Wednesday, November 04, 2020

Red wave sweeps over Oklahoma: 5 Takeaways

I'll get to my election results maps in the coming days, but here are some quick notes from the election tonight here in Oklahoma:

1. Trump sweeps all 77 counties again

Trump was held just under 50% in Oklahoma County (49.25% to 48.05%), around 55% in Tulsa and Comanche counties, and between 70% and 92%(!!) in almost all of the remaining counties. Huge margins.

He beat out his 2016 showing by 0.07%, while Biden beat Clinton's 2016 result by 3.35% (largely a result of the lower third-party vote in 2020, 5.75%, compared to 2016, 2.33%).

2. GOP retakes 5th Congressional District
Incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Kendra Horn won the early and absentee voting by a large margin, but was swamped by Stephanie Bice's election day ballots. Oklahoma County narrowly went to Horn, the only county in the state to go to a Democrat in a statewide or congressional race, but Bice overwhelmed Horn in Pottawatomie and Seminole counties. 

Once again, the GOP holds all congressional seats in the state.

3. Inhofe sweeps all 77 counties, declares this to be his final term
Democrats were optimistic that their nominee would have a better showing, and carry some counties. Didn't happen. Also, the 86 year-old Inhofe said this will be his final term.


The next two look at the State Legislature:





4. GOP picks up five seats in the State House
The Republicans added to their supermajority in the State House by flipping five seats:
  • Bob Ed Culver (R) defeated incumbent Matt Meredith (D) in HD4.
  • Steve Bashore (R) flipped HD7 without a Democratic candidate even filing to run.
  • Dick Lowe (R) defeated Craig Parham (D) in HD56, the seat where incumbent Minority Floor Leader David Perryman (D) chose to not seek reelection.
  • Eric Roberts (R) defeated incumbent Chelsey Branham (D) in HD83.
  • Max Wolfley (R) defeated incumbent Kelly Albright (D) in HD95.
In the State Senate, the Republicans and Democrats each flipped one seat, leaving the chamber the same as before. Jo Anna Dosett (D) won GOP-held SD35, joining her brother in the upper chamber. Cody Rogers (R) re-took SD37 for the Republicans.

5. Democrats lose last remaining rural legislative seats
Back in 2018, the Democrats lost their final legislator in "Little Dixie". In 2019, David Perryman announced that he would not seek reelection, the final rural seat held by Democrats west of I-35 or south of I-40. 

Tonight? Republicans took Perryman's seat, HD7 in the northeast corner of the state, and HD4 in Tahlequah.

The legislative Democrats are now confined to the Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Norman, and Stillwater. 

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