Published: July 12, 2006 12:02 am         

Republican hopefuls spend 3 minutes on the issues in Enid

Candidates had three minutes to apprise more than 200 Republicans at Tuesday’s Enid rally of their platforms, giving way for one candidate to compare the presentations to speed dating.

It was one of the largest turnouts in memory, a rally organizer for Garfield County Republican Women said.

“Everyone has been saying this has been one of the most attended so far,” said Toni DeKock, first vice president.

Candidates for state and local positions used each second of their three minutes to stand out from among the others.

In between live auctions of Oklahoma State and University of Oklahoma football tickets and enrollment in a dessert of the month club, candidates presented their reasons for election.

Gubernatorial candidate James Williamson was the most blunt with his reasons for wanting to be elected.

“My focus is beating Brad Henry,” Williamson said. “Our state cannot stand another four years of Brad Henry.”

Committed to education and economic growth, Williamson said Oklahoma had more casinos than any other state and said Henry was using gambling as a way to fund state entities.

U.S. Congressman Ernest Istook, also vying for governor, said the election was about “leadership” and “too few people talk about personal responsibility” since Ronald Reagan left office.

“Brad Henry’s ideas are the ones that are not working,” Istook said. “We have too many government programs. We need a Republican leader in power.”

Istook also mentioned gambling, saying Henry’s idea of gambling to prosperity was never going to work.

Gubernatorial candidate Jim Evanhoff said he was not “a career politician” but did have 45 years experience solving problems as an engineer.

“I’ve never held a political office” he said, “and I consider that a plus.”

Evanhoff said too many attorneys were involved in government at levels throughout the state. Other candidates, he said, “only talk about the problems, and I want to solve them.”

Bob Sullivan said he has three goals if elected as governor. He would “greatly improve” the state’s kindergarten through 12th-grade education system, better manage the state’s budget and push for lawsuit and tort reform.

“Sideways and low level are the ways the state will move under four more years of Henry,” the Tulsa businessman said.

Scott Pruitt, seeking office as the state’s lieutenant governor, complimented Enid’s David Allen Memorial Ballpark.

“It reminds a lot of Bricktown,” said Pruitt, part owner of Oklahoma City RedHawks.

“Money was going to be a big issue for the state” in the next four years, he said, and he is for less government.

“We need to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ dollar,” Pruitt said.

Nancy Riley said she would fight for the state as an ambassador.

“The state of Oklahoma needs an ambassador now more than ever,” the lieutenant governor candidate said.

She said Oklahoma’s politicians needed to “stop shooting themselves in the foot” by focusing on the negatives and rely more on the positives to promote the state to possible sources of economic growth.

House Speaker Todd Hiett praised the accomplishments from the 2006 legislative session and said he would carry that into the lieutenant governor’s post, if elected.

“We did what we said we were going to do, implementing the most pro-family and pro-growth agenda in state history in just two short years of Republican control of the House,” Hiett said.

Howard Barnett and Daniel Keating both said the role of the state’s treasurer is important.

Barnett, a first-time candidate and Tulsa businessman, said current Treasurer Scott Meacham was appointed to his position and never had to run for it.

“I want to take this office back,” Barnett said. “As the CEO of a public company, I know what it’s like to have strangers trust you with their money. I’ve proven the state can trust me with its money.”

Keating said he had been in banking and finance his entire adult life.

The veteran said tattooing and gambling have brought state revenues at too high a moral cost. Keating, brother of former Gov. Frank Keating, said the state treasurer should be a source of growth for state’s economy.

“We need the treasurer’s office to be an engine for economic development,” he said.

James Dunn, who will oppose Attorney General Drew Edmondson in November, said he was running for a simple reason.

“I am running because Oklahoma needs a change,” Dunn said. “It’s the one office that can bring back honest, moral government.”

Dunn said if elected, his first order would be to dismiss a lawsuit against eastern Oklahoma poultry farmers. Dunn said he would fight the ACLU when they come to the state to prevent the state’s children from praying in school.

Talh Willard, seeking election as insurance commissioner, said he wanted to replace an official “handpicked by a Democrat” and stressed the importance of the office.

“We touch your life from the time you are born until the day you die,” Willard said.

Bill Case, also seeking the insurance commissioner’s position, said he never thought he’d get involved in politics, but friends insisted he get involved locally, and it grew from there.

Speaking of experience, Case said, “I’m the only licensed insurance agent in the race.”

Gary Jones, seeking the state auditor’s position, said, “We’re on the verge of having the biggest political scandal ... and he’s (current state auditor Jeff McMahan) in on it.”

Jones said he was warned of running a “dirty campaign” but said McMahan would be implicated by the truth.

“He’s going to tell you we’re spreading lies about him,” Jones said, “But the truth will speak for itself.”

Bill Crozier, seeking office as superintendent of public institution, said his qualifications came from being a teacher and knowing what it takes to educate.

“We’re going to make sure everyone in Oklahoma’s schools can read and write,” he said.

Crozier also said if elected, he would push for better teacher pay and support the No Child Left Behind Act.