A RARE thing it is for the Oklahoma governor’s race to feature only veteran politicians with established voting records and broad name recognition as the campaign began.
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Four years ago, Democrat Brad Henry came out of obscurity to topple a former football star and congressman. As Henry seeks a second term, he again faces a member of Congress.
Republican Ernest Istook is punting a safe seat to take on Henry in a campaign that’s gained yards only in recent days. Istook has struggled all year to overcome lesser name ID and lower campaign funds. Even many Republican officeholders privately say they won’t bet against the governor’s chances.
Istook has scored an upset before. As a little-known state lawmaker in 1992, he beat incumbent Mickey Edwards in the Republican primary to represent the state’s 5th District in Congress. Can he do it again?
Blocking his run lanes is a man who’s not only popular but has managed to discomfit his allies at times and comfort his political enemies at others. Wags would say this makes Henry an appeaser, but don’t discount the desire of voters for less political posturing, which delayed the end of the 2006 legislative session.
Henry’s first-term legacy centers on education. He won a hard fight for a state lottery that benefits schools. He pushed a bond issue to pay for upgrades at colleges and universities. Expediency dictated that he sign off on a teacher pay raise that was higher than he said he wanted.
Istook has much to boast about concerning his seven terms in Congress. His core conservative values kept voters eager to send him back time after time.
And now it’s down to these two men and 10 days until the election. Without endorsing either, we urge voters to consider what the next governor will be and should be.
He will be the man presiding over Oklahoma’s 100th birthday party, including events that will garner national note. He needs to take us into the second century by jettisoning the attitude that government exists to preserve the status quo and grow public jobs rather than increase private payrolls. He should embrace positions that are perhaps unpopular in his own party — tort reform, for instance, in Henry’s case; boosting public schools, in Istook’s.
The next governor must work to remove barriers that put the state at a disadvantage — crumbling roads, low college participation rates, poor health profiles, low per capita personal income and an individual income tax rate that’s off-putting to entrepreneurs.
Two good men are on the ballot. Both need to mature as statesmen and leaders. Each is a known quantity. When voting Nov. 7, think not of next year or the next four.
Think of the next 100.
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