U.S. Rep. James Lankford criticized for comments on sexual orientation
Rep. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City, has come under scrutiny recently due to a video interview about his thoughts on sexual orientation and passing legislation to protect discrimination in the workplace. (more…)
Oklahomans contact representatives via Twitter about SOPA and PIPA bills
If you look at Google, you might notice the company has a chosen a black mark as its header. Usually, the header will be something interactive, colorful or relevant to the day. On Wednesday, it represented a call to action for web users to contact their senators and ask them to vote against pending legislation that would shut down websites that post or share pirated content and movies.
Oklahoma County sheriff’s deputies look for man who robbed convenience store
The Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in finding a man who robbed a convenience store Dec. 5.
Officials said the robbery occurred at a convenience store located near the intersection of I-35 & Waterloo Road. The armed man is described as 24 years of age, 5-foot-8-inches tall, weighing between 140-160 pounds and possibly has blue eyes. The man was wearing a dark jacket with large paisley emblems all over it.
If you have information regarding the robbery please contact the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office at (405) 713-1006.
Last-minute returns grant narrow state Senate victory for Reynolds
A snag at one Cleveland County precinct made the wait to declare a winner in Senate District 43 an agonizing affair. With one precinct out, it appeared Democrat David Boren might upset incumbent Republican Jim Reynolds.
But in the words of Yogi Berra, it ain’t over till it’s over.
That last precinct made all the difference. In a race where Boren led by about 200 votes, the final returns turned the tide.
Reynolds earned 1,094 votes in that precinct; Boren tallied 736. The final result:
FOR STATE SENATOR, DISTRICT NO. 43 38 OF 38
JIM REYNOLDS REP 13,826 50.29%
DAVID BOREN DEM 13,667 49.71%
Reynolds wins by the slightest of margins. That’s political drama.
Bob Doucette
McCain concedes
CHICAGO (AP) — Campaign official says McCain calls Obama to concede.
Rice concedes defeat in Senate bid
State Sen. Andrew Rice lost his hard-fought race against the longtime Republican incumbent, Jim Inhofe. Rice conceded defeat to Inhofe by phone shortly after 9 p.m. and spoke to an otherwise jubilant crowd at the Democratic watch party at 9:28 p.m.
He remained upbeat in his remarks to supporters.
“The senator ran a very aggressive, negative campaign, and he did so very early, which put us on the defensive,” Rice later told reporters. “We had to spend a lot of our money. We raised $3 million. Spent all of it.”
Despite the outcome, he said he is happy, especially about poll results suggesting Obama will win the election.
“I think his approach to government is what our country needs,” he said.
Rice said he will serve his remaining two years as a state senator and “when I’m done with that, I’ll figure out what I want to do. It may be that I’m not in politics at all. I don’t know.”
– Staff Writer Ken Raymond
AP: Sullivan a winner
John Sullivan, GOP, elected U.S. House, District 1, Oklahoma.
AP: Fallin re-elected
Mary Fallin, GOP, elected U.S. House, District 5, Oklahoma.
AP: Cole a winner
Tom Cole, GOP, elected U.S. House, District 4, Oklahoma
Excitement for Inhofe hard to contain at GOP bash
Before Sen. Jim Inhofe could speak, everyone had to be really quiet. Jerry Buchanan, a former Tulsa County Republican Party, began introducing Inhofe, but the crowd was too wound up to quiet down. Murmurs of excitement continued through the first part of the introduction. Then, an hour and a half after the senator was first spotted, Buchanan threatened to make everyone wait even longer to hear his speech.
“Should we continue this or should we wait?” he asked the crowd. “Can I please have your attention one more time?”
The talking continued until the crowd was shushed one more time. Inhofe appeared on stage to cheers and whistling, but once again, everyone was scolded.
“It’s sort of hard to hear,” the senator said. “They’re talking over on that end.”
Everyone from the quiet side of the room shot death stares to the rest of the Republican crowd. Shushing hissed across the room. The talkers canned it immediately. Then Inhofe began his speech in earnest.
Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll
