Democrats, Republicans select women as nominees for open Oklahoma governor’s post

Women to head GOP, Democratic tickets in Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma will have its first female governor this January after Democrats and Republicans, for the fourth time in U.S. history, nominated women to lead their tickets in the general election.

Republicans rejected anti-Washington sentiment on Tuesday, selecting a two-term congresswoman instead of a tea party-backed conservative who once called for the creation of a state militia to protect state sovereignty.

Democrats picked Oklahoma’s lieutenant governor over the state’s attorney general in a race too close to call until a late-night concession.

“This race is about electing a conservative governor,” U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin said after winning the Republican nomination for governor over state Sen. Randy Brogdon of Owasso and two poorly funded candidates.

Attorney General Drew Edmonson threw his support to Lt. Gov. Jari Askins when it became apparent he could not overcome the slim margin Askins held as votes were counted. He said he called Askins to congratulate her on a well-run campaign and “pledged to help her get elected governor of Oklahoma.”

Fallin was the state’s first woman and first Republican to serve as lieutenant governor, a post she held for 12 years before being elected to Congress from the Oklahoma City area in 2006. She previously served two terms in the state House. Askins replaced her at the lieutenant governor’s office.

“It will be tough between now and Nov. 2,” said Askins, who defeated the House Speaker in 2006 for the lieutenant governor’s post. “You all helped me prove to people four years ago that I could be tough. You all helped prove tonight that being smart enough to run a good campaign, a smart campaign, puts us in a position to be able to move forward toward Nov. 2.”

Fallin or Askins will replace Democratic Gov. Brad Henry, who cannot run for re-election because of term limits.

Askins served as a special district judge in Stephens County, as a member of the pardon and parole board and for 12 years in the statehouse before winning the lieutenant governor’s post. Askins enjoyed a last-minute endorsement from former University of Oklahoma football coach Barry Switzer, a state icon who backed Henry in 2002.

Oklahoma and New Mexico each will have women heading state political tickets this fall. In June, New Mexico became the third state in which both major parties nominated women for governor, following Nebraska in 1986 and Hawaii in 2002. Republicans won the earlier races.

“It’s very exciting,” said University of Oklahoma political science professor Keith Gaddie. “It’s one of the few ever all-women gubernatorial elections in the nation’s history and the first for Oklahoma. These don’t happen very often. Not one, but two women nominated by the major parties, and both former lieutenant governors.”

With all but three of the state’s 2,244 precincts reporting, Askins led Edmondson by less than six-tenths of 1 percent, with more than 260,000 votes cast. Fallin had 55 percent of the vote in her race against Brogdon, who had 39 percent.

Fallin was unable to vote for herself after being called back to Washington for a vote on a supplemental funding bill for the war in Afghanistan.

Edmondson could ask for a recount, but “right now we don’t expect that to happen,” said his spokesman, Gil Broyles. State law allows candidates to request a recount with a deposit of $600 for each county affected.

James Sieber, a retired Department of Defense worker who voted for Fallin, said he was most concerned about the economy.

“It is the economy and the direction this economy is going and the need to change that direction,” Sieber, 65, said after voting in the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore.

Marie Mahoney, a homebuilder who said her business has suffered during the economic downturn, said she voted for Askins.

“I just went for the ladies today,” Mahoney said outside her voting precinct in northwest Oklahoma City. “I’m hoping she’ll do a good job.”

Brogdon put up a pesky fight against Fallin, accusing her of making a “liberal compromise” by voting in 2008 for President George W. Bush’s plan to bail out the nation’s financial industry.

Brogdon told The Associated Press in April that he backed the creation of a new state militia to address what he called an “overreaching federal government.” After a public backlash, he said he was speaking only about a National Guard-style militia to aid the state during civil emergencies.

“People are concerned about what is going on in their government,” Brogdon said Tuesday during his watch party in Tulsa. “I think we will be in this freedom fight for a long time to come.”

Also in the Republican race were Oklahoma City-area businessmen Robert Hubbard and Roger Jackson.

Edmondson raised the most money among all the candidates, amassing nearly $2.6 million in contributions through July 12, according to the most recent campaign finance reports. Askins topped the $2 million mark by loaning her campaign $675,000 during the most recent reporting period. Fallin raised more than $2.4 million.

In the U.S. Senate primary, incumbent Republican Tom Coburn defeated primary challengers Evelyn Rogers of Tulsa and retired teacher Lewis Kelly Spring of Hugo. Coburn will face Democratic nominee Jim Rogers of Midwest City, who beat political newcomer Mark Myles. Two independents also await Coburn in the Nov. 2 general election.

Three incumbent congressmen on the ballot each won their party’s nominations. One was unopposed Tuesday.