Oklahoma Republican Party
| Republican Party | |
|---|---|
| Chairperson | Matt Pinnell |
| Senate Leader | Glenn Coffee (Oklahoma City) |
| House Leader | Kris Steele (Tulsa) |
| Founded | 1907 |
| Headquarters | Dewey F. Barlett Center 4031 N. Lincoln Blvd Oklahoma City, OK 73105 |
| Ideology | Social conservatism, Fiscal conservatism, Economic liberalism, Libertarian conservatism |
| Unofficial colors | Red |
| Political position | Fiscal: Center-right Social: Center-right |
| Seats in the US Senate |  |
| Seats in the US House |  |
| Seats in the OK Senate |  |
| Seats in the OK House |  |
| Oklahoma statewide offices held |  |
| Website | |
| Oklahoma Republican Party | |
| Politics of Oklahoma Political parties Elections |
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The Oklahoma Republican Party is an Oklahoma political party affiliated with the United States Republican Party. Along with the Oklahoma Democratic Party, it one of the two major parties in Oklahoma politics.
The party currently has a majority in the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Oklahoma Senate. It controls both U.S. Senate seats and four of the five U.S. Congressional seats. Republicans hold 3 of the 11 statewide executive offices.
Historically, the party was well-represented during the Territorial era[1], but from statehood until only recently, has been less successful than the Oklahoma Democratic Party. Only three Republicans, Henry Bellmon, Dewey F. Bartlett, and Frank Keating, have ever been elected Governor of Oklahoma. The other 22 governors have all been Democrats. However, the party has been making gains, taking control of the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 2004 and the Oklahoma Senate in 2008.
Oklahoma gave the most lopsided victory of any state to Republican John McCain in the 2008 presidential election. If Republicans win the open gubernatorial seat in 2010, Republicans would control all elected branches for the first time in state history.
The current party chairman is Matt Pinnell.
Contents |
[edit] History
Prior to statehood, Republicans held a number of seats in the Oklahoma Territorial Legislature, though governors tended to be Democratic. They tended to hold narrow majorities in the legislature at the time, but lost power due to coalitions and gubanatorial vetoes.[1]
Political infighting within the Oklahoma Republican Party on the eve of statehood resulted in only one Republican being elected to the U.S. Congress in 1907.[2]
The onset of the Great Depression and its fallout destroyed the Republican party that had been somewhat competitive since statehood, even electing one Republican United States senator.[3] It's resurgence has been attributed to Henry Bellmon, Oklahoma's first governor. Bellmon returned from World War II and campaigned for the Oklahoma House of Representatives seat in Noble County before becoming the state chairman of the Republican Party in 1960.[4] He ran for governor in 1962 and beat William P. Atkinson on a platform that focused on state finance and the end of corruption and government waste.[4]
Oklahoma voters have favored the Republican candidate for president over the Democratic candidate in every presidential election beginning in 1968. Until recently, Oklahoma Republicans have had greater success in Congressional races. Since 1994, Republicans have controlled a majority of the federal offices elected by Oklahomans. For six years from 1994 to 2000, Republicans controlled all federal offices.[3] One federal House seat turned over to Democrat Brad Carson after Republican Tom Coburn vacated it, following a self-imposed term limit. Since Carson's election, Democrats have controlled it.
The realignment of fundamentalist Christian voters has boosted the party's presence in state politics.[3] Since 2000, the Oklahoma Republican party has gained seats in the Oklahoma Legislature. In 2004, Republicans took control of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The Republicans won the Oklahoma Senate in 2006 but a party-switcher created an exact tie that was broken by Democrat Lt. Gov. Jari Askins.[5] In 2008, Republicans widened their majority in the Oklahoma House and a took control of the Oklahoma Senate, controlling both houses of the Oklahoma Legislature for the first time.
[edit] Positions
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The Oklahoma Republican party describes itself as "fiscally" and "morally" conservative.[6]
The party's 2009 platform states that all affiliated organizations should conduct their business openly and transparently, and that all candidates who seek the party's endorsement should agree with two-thirds of the platform.[6]
At the state level, the party supports lowering or eliminating the sales tax on groceries, lowering the income tax, capping property valuation increases for seniors, using vehicle fuel taxes and license fees for road and bridge repair and maintenance only, and the equalization of taxes on retirement income for all tax levels.[6]
At the national level, the party supports balancing the federal budget, eliminating the practice of inserting earmarks into legislation without open debate, and overhauling the current tax code.[6] The party opposes stimulating the economy or bailing out private entities through spending, creating "make-work" projects, enlarging federal programs that make Americans dependent on the government, strictly regulating carbon use and particulate matter emissions in the agricultural industry, and any carbon credit or mileage tax.[6]
The party opposes same-sex marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships, adoption by same-sex couples, and no-fault divorce laws.[6]
The party opposes abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem-cell research, cloning.[6]
The party supports the privatization of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.[6]
The party interprets the First Amendment as protecting all forms of religious expression and does not agree with Supreme Court interpretations of a separation of church and state.[6]
[edit] Voter base
The political success of each party in different regions of the state is tied in part to the settlement patterns of early Oklahoma history. The Oklahoma Republican party has been stronger in the northwest, which was settled out of Kansas while the Democratic party is strongest in the southeast, carrying the Democratic traditions from Texas, Arkansas and Mississippi.[3]
The Oklahoma Republican Party is usually seen as the traditionally pro-business party.[7] Republicans are about 50 percent more likely to be self-employed, and are more likely to work in the area of management.[8] The party also draw support from married couples with children living at home.[9] Unmarried and divorced women tended towards U.S. presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004.[10]
[edit] Headquarters and leadership
The headquarters of the Oklahoma Republican Party is located at 4031 North Lincoln Boulevard in Oklahoma City. Matt Pinnell, is the 37th and current party chairman. He was first elected on April 14, 2007. Local county organizations exist throughout the state.
[edit] Famous Oklahoma Republicans
- Governor Henry Bellmon
- Governor Dewey F. Bartlett
- Governor Frank Keating
- U.S. Senator Don Nickles
- Bud Wilkinson, legendary University of Oklahoma football coach (lost 1964 U.S. Senate election to Fred R. Harris)
- U.S. Representative J.C. Watts
- U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator Tom Coburn
[edit] Current Republican officeholders
[edit] United States Congress
- Senator Jim Inhofe
- Senator Tom Coburn
- Rep. John Sullivan, (Dist. 1)
- Rep. Frank Lucas, (Dist. 3)
- Rep. Tom Cole, (Dist. 4)
- Rep. Mary Fallin, (Dist. 5)
[edit] State officials
[edit] City officials
[edit] See also
- Republican Party
- Oklahoma Democratic Party
- Politics of Oklahoma
- Oklahoma's congressional districts
- Oklahoma
[edit] References
- ^ a b Oklahoma Territorial Legislature
- ^ Carney, George O., "McGuire, Bird Segle (1865-1930)," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture (accessed May 28, 2010).
- ^ a b c d Gaddie, Ronald Keith. "Republican Party," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture (accessed February 11, 2010).
- ^ a b Hanneman, Carolyn G. Bellmon, Henry Louis (1921- ), Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture (accessed February 11, 2010).
- ^ Francis-Smith, Janice. "Oklahoma Sen. Riley switches party affiliation to Democrat," The Journal Record, August 4, 2006 (accessed February 11, 2010).
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Oklahoma Republican Party 2009 Platform (accessed June 1, 2010).
- ^ United States Republican Party
- ^ Fried, Joseph, Democrats and Republicans — Rhetoric and Reality (New York: Algora Publishing, 2008), 104–5, 125.
- ^ Sailer, Steve, "Affordable Family Formation–The Neglected Key To GOP’s Future"
- ^ Unmarried Women in the 2004 Presidential Election (PDF). Report by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, January, 2005.
[edit] External links
- Oklahoma Republican Party Home Page
- Oklahoma Federation of College Republicans
- Oklahoma Republican Party Grassroots Platform 2005
- Current Oklahoma Republican Elected Officials.
- Oklahoma Historical Society page listing Oklahoma Governors.
- Lawton Politics
