I have a question that I would like to have an answer to, concerning Randy
Brogdon. I did support him for the Republican nomination for governor of Oklahoma, but I made it clear on this blog that if Mary Fallin won the primary, I would support her with no reservations. I felt they were both good, conservative candidates. When I wrote those words, I thought they would and should go for Brogdon, if he should lose the primary. He did lose to Fallin, but as of this morning, he has failed to endorse her in the governor’s race. When asked about his endorsement by reporters on election night, he said he was going to take some time off to think about endorsing the woman who defeated him quite handily. That leaves me wondering why.
I am not the only one who is puzzled by Brogdon’s decision. Oklahoma Watchdog and The McCarville Report both have articles that question why he has failed to offer a quick and decisive endorsement of Fallin. Here is part of what Andrew W. Griffin had to say in his article on Oklahoma Watchdog.
Brogdon, the Owasso Republican, was beaten pretty handily by Fallin and that was expected according to numerous pre-primary polls. He had to know this is the way it would turn out. Yet, when The Oklahoman interviewed Brogdon after Fallin had been declared the victor, Brogdon did not offer his endorsement. He said he would think about it.
This is surprising and it should be of concern to the Republicans. Is Brogdon taking his ball and going home in a huff? He has still not offered his endorsement. Will fellow Brogdon supporters sit this one out, giving the Democrats a stronger shot at leading the agenda?
Clearly, the Democrats in Oklahoma are coming together. And Askins is a solid and likable candidate. She did well in areas that Edmondson was expected to take, like in northeastern Oklahoma. This is an historic occasion having two women running for governor in a state that has never elected a woman as governor.
Let me echo what Griffin wrote and offer my own thoughts. It troubles me that Randy Brogdon seems to be such a sore loser. I do not intend to sound mean-spirited or mad at the man, but there is no time for politics such as this. If he is serious about having a conservative Republican in the governor’s office in Oklahoma, then he should not think twice about endorsing Mary Fallin.
I know Brogdon ran a very spirited campaign and he put a lot of time and effort into it. He is sure to feel disappointed and let down that he did not win, but as Griffin points out, he had to have seen this coming. Despite of his differences with Fallin on constitutional issues, he needs to get behind her and help push her towards a conservative Republican victory in November as the first woman governor of Oklahoma. If he does anything less, then shame on him.
Uh, maybe he’s out of town. Has anyone thought about that?
Maybe his principles won’t allow him to endorse Mary, who he may think has compromised principles.
Oh great, then let’s just plan on electing a Democrat who shares none of our passion for conservative governing.
To endorse Mary Fallin would be going against everything he believes in. He would lose alot of credibility just to make a small group of people happy.
I think it is honorable that he is still standing up for what he believes in and not cowarding down and endorsing.
You are projecting your thoughts that he is sore loser, maybe he is unsure of Mary’s “true” conservative credentials, maybe he thinks Jari would be an actual better choice, maybe he does not have respect for Mary. Blindly choosing and R or D seems foolish. Mary did a number of things in Washington that had Tea Party Conservatives rolling their eyes.
Thanks for your comment, David.
This has nothing to do with blindly choosing a Republican or Democrat and everything to do with putting the person in the office of Governor of Oklahoma. As I said, I did support Randy Brogdon, but he lost the election. The best person now running is Fallin, if you want a conservative governor in our state. If he believes Jari Askins would be the better choice, then so be it, but that would go against the conservative stances he has taken. I can’t see him leaning in that direction, but I could be wrong.
I was and am a Brogdon supporter. I don’t think that it is being a “sore loser” to say that someone needs to consider what comes next. I for one have thought about it and cannot, at this time, give support to Mary Fallin.
Mary refused to entertain the idea of debating the issues with Randy. She scoffed at questions from both Mark Shannon and Pat Campbell about her voting record. I don’t believe Conservatives should be afraid of discussing issues like that, and I certainly don’t think “conservative leaders” should be.
Mary went so far in hiding from debates that she and Matt Pernell actually tried to have a debate, so long as Mary could have a surrogate on stage instead of appearing herself.
Mary may win me over, but she will first have to regain my respect and trust. While I don’t revel the idea of four more years of Demecrat leadership in Oklahoma, I have to say that it may be more appealing to me than eight years with no real leadership at all.
Again, I’m a lifelong Republican and I don’t like the position I feel Mary has left conservatives in… You may call that “sour grapes” but I call it having to sleep in the bed she chose to make.
-Jake Terral
Great then let’s have 4-8 more years of Obama’s boot on our necks. I was a Brogdon supporter also, but Mary is not the moderate people have made her out to be. I hope State Senator Brogdon is the statesman I believe him to be, and endorses Mary Fallin without reservation and promptly.
Thanks for your comment, Jake.
Concerning Mary Fallin and her voting record, has she not said she regrets the yes vote for the first bailout package? She is not the only one who has said that, as Senator John Thune voted for it and has said it was a mistake. According to him, members of Congress were misled about what the bailout would do and how it would be implemented. I think there is a lot more to this story than just a simple yes or no vote.
I can not answer the accusations you have made about Mary hiding from debates and refusing to debate Randy. I have heard those stories, but have not had the time to research them. Regardless, I still think voting for her would be better than having another eight years of Democratic leadership in Oklahoma City.
I can certainly see your point, John. I don’t despise Mary Fallin, but I liked Brogdon a LOT better than I do her. I volunteered for his campaign, and was at my polling place 30 minutes before it opened. I was THAT excited about the prospect of him possibly being Governor. Yet, I can’t help being troubled by his silence on the issue of endorsing Fallin. In November, Oklahoma’s next Governor will be either Fallin or an Obama-loving Democrat. Thus, while I’m definitely not wild about Fallin, I’m going to vote for her over Askins without any hesitation at all.
You know what I fear most? Really, truly am apprehensive about? I’m fearful that Brogdon will decide to run as a third-party candidate, thereby splitting the vote and handing the governorship to Askins. THIS MUST NOT HAPPEN. (This is just my opinion, of course ….)
Thanks for your comment, Air Force Brat. I sincerely hope your fear of Brogdon running as a third-party candidate does not come to fruition. If it does, Jari Askins is almost assured of winning in November.
Too late to file as a third party candidate.
Oh thank goodness, David! Thanks for the info.
An endorsement of Fallin would be an endorsement of her liberal, big government spending, bailout voter ways. Why should a man of principle like Randy Brogdon compromise those principles by giving an endorsement to a person who governs the way Mary Fallin does? In reality, the people who are insinuating that Randy Brogdon is behaving like a child for withholding an endorsement of Mary Fallin are in fact themselves the ones who are behaving childishly.
We are all getting very tired of the “politics as usual” candidates being handed to us by the two major political parties; hence the reason the Tea Party endorsed a candidate like Randy Brogdon over Mary Fallin to begin with.
Clarification: the “Tea Party” is not a centralized group that issues endorsement. A few individual Tea Party groups may have endorsed Randy, but you can’t say that the Tea Party movement as a whole endorsed (or endorses) any specific candidate.
Correction: The Tea Party movement as a whole (at least in Oklahoma) DID in fact endorse Randy Brogdon for governor. The Oklahoma Constitutional Alliance (OCA) is comprised of Tea Party groups (and Tea Party-minded groups) from all over the state, and as I wrote above, they did endorse Randy Brogdon.
Now there may or may not be some small Tea Party group somwhere in the state that did not endorse Randy, but considering the overwhelming endorsement from the major Tea Party groups listed below, your argument that the Tea Party didn’t support him as whole simply does not hold water and is more about splitting hairs than the knowing the truth.
“The Oklahoma Constitutional Alliance (OCA) has endorsed Randy Brogdon for Governor. OCA groups include Sooner Tea Party, Ada Tea Party, Tulsa 912, REPO, Radio Free Oklahoma, South Tulsa 912 Project, OKforTea, ROPE, OKC 912, Oklahoma Second Amendment Association, Oklahoma Tenth Amendment Association, AXxiom For Liberty, Shawnee Tecumseh 912, Lincoln County 912, OCPAC, Kill The MAPS III Tax, Moore/Norman 912 Project, As A Mom, FAIR TAX, and Tea Party PAC. OCA groups organized under 501-C3 status do not participate in endorsing candidates.”
I’m a member of 9-12 and a Tea Partier. While I supported Brogdon, I am happily supporting Mary Fallin now. I refuse to believe that MOST members of those groups would do otherwise. Who the heck wants a Democrat governor for 4-8 more years. Haven’t we had enough?
You can’t say that the “Tea Party movement as a whole” endorsed unless the Tea Party movement as a whole did endorse. I could name to you at least a half dozen Tea Party groups just in eastern Oklahoma that did not endorse any candidate (and that’s just off the top of my head, with no real thinking).
The OCA has only five actual Tea Party groups, six 9-12 groups, and six single-issue-based groups (plus a PAC, a blog, and a few 501(c)(3)’s). That’s not the entire Tea Party movement in Oklahoma, or anywhere close to it.
Mary even spoke at a Cleveland County Tea Party. Then again, that’s Cleveland County for you. They call themselves Republicans and conservatives, but can’t adequately define either term for you. They also have serious problems with ethics in the persons of their chair, vice chair and two wannabe tough-guy goons that do their dirty work for them.
Thanks for your comment, Bryan.
Concerning your statements about Fallin’s way of governing, I suggest you read my reply to Jake. There is much more to the story of her voting yes on the bailout than just a simple yes or no vote. I disagree that an endorsement by Randy would be compromising his principles. Is not Mary Fallin’s conservative principles closer to Brogdon’s than is Jari Askins? At the very least, it is something to consider.
And no, I am not behaving childishly by asking these questions.
Right on, Larry. Randy knows from personal experience that we cannot afford another four years with a Democrat governor. He knows that.
Mary Fallin isn’t perfect, and she’s not as conservative as Randy Brogdon, but she sure isn’t a liberal like Jari Askins. We can accomplish a whole lot more towards conservative goals with a Fallin governorship than we will with an Askins governorship.
Randy, for the good of the state, please endorse Mary Fallin. You don’t have to campaign for her, but please publicly support her. Too much is at stake here to ‘take your toys and go home’.
Jamison Faught and all of you so-called “unbiased” bloggers out there need to take a powder. You wouldn’t know loyal party politics if it jumped up and bit you on the hind end.
Jamison – YOU are only in it for YOU and we long-time party folks KNOW THAT. We all know you fancy your father’s House seat when he terms. Well, buddy you have made enemies with your shill blog that you will not know up until the time you put your name on the ballot.
As for the shill who calls himself the Watchdog – he is nothing but a hired guy for those he supports. He went after Sen. Brogdon but didn’t get very far unlike the hack job he did on Pruitt! Anyne with a BRAIN could look and see that ol’ Andrew is a Mary Fallen CONTRIBUTOR.
For yours and all of you idiot blogger’s information, sources close to both camps are telling me that Senator Brogdon (only his friends call him Randy, Jamison and YOU are not a friend!) has been talking to Rep. Fallin every day since the Primary. It is between the two of them and not the idiot bloggers of the world who woke up one day and deemed themselves a news source!
Both sides know this is happening so what’s with all the whining? Why don’t all you idiot bloggers get a REAL job and leave the rest of we REAL party activists in peace! BUTT OUT!
Thanks for your comment, Hannah, but a word of warning. I do not tolerate personal attacks on this blog. Disagree with me all you want, but do not call me or anyone else names. Continuing on that track will get you nowhere but banned.
I never claimed to be a news source, but I do have the right to voice my commentary and thoughts on the issues. Disagreeing with how Randy Brogdon is handling this does not make me or anyone else an idiot. As for your information that Brogdon and Fallin have been talking since the primary, that is good news, if it is the truth. I will be glad to write about it, once more information becomes available.
For your information, I have a real job, at which I have been working all day. That is why I am only just now replying to your comment. (Which was rather rude, by the way.) That makes me no less of a member of the Republican Party than you and no, I will not butt out. I have as much right to voice my opinion as anyone else.
I’m not going to respond to your accusations, because I don’t want to hijack Larry’s post, and because your points are almost laughable.
Right on, Jamison. We can’t afford 8 more years of a Democrat Governor (Jari Askins).
How can somebody who has a 96% cumulative conservative voting record from the ACU in 4 years in Congress be considered a liberal?
We need a GOP governor to go with our GOP legislature especially with redistricting coming up after the 2010 census. We need a Republican governor too that won’t veto most of the conservative bills the legislature passes like “Blackjack” Henry has. And a conservative Governor who’ll give us real leadership for a change (not Obama-style Change). We need a governor (and AG) who’ll push back hard against the Obama agenda (health care and immigration).
We don’t need another Gary Richardson to help elect Jaskins.
Mary is just as conservative as Randy, she’s just not unreasonably extreme on some issues and she thinks before she speaks.
I’m one TEA Partier, Goldwaterite, Reaganite conservative who supports Mary Fallin for Governor 2010! Not all of the Tea Party was for Brogdon! If Jari Askins wins then I’ll know who it was who helped put her in office. You’ve got to think about advancing the American Conservative Movement overall rather than just one specific candidate.
I hope your voice of reason prevails. The rhetoric here is disturbing and alienating. It almost makes me regret my vote for State Senator Brogdon.
Mary will be too busy trying to schmooze and get more money in her coffers from big spending donors, as well as paying them off for this win, to govern like a true Republican. She’ll be all about inclusion and reaching out to the Democrats. If Askins wins, we’ll have another Republican governor in 4 years. If Fallin wins, it will be another 20.
Jamison,
Could your sudden support of Mary be “politics as usual?” You’ve publically stated that redistricting is too important to leave to the Demecrats. Is that out love for party or personal fear that an angry Mary or a devoted Jari might make it more difficult for you to be heir apparent to your daddy’s seat?
Randy Brogdon should do what he has ALWAYS done, and that is stand on principle. Regardless of his decesion, I will continue to respect him. What I won’t respect is political hacks who jump from candidate to candidate for personal gain. I voted for Randy on issues, the same issues to which Mary’s response was and is ” no comment.”
Wow. I really don’t quite know how to respond to your allegations… but let me take a stab at it.
Could your sudden support of Mary be “politics as usual?”
My candidate lost, and I’m getting over it. That’s life.
You’ve publically stated that redistricting is too important to leave to the Demecrats.
Yes, it is too important.
Is that out love for party or personal fear that an angry Mary or a devoted Jari might make it more difficult for you to be heir apparent to your daddy’s seat?
Wow. First of all, I have done a lot for the GOP here in eastern Oklahoma – I want to grow the party. In fact, I’m heading down to Durant this afternoon to help two GOP candidates who are running in entrenched Democrat areas. What are you doing for the Party?
Second, what does my dad have anything to do with this issue?! And ‘heir apparent’? Besides, hat makes you think I even WANT to run for office, having seen it from the inside??
What I won’t respect is political hacks who jump from candidate to candidate for personal gain.
I’m going to assume that was aimed at me (correct me if I’m wrong). Personal gain? Show me what “personal gain” I am getting for “jumping” from my candidate (who just lost the primary) to the party nominee. Really, I’d like to know.
Besides, back to redistricting and your ludicrous mentioning of my dad’s seat, redistricting wouldn’t help (or hurt) Republicans in HD14. Only 25% of voters are registered Republicans here, and it’s 23% countywide.
Oklahoma Tea Parties Endorse Randy Brogdon For Governor: http://www.newson6.com/global/story.asp?s=12679578
Mary Fallin has a hard time being true. And I’m not just talking about marital vows here, although I could. I’m talking about the ideals she claims to hold. At first she said she didn’t know if a 10th Amendment resolution was a good thing or not, and she’d have to consult the Attorney General. A few weeks later, she was more pro-10th Amendment than Brogdon, to hear her tell it, and always had been. She demonstrated that she knows less than nothing about our Constitution when she said that the part that gives us a Congress gives Congress the right to do whatever it darn well pleases. Mary will say and do whatever gets Mary the most money, power or attention. She’s no more conservative than Barak Obama, she is just nominally more pro-life. Whether you agree with her principles or not, Jari has them and will abide by them, whether anyone is looking or not.
My sentiments exactly, to all of the Randy Brogdon supporters. I worked my butt off in LeFlore County and no one is more disappointed than me that he did not win as decisively statewide as he did here.
Mary Fallin’s success in November is not going to depend on Randy Brogdon’s endorsement.
I admire Randy for being “tight lipped” the same way I admire Tom Tancredo for not endorsing John McCain.
I will vote for the most conservative candidate on the ticket and there is no doubt who that will be. My efforts between now and November 2 will be in getting the Republican candidates for State Office elected.
I am sure Randy will do the same.