At the OKGOP State Committee meeting today, Matt Pinnell was elected the new State Chairman without opposition. Our congratulations to Matt on winning!
After the State Committee meeting, a gubernatorial candidate forum and straw poll was held. Candidates Mary Fallin, Randy Brogdon, Robert Hubbard, and Roger Jackson were all present.
Questions ranged from education reform, to taxes, to past contributions to the Republican cause, to dealing with the state budget.
I have heard all of the candidates before, whether in person, or on the radio. Honestly, I thought that Robert Hubbard did the best job - he was the main candidate to use hard facts and figures, as opposed to generic platitudes. However, the crowd was comprised of dedicated Fallin or Brogdon enthusiasts, so neither Hubbard nor Jackson ever had a chance at getting many votes.
222 ballots were cast, and State Sen. Randy Brogdon won with 119 votes, or 54%. Congresswoman Mary Fallin received 93 votes (42%), Robert Hubbard got 7 votes (3%), and Roger Jackson took 3 votes (1%).
Many, if not most, of the attendees were members of the OKGOP State Committee, meaning that Brogdon took a majority of the grassroots-elected party activists. While straw polls are generally useless except for morale boosters, this particular poll holds a bit more significance.
* Edit: the title should have originally read "Pinnell New OKGOP Chair, Brodgon Wins Straw Poll"... corrected now!
I attended the meeting yesterday as a proxy for the LeFlore County Republican Chair, and am a strong and hardworking supporter for Randy Brogdon.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I am elated at him winning this significant Straw Poll, as he won the February Straw Poll with the Tulsa County Republicans, and the more recent Cleveland County event when he was not even present.
I was not disappointed with Mr. Hubbard's responses, but we are getting close to the wire. We know far less about him, and Mr. Jackson and we will not be basing our vote on July 27 on the impression we have of one event.
Bobbie McAuliffe
Poteau
I would also like to add my congratulations to Matt Pinnell and wish him lots of good luck. I believe he will do well.
ReplyDeleteMatt is a great motivator and has the fundraising experience and contacts to continue rolling the State Republican Party forward.
Bobbie McAuliffe
Poteau
Hi MP, Did you by any chance attend the Glenn Beck rally? And if so will you be posting a report?
ReplyDeleteHere's the Million $$$ question:
ReplyDeleteDoes Mary Fallin have a Republican voter turnout problem?
All Mary Fallin needed to do was ignore Randy Brogdon, and duck every debate she was invited to.
And NEVER debate Brogdon at a straw poll/forum unless it was on her home field, which this debate forum/straw poll was, right?
Maybe if tickets are $25, and people from Randy's side of the state had to pony up an extra $30 for gas and tolls, the only debate/poll results released to the media by her campaign will be in her favor, right? Wrong!
Had this event been held in District 1, we would have seen over 1000 attendees easily, and a landslide for Brogdon.
Why? Because he can turn out grassroots Republicans, especially if they don't have to invest an extra $30 in expenses in addition to the $25 event fee, and spend half of the day on the turnpike.
The majority of Brogdon supporters in his back yard were discouraged by the advantage that Mary had, and most said they could not attend for different reasons including money and time. Many of us decided to stay in the Tulsa area, donate the money we had to Randy's campaign, instead of this event, and spend our day here canvassing, making calls and walking in local small town parades to show our support for Randy Brogdon.
Am I speculating? Yes. But most of us know it to be very likely, and for Mary Fallin to fail at rallying hundreds of her supporters to a backyard event in her district... shows a chink in the armor.
And regarding the OK Establishment Political Machine, I am reminded of the old saying:
"If it bleeds, you can kill it."
Mike Ford
Bixby, OK
Mike: it is become widely known how these "staw polls" are being set up. I could win a straw poll if I bought oh say 70 tickets and therefore got myself 70 "guaranteed" votes. That's pure deception. But that's not how it will be on election day.
ReplyDeleteI was at the forum (I paid for my own SINGLE ticket!)It was Brogdon who "dodged" a question about SPECIFIC areas that spending needed to be cut - something even the non-contenders did not shy away from. He continues to campaign against non-existent organizations. If anyone showed a "chink" in the armor yesterday, it was Randy.
Whoever the anonymous commenter above me is, I would like to see some facts in regards to your accusations that Randy is buying votes at straw polls. I have attended multiple events for Randy and he has never paid my way. If he did pay for the meals of the people at his table or for core team volunteers I have no problem with that. People like Pat Highland, Tiffany Titsworth, John Roberts, James Parsons and many more are working full time for his campaign with no pay. They would show up at these events even if Randy didn't pay for their meal (which you haven't proven that he did even that)
ReplyDeleteI would agree that Robert Hubbard did the best job! I am proud to say that I am one of his 7 votes. Fallin used the same old political rhetoric she always does and talked about her 20 years of experience instead of answering the questions. Brogdon spent so much time attacking Fallin he too failed to give answers with any substance. It became very clear that these two "stacked" the room and the honest poll taking suffered.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet Matt Pinnell keeps his word, at least. And at least he wasn't let go from the American Majority for reasons clouded in mystery. Unlike a certain county vice-chair who looks like she's auditioning for a rap video.
ReplyDelete