Fallin has surplus for re-election campaign
Campaign spending: Report shows congressional races had lopsided results

By Chris Casteel

Published: December 18, 2006

WASHINGTON — Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin spent more than $1.5 million to win the 5th District congressional seat, but she had enough left over for a solid head start on her 2008 re-election campaign.

Fallin, an Oklahoma City Republican, campaigned for more than a year for the post vacated by Rep. Ernest Istook, defeating five Republican hopefuls in the GOP primary and run-off and Democrat David Hunter in the general election.

Fallin raised $1.7 million from October 2005 through last month, with $1.4 million of that coming from individual donors, according to a new report at the Federal Election Commission. She raised nearly $300,000 from political action committees.

Her campaign had nearly $144,000 left at the end of November and no debts.

Despite the competitiveness of the GOP primary — Fallin faced two state lawmakers, Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett and an Edmond surgeon — and the fact that she bought media ads in the Oklahoma City market for several months, her campaign didn't set a spending record for U.S. House candidates in Oklahoma.

Rep. Dan Boren, D-Muskogee, spent $2 million in 2004 winning his eastern Oklahoma House seat. Boren had a tough primary that year but a relatively easy general election race.

Hunter, who won the nomination in the primary, spent $358,000 and had about $35,000 left over in his account at the end of November. Hunter loaned his campaign more than $90,000, and much of that debt is outstanding.

The rest of the Oklahoma congressional races had lopsided spending totals to go along with the lopsided results. All of the incumbents won easily, and all spent well above their challengers.

Federal Election Commission reports filed in the past several days show Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Cheyenne, spent 10 times more in the 2006 election cycle than his Democratic challenger Sue Barton, and that was the closest margin in the races involving incumbents. Lucas spent $358,446 in the two-year cycle, while Barton, of Tulsa, spent just under $35,000.

In the 1st District race, Rep. John Sullivan, R-Tulsa, spent about $732,000 from January 2005 through last month in his re-election bid, while Democrat Alan Gentges spent about $38,600. Boren spent $675,000 to win a second term and pay off debts from his 2004 race. His Republican opponent, Patrick Miller, never filed a report with the FEC; candidates who don't raise or spend at least $5,000 don't have to file with the commission.

Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore, spent just over $1 million in the two-year cycle, compared with $31,100 for his Democratic challenger Hal Spake of Norman. Cole's spending included tens of thousands of dollars donated to other Republican campaigns across the country. Lucas and Sullivan also made large transfers of funds to the federal Republican campaign committee.