Just When Things Are Looking Up

[dsjeffries]

...someone runs for office because God told them to.  "I'm here to put God first in our nation" [xx(]

Tulsa World

quote:'I'm here to put God first'
ARAM BOGHOSIAN / Tulsa World
Dennis Lopez
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080602_16_OKLAH80155

By World Capitol Bureau
6/2/2008  9:10 AM
Last Modified: 6/2/2008  10:06 AM

OKLAHOMA CITY - Sen. Andrew Rice on Monday filed for U.S. Senate, hoping to unseat U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe.

Rice, a Democrat from Oklahoma City, will not have to forfeit his state Senate seat. Inhofe, R-Tulsa, also drew an unknown Republican opponent.

Dennis Lopez of Thackerville said he was running for the office because God had called him to do so.

"I'm here to put God first in our nation," said Lopez, a part-time Baptist minister and a machinist.

Filing for 24 odd-numbered state senate seats, 101 state house seats, corporation commission and congress ends at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Capitol. Candidates for county offices filed at the local election board.

U.S. Rep. John Sullivan, R-Okla., also filed Monday, as did U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla.

Rep. Mike Reynolds was the first to file Monday for re-election at the Capitol.

By 7:45 a.m., a line began to form in front of tables set up for candidates.

Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, staked out his spot on Sunday. He had family members keep the spot for him overnight. He returned to the Capitol at 3 a.m.

Reynolds said this is the third consecutive year he has been the first to file.

Reynolds said he wants to show his constituents he is the first to arrive
and the last to leave.

Also in line early were Rep. John Wright, R-Broken Arrow, Rep. Jabar Shumate, D-Tulsa, Sen. Tom Adelson, D-Tulsa, and Sen. Judy Eason McIntyre, D-Tulsa.

"I want to continue the work I have been involved in, in particular education and health issues in my community," Eason McIntyre said.

Eason McIntyre said she didn't know if she would draw an opponent.

Election Board Secretary Michael Clingman expects about 400 to have filed by the close of the filing period.

Sen. Richard Lerblance, D-Hartshorne, said he filed for re-election because "we've got a lot of unfinished business."

For example, he said, lawmakers this year did not give teachers or state employees a pay raise. Lawmakers also need to address ongoing concerns with rural fire departments, roads and bridges, and the state's prison system.

Lerblance also called for an emphasis on drug rehabilitation in an effort to help relieve Oklahoma's overcrowded prison system.

"There's just a lot of work we need to do that we didn't get done this year," he said.

Sen. Nancy Riley, D-Sand Springs, filed on Monday. She expects Republican opposition. The Oklahoma Senate is divided with 24 Republicans and 24 Democrats and operates under power sharing agreement.

Her seat, Senate District 37, is among three in play as each party jockeys for control of the upper chamber.

"I am running as an underdog in a heavily populated Republican district," said Riley, who changed her party in 2006 to Democrat from Republican. She cited poor treatment by the GOP in her decision to switch.

[FOTD]

See:http://www.tulsanow.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=10234
and
http://www.tulsanow.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9545

Isn't Tom Cole head of RNC? That sez it all....he's set the stage for a November rout.

Andrew Rice for Senator.....time for a big change....