Temporarily Embarrassed in Oklahoma

 Socialism never took root in Ameriica because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires.

Ronald Wright

And so it was yesterday here in Oklahoma. Yesterday the state held its primary elections. Oklahoma has a closed primary, meaning when it comes state offices and Congressional seats democrats can only vote for democratic hopefuls, republicans can only vote for republicans, and independents can stay home until November. That was the case yesterday with one exception. 

State Question 832 was on a sperate ballot handed to both democrats and republicans. In addition, if independents wanted, they could vote on this single issue. Unless you are Elon Musk or the ghost of John D. Rockefeller SQ 832 cannot be considered a prime slice of socialism. It didn't guarantee medical care, and it certainly wasn't designed to provide state sponsored affordable housing. If passed the question would have raised the state's minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $15 an hour. Not all at once, but through smaller increases spread out over three years. 

It was rejected 55.4% to 44.6%, proving Ronald Wright's assessment is still dead-on target. Further proof is provided by looking at county by county results. State Question 832 passed in the states three most populous counties and arguably richest. The measure carried in Oklahoma, Cleveland, and Tulsa counties. It came reasonably close in Commanche County, home to Lawton, the state's largest town not in either the Tulsa or OKC metro areas. In the 74 remaining counties, the losses were staggering. From McCurtain County in the southeastern corner--72.6% no, to Beaver County in the panhandle--85.3% no. In Garfield County up north--70.2% no, and in Bryan County in the south--62.2% no.  

Such is the fate of any idea, or candidate considered even faintly progressive in a statewide election in Oklahoma. 

Meanwhile, on the GOP side of things were only slightly less depressing. The republican gubernatorial primary saw five different candidates spending wads of cash and getting a lot of help from sources unknown. Gertner Drummond, brother-in-law to the Food Network celebrity, Ree Drummond (aka the Pioneer Woman) barely edged out Mike Mazzei, who was endorsed by Donald by God Trump himself. Both candidates had been frequently and savagely attacked in TV ads paid for by dark money groups. Mazzei, especially despite the endorsement, was accused by anonymous people of being some sort of democratic mole who was a secret supporter of Hillary Clinton. (Yes, the mere mention of her name still drives MAGA types into fits of uncontrollable rage.) 

Mazzei and Drummond each received a little over 26% of the votes cast, forcing a runoff later this year. Chip Keating, the son of former Governor, Frank Keating, who had promised to build a world class multi bazillion dollar energy research center named after Trump, won a little over 18%.    

In the end, all five of these clowns repeatedly pledged allegiance to the Holy Fat Man, although interestingly, it was the two candidates who were the most restrained about it who will face each other in the runoffs. The other three, who used dark money in repeated character and political attack ads are going home to figure out what went wrong. 

Finally, in Oklahoma's 5th Congressional District, iron worker and union man, Trey Martin faced off against educator, Jena Nelson in the democratic primary. Martin apparently had some semi-serious labor money backing him. His TV spots were more frequent and every time I opened my mailbox there was one of his mailers. He even had what identified itself as the League of Labor Voters manning phone banks, calling registered democrats in the district. Actually, the guy had me at the first mailer I saw. I mean any politician in Oklahoma who has the incredible audacity to boast about his union activism and an endorsement by Senator Bernie Sandders, is my kind of crazy.  

Unfortunately, my kind of crazy hardly ever wins. Nelson, who ran a low-key campaign in comparison won with 56.7% of the vote. She will now face the republican incumbent, Stephanie Bice in November. The Oklahoma 5th District is the last congressional district that was won by a democrat, however thanks to some, let's say, creative boundary drawing by republicans it is still a tough nut to crack. 

The truth is, while there might be a blue wave in other locales this November, Oklahoma will remain a bright red rock with no signs of erosion. That's because in Oklahoma, even though not all of the nearly two and a half million voters consider themselves, "temporarily embarrassed millionaires," far too many do and always will. 

6-17-26