House Republicans may face an uphill battle

By Michael McNutt

Published: June 8, 2008

Squashing public debate this past legislative session may cost Republicans a couple of seats in the state House of Representatives, the chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party said.

"One of the things that we are going to campaign on is what we felt like was the lack of democracy in the House leadership on hearing bills, debating bills,” Ivan Holmes said.

Holmes said Democrats could pick up six to 10 seats.

Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman Gary Jones said Republicans will at least hold onto its 57-44 advantage in the House and could pick up some seats.

"It's going to be a very spirited election season,” he said. "At the end of the day we'll probably about break even or maybe pick up a few seats.”

Democrats, also energized by young voters registering because of the zeal of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, may win enough seats to reclaim the majority in the House of Representatives, which they lost in the general election four years ago, Holmes said.

Jones said he expects more Democrats will vote for the Republicans presidential candidate, John McCain.

YouTube Web site in which Kern called homosexuality "the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam.”

Jones agreed that could be an issue.

"It's definitely caused people to take notice, but I will tell you there are people on both sides of that issue,” he said. "There'll be a lot of people that come to Sally's side and stand with her on the issue. Quite obviously it's an emotional issue on both sides.”

During the past session, a House Republican committee chairman twice prevented parents of autistic children from speaking on whether health insurance companies should be forced to provide autism treatment coverage and another House Republican committee chairman refused to let the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation speak against a proposal to make English the state's official language.

Jones said similar complaints were made when Democrats controlled the House for 80 years until 2004.

Democrats so far have an edge in trying to reclaim the majority — 20 of the 33 unopposed candidates are Democrats. The remaining 13 are Republicans.

Holmes said nearly 30 House seats went uncontested in 2006, so Democrats made an effort to recruit candidates this year.

Seven Republicans — including former House Speaker Lance Cargill and two powerful House committee chairmen — and one Democrat decided not to seek re-election.

Cargill, R-Harrah, stepped down from the speaker's office just before the start of this year's legislative session because of personal tax problems.

The state Ethics Commission also is believed to be investigating whether Cargill had anything to do with how political checks intended for the Oklahoma Republican Party instead went to the Oklahoma County Republican Party in 2004. Cargill has denied wrongdoing.

House Democratic leader Danny Morgan — who did not draw an opponent — said Democrats will make gains.

"We're going to be very pleased when this election cycle is over with the gains that we make,” said Morgan, of Prague.

House Speaker Chris Benge, who has a GOP opponent, said Republicans should hold onto the majority.

"We still are in a very good position to expand our majority from the 57 members that we currently have,” said Benge, R-Tulsa."I still feel very confident that we'll end up expanding our majority this election year.”

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