Shame on Oklahoma Democrats

[GG]

I guess the Oklahoma Democratic party has written off Owasso/North Tulsa county and parts of Rogers County.  

They did not bother to field a candidate in the House District 74 or Senate District 34 races.  

So those of us that are registered Republicans will select our State Representative and State Senator for the next 2 and 4 years to represent this area with no input from a sizable portion of the population.  

On some levels I'm thinking "hell yeah"!   But then on some levels it makes me sad that the election process in our State  has fell on such hard times.  Maybe it's the economy and viable Democrat candidates could not raise the money to jump in to make a competitive run for the legislature.

My wife is a registered Democrat and she will have no input what so ever in this election process.  She was not happy with me when I gleefully point this out to her tonight. Her only recourse will to pull up the David Derby and Rick Brinkly signs I put  out in the yard.  

[Ed W]

People get the government they deserve...

[Jammie]

It's frustrating. We are having the same problem up here at a local level and a state level. We only had one candidate who was willing to run against John Thune. He didn't end up having enough signatures so Thune will be a shoe-in. So in answer to your question~it isn't just a local thing and appears to be happening nationwide.

[eDuece]

The answer is as close as your favorite conservative talk radio station.
   Suppose, for whatever reason, you felt being an old time Democrat was kind of a family tradition and that perhaps running for some local office might be interesting and a good thing, why would you even consider campaigning and subjecting your self to those shouting placard waving Tea Party and Glen Beck  folks we saw on tv and at David Boren's Town Halls.
   Maybe all you want to do is run for auditor or local district rep but as a Democrat you've become a symbol and a lightning rod for all that talk radio conservative hate and scorn that's out there. For the few bucks that those jobs pay, why not let the Republican have it. Currently, in this reddest of red states, he's going to win anyway.

[cynical]

Unreliablesource is absolutely correct.  The Democrats need to run someone.  Some of us can remember when the GOP was a non-player on the state level.  No Republican had ever been governor.  The Democratic Party had solid majorities in both houses of the state legislature.  The Republicans established a policy of running someone, anyone, in every race.  A warm body who resided in the relevant district who was registered Republican for long enough was good enough.  They realized two benefits from this approach.  First, they chipped away at the Democrats' lead, and second, they developed a lot of tough, seasoned campaigners who weren't afraid of people calling them names.  Of course the passage of term limits had a huge effect, but the trend started long before. 

[eDuece]

The current political climate is way beyond those happy days in Oklahoma you refer to when Democrat meant farmers, blue collar guys  and county sheriffs and  Republicans could run for office and were still considered good folks if a little misguided..
   The days when our uncles and grandparents could argue politics and whether a Ford, a Chevy or a Dodge was a better car are gone forever. In case you haven't noticed, there's no middle ground in politics anymore.
   Try discussing politics with some Tea Party or 912 conservatives at a rally and you're as likely to get hit over the head with a picket sign as have an exchange of view points.
   Who wants to be considered a liberal left wing pinko socialist out to destroy America and the Constitution just for a job with the county or state?

[SXSW]

As an Oklahoma Democrat it is very discouraging.  I may just have to run someday but I would probably be too liberal to get elected.  I'm actually very moderate but would be labeled liberal. 

[Red Arrow]

Moderate is in the eye of the beholder, both sides of the fence.

[Ed W]

Would an open primary system bring more people into political campaigns, as was argued for California's change to an open primary, or would it lead to cross over voting for an obviously unprepared candidate as we saw last week in South Carolina?

[Red Arrow]

An open primary has the potential to lower the quality of all candidates as cross over voting would enable the worst candidate in both parties to be in the general election.  So, you might get more participation but not like the results.

[Nik]

Disappointed in the Tulsa da's race as well

[joiei]

As an Oklahoma Democrat it is very discouraging.  I may just have to run someday but I would probably be too liberal to get elected.  I'm actually very moderate but would be labeled liberal. 

In spite of how normal and moderate you are, they would put you at the far end of the left wing program.   After all, weren't programs the name for the Soviet policies that the Red Staters love to label us with. 

[SXSW]

A moderate/liberal Democrat can get elected at the city council and state house/senate level in midtown's more left-leaning districts, as well on the north and east sides.  Mayor is very possible but harder, as Tom Adelson found out even though he was far more qualified than Bartlett.  A moderate/conservative Democrat can get elected governor, like Brad Henry.  US House/Senate and obviously President is downright impossible, at least right now. 

[Red Arrow]

A moderate/liberal Democrat can get elected at the city council and state house/senate level in midtown's more left-leaning districts, as well on the north and east sides.  Mayor is very possible but harder, as Tom Adelson found out even though he was far more qualified than Bartlett.  A moderate/conservative Democrat can get elected governor, like Brad Henry.  US House/Senate and obviously President is downright impossible, at least right now. 

Last time I checked, Boren is still registered as a Democrat.  A moderate/conservative Democrat would have a chance for the US House or Senate.  Unfortunately for you, your perception of a moderate/conservative Democrat is most likely different than many Oklahoma voters for a national level office.  The possibility of the Democrats putting up a moderate/conservative for President is about as likely as the Republicans  putting up a moderate/liberal.  For local and state level office, a reasonable (in my opinion) Democrat has as good or better chance than a Republican.  Especially after the last session of the State Legislature. What a bunch of doozies.

[Gaspar]

People get the government they deserve...

Post of the year!

Or at least the next 3 years.