they may one day have to stand. If you're lucky, you may get some off-the-record scoop from friends at the courthouse. All this adds up to confusion and frustration for the voter.

In 2004, the Oklahoma Family Policy Council put together a questionnaire for Supreme Court and appellate judges focusing on judicial philosophy. They had their attorneys look at the questionnaire to ensure that judges would not violate Oklahoma's Code of Judicial Conduct by answering the questions. In the end, six of the eight judges sent a letter saying they couldn't respond to the questionnaire, the other two didn't respond at all.

Worldview matters. We are in the midst of a culture war. Like all movements grounded in unreality, the leftist fascist movement seeks totalitarian control of institutions and the destruction of any institution it can't control. Never has it been more important to know whether the men and women who seek to be our judges are in accord with the founding principles of American jurisprudence and Western Civilization or are in sympathy with the destructive forces arrayed against civilization.

While I know many fair-minded and good-hearted liberals, fair-minded enough to rule against their own ideological interests if the law points that way, many on the left have been influenced by the ideas of critical legal theory, which boils everything down to power and the use of any means to the end of establishing left-wing dogma as the state religion.

We need to see the hearts of these candidates. Sometimes we have rulings and written opinions that tell us whether a judge is with civilization or against it. At times we may only have indirect indications of a judge's character and worldview.

In the blog entries that follow, I'll do my best to set out my judgment of the judges and the basis for that judgment.

That's philosophy; here are the nuts and bolts of how we elect judges in Tulsa and Pawnee counties.

Oklahoma has 26 District Courts. Tulsa County and Pawnee County constitute Judicial District No. 14. State law says that District 14 has 14 district judge offices. (Why are Tulsa County and Pawnee County coupled together? Why not Pawnee with, say, Osage, and Tulsa on its own, as Oklahoma County is?)

One judge must reside in and be nominated from Pawnee County, eight must reside in and be nominated from Tulsa County. If there are more than two candidates for any of those nine offices, there is a non-partisan nominating primary in the appropriate county, and the top two vote-getters are on the general election ballot. (Even if one gets more than 50% of the vote, the top two still advance.)

In the general election, all voters in Pawnee and Tulsa Counties vote on those nine seats.

The remaining five district judges are selected by electoral division in Tulsa County. In order to comply with the Voting Rights Act, Tulsa County is divided into five electoral divisions, one of which (Electoral Division 3) has a "minority-majority" population. (The minority-majority district is much smaller than the other four, as it must be in order to guarantee that the electorate is majority African-American.) For each of these five offices, if there are three or more candidates, there is a non-partisan nominating primary. If one candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, he is elected; otherwise, the top two advance to the general election. For each of these five offices, the candidates must reside in the corresponding electoral division, and only voters in that electoral division will vote for that office in the primary and general election. (Oklahoma County, Judicial District No. 7, is the only other county with judges elected by division.)

Despite the three different paths one can take to be elected, a Judge in Judicial District No. 14 can be assigned to try any case within the two counties.

Each county in the state also elects an Associate District Judge, nominated and elected countywide. Tulsa County Associate District Judge Dana Kuehn was appointed to the State Court of Civil Appeals last year, and three men have filed to replace her: Cliff Smith, Adam Weintraub, and Brian Crain. Pawnee County Associate District Judge Patrick Pickerell was re-elected without opposition.

In addition to the elected judges, the District has a certain number of Special Judges, who are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the District Judges. There is no correspondence between being a district judge, associate district judge, or special judge and the docket you may be assigned to handle.

All this I was able to puzzle out from prior knowledge and browsing through the relevant sections of the Oklahoma Statutes. What I still couldn't quite figure out is which of the 14 offices corresponded with the five electoral divisions, and which one was nominated from Pawnee County. Although electoral division 4 votes for office 4, I was pretty sure the pattern did not apply to the other offices. After a few phone calls, someone from the Tulsa County Election Board found the relevant info in the League of Women Voters handbook. So here it is, for your reference and mine.

Offices elected by Tulsa County Electoral Divisions in red.
Offices nominated by Pawnee County in blue.

¹ Not seeking re-election.

Eight of the incumbent district judges were re-elected without opposition.

Two incumbents did not seek re-election. Special Judge Dawn Moody was the sole candidate for the open seat (Office 10) being vacated by Mary Fitzgerald. Retiring judge Doris Fransein left the other vacancy in Office 12, which drew three candidates: former City Councilor Rick Westcott, controversial former city attorney Martha Rupp Carter, and Stephen Clark.

The other four incumbents face challengers in the general election:

Office 1: Caroline Wall v. Keith McArtor and Tom Sawyer
Office 2: Sharon Holmes v. Blake Shipley
Office 3: Jim Caputo v. James Williamson and Tracy Priddy
Office 9: Linda Morrissey v. Chris Brecht

The contested races will be decided by all voters in Tulsa and Pawnee counties, with the exception of Office 2 (decided by voters in Election District 3, mainly the north part of the City of Tulsa). The Tulsa County Election Board hosts a map of the Tulsa County judicial election districts. So everyone in Tulsa County will have four district judge races on the primary ballot -- Offices 1, 3, and 12, plus Tulsa County Associate DIstrict Judge -- while no one in Pawnee County will have a judicial race in the primary. In the general election, everyone in Tulsa and Pawnee counties will vote for Offices 1, 3, 9, and 12. Tulsa County will also have an associate judge race on the general election ballot, and Election District 3 will choose between Holmes and Shipley for Office 2.

Judges on the Court of Civil Appeals, Court of Criminal Appeals, and Oklahoma Supreme Court face retention every six years after their initial retention vote at the general election after their appointment. If there are more votes against retention than for retention, the judge is removed from office and the governor appoints a replacement.

This has been a busy spring, and that's a handy excuse for my lateness in writing about the upcoming 2018 Oklahoma primary, but the real reason has been a general disillusionment with politics and politicians and a dismay at cultural trends beyond politics. I'm having a hard time even wanting to care about elections; this from the guy who, as a 10-year-old, had the Tulsa Tribune's list of candidates for the 1974 Oklahoma elections pinned to his bedroom bulletin board. But as citizens in a republic, we are the sovereigns. We have the power to determine who will write our laws, who will carry them out, who will interpret them, and we have a divine obligation to exercise our sovereignty with wisdom.

To shake my political writer's block, I'm starting my 2018 Oklahoma primary coverage with those candidates whom I wholeheartedly support. First on the list is John Wright.

Tulsa County Assessor Ken Yazel is retiring after 16 years in the office. Tulsa County Republicans should elect John Wright, Yazel's chief deputy, to succeed him. No one is better prepared than John Wright, in both temperament and professional experience, to serve as our County Assessor.

During his 12-year service in the legislature, Wright was a consistent vote for conservative policies across the board. His voting record earned him a lifetime score of 91% on the Oklahoma Constitution Conservative Index. He was a leader in the Oklahoma House, serving as chairman of the Republican caucus and chairman of the House Administrative Rules and Agency Oversight Committee.

For the last seven years, John Wright has served in the Tulsa County Assessor's office on the executive staff. He has personally been involved with interviewing, selecting, and training over 40% of the County Assessor's office staff, is an Accredited Member of the International Association of Assessing Officials, and has over 500 hours of professional development education related to assessment of real property. As Chief Deputy Assessor, Wright has spoken to dozens of groups about property taxes, the assessment process, how to qualify for valuation freezes and homestead exemptions, the property owner's right to appeal an assessment, and other topics related to the County Assessor's office. John Wright is the only candidate with the depth of experience and knowledge to run the County Assessor's office from day one at a high standard of excellence and efficiency.

If by some fluke another candidate were to win the seat, they'd have to hire John Wright to actually run the assessor's office to have any hope of succeeding in the job.

Because of his careful attention to rules and his commitment to fair play and protecting the rights of all participants, John Wright has often been selected to preside over or serve as parliamentarian for state and county Republican conventions. GOP meetings can be emotionally fraught battles of faction against faction, but I've never heard anyone from any faction complain that John Wright played favorites.

And not playing favorites is one of the key responsibilities of the County Assessor. Under Ken Yazel's leadership, the Tulsa County Assessor's Office has led the state in professionalizing and systematizing the process of assigning a market value to every property in the county every four years. The Tulsa County Assessor's Office has consistently been at the top of the statewide table for compliance with the law. Sometimes that commitment to fairness and the law has meant angering powerful individuals and institutions by assessing their properties in accordance with state law. But if some don't pay the taxes they owe under the law, the rest of us have to pay higher property taxes for general obligation bond issues.

I have frequently expressed my appreciation for Ken Yazel's leadership on these pages. Yazel pioneered making his office's records of Tulsa County property accessible 24/7 online. Yazel has been a consistent voice against government waste and was often the lone county official to oppose tax increases. Yazel has been a consistent advocate for budgeting every penny under the control of county officials and agencies, despite the resistance of his fellow county elected officials. Despite their very different demeanors, John Wright and Ken Yazel share a commitment to budget transparency, efficiency, limited government, and public accessibility to public information. With John Wright replacing Ken Yazel, taxpayers will still have a strong and effective advocate on the Tulsa County Budget Board.

John Wright has been endorsed by outgoing Tulsa County Assessor Ken Yazel and by assessors in other counties who worked with Wright in the County Assessor's Association. Retired Woods County Assessor Monica Schmidt writes:

John Wright had just begun working in the Tulsa County Assessor's Office, while I was serving as the President of the County Assessors Association of Oklahoma. He had an immediate impact on our Association. His assistance and willingness to share his expertise, along with his ability to quickly learn the laws and procedures regarding the County Assessor's office, provided the Association and me an invaluable resource. Even though I was an assessor serving and representing a smaller county, I appreciated and benefited from Mr. Wright's wisdom and assistance by his sharing of his expertise.

I believe John Wright would make Tulsa County a great and respectable County Assessor.

Current Washington County Assessor Todd Mathes writes:

I met John Wright more than seven years ago and in the time since that first encounter, I have come to know a man who conducts his daily business with the utmost integrity and performs those duties with both humbleness and grace. His unwavering core beliefs guide him on his unparalleled path.

John has gone above and beyond the normal protocol to learn the "ins and outs" of the assessment industry, taking hours of advanced instruction to ready himself for this important calling. Since assuming his current role on the executive staff of the outgoing Tulsa County Assessor, John has positioned himself to become the next assessor for Tulsa County.

In my professional opinion, John Wright is the most qualified person to assume the duties of Tulsa County Assessor and will serve the constituents of Tulsa County in a fair and unwavering manner. As the long-time assessor of Tulsa's neighboring county to the north, I am confident that John Wright will uphold and more than fulfill the duties of the office of Tulsa County Assessor!

Wade Patterson, retired Garfield County Assessor who has known Wright since his time in the legislature, says, "I believe that John Wright is an unequaled and clear choice to serve as Tulsa County Assessor."

Only Republicans filed for the seat, so the next Tulsa County Assessor will be chosen in the June Republican primary or, if no one gets a majority in June, the August runoff. John Wright's opponents in the Republican primary are Byron Burke, who served in the county assessor's office under Democrat Assessor Wilson Glass for four years in the mid-1970s, Dominik Ting, a real estate appraiser in the County Assessor's office with a background in Information Technology, and political consultant and insurance salesman Darren Gantz.

Gantz disappointed me in recent years and lost my trust as he assisted the efforts of the Leftist-founded and Leftist-funded National Popular Vote movement to make inroads among grassroots conservative activists. You may recall that NPV (which would have given Oklahoma's electoral votes to Hillary Clinton, had it passed) passed the State Senate in 2014, but was blocked in the House after an outcry by grassroots activists. Several state senators later recanted their support. Gantz's efforts were aimed at undermining grassroots opposition to this scheme to bypass the Constitution's Electoral College, so that the next time lobbyists tried to push NPV through the Legislature, legislators wouldn't be deterred by constituent backlash. Even if he had the requisite expertise to serve as County Assessor, I still wouldn't trust Darren Gantz with the office. (Click this link for more about why Gantz's efforts were so dangerous.)

Thankfully, Tulsa County Republicans don't have to compromise. We can elect a County Assessor who has the experience, integrity, and good judgment to serve us well. That man is John Wright.