Oklahoma: Primary Filing Deadline Past Now Off to the Races

This week in Oklahoma candidates filed for primary slots for an election that will occur on July 27th. R3publicans have been working with many candidates for months now; working to restore the GOP to limited government, constitutional principles of a day gone by and sorely needed again. With filing past and the goal post just up ahead, it seems appropriate to profile some of the folks you will have an opportunity to help in the next few weeks (many of you are already doing so!).

Here are their banners with links to their websites and excerpts from their press releases this week:

Senator Randy Brogdon for Governor

Brogdon will forgo a third term in the Senate in his quest to become the next Governor.

Brogdon says his determination to reduce the size of government sets him apart from his rivals in both parties, “I am the only candidate who is truly interested in smaller government,” said Brogdon. “I won’t be proposing very many task forces or conferences, I am proposing solutions to Oklahomans.”

A top priority in a Brogdon Administration will be setting Oklahoma, on what Brogdon calls, “a sustainable growth cycle. If we would prevent government from growing three or four times faster than the economy we wouldn’t go through these harsh budget cuts every four or five years.”

“The budget process should be about setting priorities and planning for the future,” said Brogdon. “As Governor I will not let it become a race to spend all the money on bigger government.”

Brogdon believes Oklahoma needs a new tax structure, along with new limits on spending. “Our current income tax system taxes earnings and discourages achievement, we should tax consumption, not savings or reinvestment,” said Brogdon. He proposes an end user tax on sales and services. “However, groceries and prescription drugs would be exempt from any tax and fuel taxes would remain at current level, and other steps, to limit any impact on lower or fixed income households.”

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Nathan Dahm for Congress CD01

Nathan Dahm, a former missionary and current resident of Broken Arrow, has filed to run for Oklahoma’s 1^st Congressional seat, currently held by John Sullivan. When asked by reporters why he would challenge a sitting Republican, Dahm replied: “I know Reagan’s 11^th commandment was ‘speak no ill of your fellow Republicans’, but you can’t be a Republican and be for big government. John Sullivan voted for the TARP bankers bailout which cost the taxpayers seven hundred billion dollars. That is not small government, it is not Constitutional, and it is not Republican.”

Dahm has been a grassroots activist for several years and is a Teaparty candidate, both of which have helped propel his ground campaign, winning him the Bixby straw poll by 15% with Dahm capturing 47% to Sullivan’s 32%. He also recently launched what his campaign is calling his “Oath to Oklahoma”, which is a list of pledges including: are a self-imposed term-limit of 6 years, defense of the right to keep arms, repealing of the 16^th amendment income tax, and a commitment to enlist in the military upon his vote to go to war.

When asked what separates him from Sullivan, Dahm said: “I am a fighter and I will stand up for the people and have their voice heard in Washington D.C. I will not cower down, keep silent, or vote in violation of the Constitution. I will truly represent the people and serve them whole heartedly.”

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Howard Houchen for Congress CD02

“A lot of thought went into this,” Houchen said. “I am not a career politician and going up against a third-generation politician is, at first, a daunting proposition. But the more I looked beyond Boren’s rhetoric and looked at his actual voting record, it is clear that he is no longer representing the constituents who elected him. While he comes home and complains about the liberal direction of Washington, he personally facilitates that liberal agenda by voting not once, but three times for Nancy Pelosi to become the third most powerful person in the country. When important debates have occurred this year on the floor of the House, such as with Cap & Trade and the Health Overhaul Bill, Boren sat silently in the Chamber for hours, refusing to come to the microphone in front of Pelosi to speak out on the record in defense of our state and citizens. Now he admits he does not want the bad law passed to be overturned and proposals to actually improve healthcare to be introduced.”

Houchen continues, “With no true representative of the people for District 2, I feel I must, as someone who understands the Constitution and its clear directives on personal liberty, state sovereignty, and specific limits to federal government’s intrusion on the lives of citizens, run for office to help put a stop to the massive central-planning power grab taking place in Washington. Boren has been an active voter in support of big government spending in the face of burgeoning deficits that will cause crippling tax burdens on both this and future generations. Boren touts his fiscal conservatism and claims he is a ‘blue dog’, but his actions on spending bills show clearly his belief that the DC bureaucracy should extend into every aspect of our lives, and that more of our dollars should leave Oklahoma to fund government’s growth. He has forgotten the farmers, the ranchers, the doctors, the oilmen, the small business owners who elected him in District 2 to represent our conservative Oklahoma values, and to protect the state’s rights and freedom that Oklahomans hold dear.”

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RJ Harris for Congress CD04

Witnessing such events as the economic melt-down of September 2008 and the response of elected officials such as Congressional District 4’s current representative, Tom Cole, motivated Harris to enter the race. “Tom Cole showed the people of Oklahoma that he can’t be trusted to make the right decisions under pressure,” notes Harris.

Candidate Harris believes his long experience as an air-traffic control chief, especially in active combat, provides him with the skills necessary to make tough decisions. Coupled with his understanding of the proper role of government and straight forward approach to communicating with voters, Harris believes his message will resonate.

This Friday night there will be a forum, open to registered Cleveland County Republican voters which includes a straw poll.

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Mark Costello for Labor Commissioner

Costello heads USA Digital Communications, a technology based company he founded in 1998 and licensed as a common carrier in over 40 states.“The current state of the Oklahoma economy calls for sound business decisions. I have started and ran several successful businesses over the last two decades. I want to bring my successful common sense business approach to address problems of state government,” said Costello.

“The office of Labor Commissioner is the one elected state office that has a legal responsibility to promote job creation. Under state law, one of the duties of the Commissioner of Labor is to ‘advance opportunities of wage earners for profitable employment,’” stated Costello.

“According to a recent newspaper report, jobs are the number one issue for most of the candidates for governor. The level of unemployment is unacceptable. As Oklahoma’s next Labor Commissioner, I will apply my business knowledge to advance meaningful reforms that foster and promote private sector job creation in Oklahoma,” stated Costello.

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