Holt elected president of U.S. Conference of Mayors

[bombermwc]

I actually recently send Mayor Holt an email encouraging him to run for governor (so he can help restore some respect to that office that's been lacking since before Failin'). He didn't come right out and say it, but I dont think he has any current plans to pursue this. The environment today where the crazier the person is, the more people pay attention to them, is not his style. He's, unfortunately, accurate in that. It's too bad because i think he would do much better than Cornett (who shot himself in the foot during the teacher's strike).

[April in the Plaza]

I actually recently send Mayor Holt an email encouraging him to run for governor (so he can help restore some respect to that office that's been lacking since before Failin'). He didn't come right out and say it, but I dont think he has any current plans to pursue this. The environment today where the crazier the person is, the more people pay attention to them, is not his style. He's, unfortunately, accurate in that. It's too bad because i think he would do much better than Cornett (who shot himself in the foot during the teacher's strike).

he's a fairly data driven guy (in that he tends to let it drive his decision making), and the available data shows he has zero chance of winning the governorship or a senate seat any time soon.

also, the governorship would see him faced with considerably thornier questions (i.e., no one is handing him an abortion bill right now, etc.). would be much more difficult for him to play the "cool governor" role.

[bombermwc]

Yeah well he would also restore a lot of respect to the office and level-headedness that's been lacking since Failn' started. The office has become a joke. I won't say anyone can do better than we've had because sure as I say that, the R party will elect someone in a "hold my beer" move.

[Laramie]

Honestly, if Cornett hadn't resorted to his "Bull-Stitt" campaign, he very likely would have won the GOP runoff. But he went low, and the rural uber-Christians didn't like it, and made the difference.

Agree, whoever had the idea to use the 'Bull-Stitt' campaign, IMO definitely cost Cornett the election--it was in poor taste.

[Plutonic Panda]

Agree, whoever had the idea to use the 'Bull-Stitt' campaign, IMO definitely cost Cornett the election--it was in poor taste.

So they didn’t like distasteful comments from Cornett but they voted for Trump. Makes tons of sense.

[chssooner]

So they didn’t like distasteful comments from Cornett but they voted for Trump. Makes tons of sense.

One bashed a fellow Republican, while the other bashed liberals, for the most part. But yes, it cost Cornett dearly.

[GoGators]

One bashed a fellow Republican, while the other bashed liberals, for the most part. But yes, it cost Cornett dearly.

Cornett lost the rural vote because he was a moderate “big city” mayor with political experience. Bull-Stitt had exactly zero effect on the outcome. It’s the same reason why Holt won’t run now. The political climate won’t allow it.

[Jersey Boss]

One bashed a fellow Republican, while the other bashed liberals, for the most part. But yes, it cost Cornett dearly.

Umm, in a closed primary there is no one to "bash" other than fellow party members, in this case fellow Republicans.

[Jersey Boss]

Agree, whoever had the idea to use the 'Bull-Stitt' campaign, IMO definitely cost Cornett the election--it was in poor taste.

Have you not seen political ads in the post Willie Horton era of politics. Blame Lee Atwater.

[Plutonic Panda]

Cornett lost the rural vote because he was a moderate “big city” mayor with political experience. Bull-Stitt had exactly zero effect on the outcome. It’s the same reason why Holt won’t run now. The political climate won’t allow it.

Yeah I’m betting this is more than likely the case. I’m not buying that the bullstitt thing had anything to do with it. I believe Trump has also bashed and mocked fellow republicans as well.

[Bunty]

he will have a very very hard time ever winning a state wide republican primary

Holt issued a pro-Gay Pride welcoming statement, so that won't help him in rural areas. Maybe he discouraged legislators from passing the bill that banned drag queens from performing in public.

[Bunty]

Honestly that wouldn’t be as much of an issue if the city people would get off their asses and vote but they won’t. We’ll continue to have pathetic voter turnout.

There is no guarantee doing that would affect the outcome of elections unless perhaps the election was going to be close from a low turnout.

Much of rural Oklahoma is declining in population, so there is that for fewer voters for far-right candidates. From a couple of videos I've seen, some little rural towns, such as Gage, look like ghost towns from few if any cars parked along Main St.

[Bunty]

Dan, I believe the point he is making is if more urban voters would turn out, it could overcome the rural voters. I thought this may happen in the last gubernatorial election, but Joy did about the same as Drew did. The turnout wasn't there, particularly in Tulsa County. One would think she would have fared better in her home county but Tulsa is not as purple or blue as OKC at this point for whatever reason.

We are the opposite of a Yellow Dog state at this point. The R will win statewide no matter what. Only an intense and focused voter registration drive over several years (and possibly election cycles) will make this a competitive state.

My theory is that it's generally bad to have one-party control of a state, no matter which party. It encourages insularity and really bad laws, such as the "save oil and gas" banking law in Oklahoma that prevents municipalities from using the banks that give them the most competitive interest rate. That's not sound economics and it's not conservative -- it's reactionary. One can probably find similarly dumb laws in extremely blue states.

It is also the height of crass hypocrisy. Doing that to banks and then turn around and offer a billion in incentives to green manufacturing companies certainly won't help oil and gas companies prosper--electric cars, batteries, solar panels.

[April in the Plaza]

Yeah I’m betting this is more than likely the case. I’m not buying that the bullstitt thing had anything to do with it. I believe Trump has also bashed and mocked fellow republicans as well.

True - although people expected that sort of nonsense from Trump. But for Cornett, it seemed to be significantly off brand. To the point where folks were genuinely surprised he green lighted it.

[BoulderSooner]

Yeah I’m betting this is more than likely the case. I’m not buying that the bullstitt thing had anything to do with it. I believe Trump has also bashed and mocked fellow republicans as well.

and trump didn't win the Oklahoma republican primary ...

Cornett would have won the general .. but that is not what we are talking about ..

[bombermwc]

The rural vote in Oklahoma is extremely strong when it's motivated. That's how we ended up with another 4 years of Sh*t and Walters. The urban areas overwhelmingly went the other way in both contests. But the rural areas were absolutely R only. There's a mindset there that thinks like Walters and it was allowed out in the open by Trumplicans. The idea that you can just say whatever you want as gospel with no evidence and just claim its true, no matter how crass/unethical/or just rude.

Rural Oklahoma education is getting that it voted for and the rest of us have to suffer for it. Thankfully, there are some state legislators with brains holding Walters to the fire to back up his insane claims with actual proof. So far, he's claimed success for things that those same legislators pointed out were put in place by the previous administration. I consider it a good thing that Walters has mostly been smoke and no fire. I just hope that the rural vote wakes up next time and realizes that just because it is a Democrat, doesn't mean its evil and that it actually can be the better choice.

[BoulderSooner]

The rural vote in Oklahoma is extremely strong when it's motivated. That's how we ended up with another 4 years of Sh*t and Walters. The urban areas overwhelmingly went the other way in both contests. .

Hofmeiser won tulsa county by 415 votes ..

the only "overwhelming county was oklahoma county in the entire state to vote her way