Poll Shows OK Rep. Istook Would Win an Open GOP Senatorial Primary

Newsmax.com ^ | 09-13-03 | Not given

[Theodore R.]

Poll Shows Oklahoma Rep. Istook Winner of GOP Senatorial Primary

Rep. Ernest Istook (R-Okla) will be a sure winner in a contest with Oklahoma City Mayor Kirk Humphreys if he enters the Republican primary for the senatorial nomination in the 2004 primaries.

A confidential poll by Wilson Research Strategies done for the Friends of Ernest Istook group concludes that based on an exhaustive samplings "the Republican nomination is Istook's should he decide to seek it and that Congressman Istook is the Republican's best candidate to hold any open Senate seat in 2004."

The possibility that a Senate seat will be open is based on speculation that current GOP Senator Don Nickles may not run for re-election. That speculation is fueled by Nickles statement to Roll Call, the Capitol Hill publication, that he will not make a decision about running until April, 2004.

The poll matched Istook against Humphreys and showed Istook as being far more familiar to voters than Humpheys. Fully 60 percent of the voters know enough about Istook to rate their opinion of him, against just 33 percent for Humphreys.

In a primary against Humphreys, the poll showed Istook with 59 percent of the GOP vote against 28 percent for Humpheys.

Speculation that Nickles will retire is based on the belief that he resents being shut out of his leadership role following the resignation of Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) in late 2002. Nickles had been assistant minority leader before the GOP took control of the Senate after the 2002 elections and was expected to be Lott's right hand in the new Republican-led Senate.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Yes, though J.C. said he missed Congress only a few months after leaving. I would think he'd reconsider a return in the case of an open Senate seat. The question is whether we'd see an ugly primary between him, Istook, and Humphreys while the 'Rats coalesce behind one candidate (of course, the latter looks unlikely, with, as you mentioned, Edmondson, Dave Walters, and Brad Carson in the mix). Edmondson's dad, the late Congressman Ed Edmondson, ran unsuccessfully for Senator in '72 and '74, and his uncle, Howard Edmondson, was Governor and briefly served as Senator in '63-'64 when Bob Kerr died, losing in a primary to the most left-wing Senator OK has elected in the past 50 years, Fred Harris. In any event, my gut says Brad Carson will get the nod if he chooses to run. I hope we can persuade Dr. Coburn to try to get his old House seat back if he does.

[PhiKapMom]

I tried to tell some folks that some of the "true" conservatives punished a 95%+ conservative voting record person because of Elian and stayed home, voted for Richardson, or Henry. Take your pick.

Thank you for confirming that very fact! I took a hit for saying that but no more! Maybe you all think it was a principled vote but it gave the rest of us 4 years of Henry! Hope you all are happy!

With folks like you all, Republicans had better be looking around for voters from other places because voters with that attitude cannot be counted to vote for the Republican.

Would recommend that some of you that feel that way, just come out and admit that you really are not Republican because this teaching the rest of us a lesson is getting really old. Eight years of Clinton and now here in OK because of one issue we have Henry. Less than impressed!

Maybe if you grew up without a Father, you might have taken Steve's position which was also not my position but I didn't walk in his shoes!

[fieldmarshaldj]

Before you ripped into me, you might've ASKED me whom I supported. Despite Largent's idiocy, I would still have held my nose and voted for him. I said that his position did cost him some votes, but how many I'm unsure about. Some crazy types probably also voted against him because of the cockfighting business. Another problem was that Largent seemed to run a poor campaign in the last few months of the campaign (almost identical to Matt Salmon in AZ). Like I said, though, had Wes Watkins been the nominee, a lot of this might've been moot.

Just to remind you again, my own state was saddled with a 'Rat Governor because of the idiocy and apostasy of my former RINO Governor. Precisely the same type that some people are championing in California, that being our dearest Ah-nold.

[jbstrick]

I know Sentator Nickles personally. We hare from the same hometown, I served in his Wash DC office in the Summer of 1996, etc. That being said....

He has higher aspirations than the Senate. In my opinion, he will return home to run for Governor and then ..... (fill in your office here, I think prez.) No senator has ever won the presidency.

He will run.

Istook will fill the shoes of Nickles nicely

[Theodore R.]

Was Nickles an early supporter of Largent for governor? Did he realize that Largent was lazy and lacked the fire in the belly to be running for governor? Also, wasn't he appalled at Largent's pro-Castro stance on little Elian Gonzalez?

[Impy]

I remember Coburn crying during his retirment annoucment.

I was suprised Carson would want to give up a safe house seat for a senate race he'd probably lose. Maybe he was embolded by Henry's win.

Wouldn't it really suck if OK had a Governor and Senator both named Brad? :-p

[Impy]

"In my opinion, he will return home to run for Governor"

Really? That would be great. He'd beat Henry and in the meantime Watts can take his Senate seat.

If he an Cain were both in the Senate it would give the rats a heart attack.

Didn't Tom Dashole say the Senate badly needs some color?

[AuH2ORepublican]

"I hope to see a nice smashing breakthrough for African-American Republicans Watts and Herman Cain being elected to the Senate next year."

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Agreed. Congressmen Istook and Mac Collins would have a good chance of getting elected to the Senate, and would make fine Senators, but I think it's important to show the American people that while the RATs provide lip service to inclusion, we Republicans actually allow blacks to leave Bophutswana and Transkei and get elected statewide. It would also serve as a wakeup call to black Americans who share our conservative values but who have reflexively voted for the RATs because their parents and grandparents voted for FDR and JFK.

I also happen to believe that J.C. Watts would be more of a slam-dunk to hold Nickles' seat than would Istook, since Watts would run better in rural areas (his district included rural areas along the Texas border that had long voted Democrat). My only concern about Watts is that he has supported affirmative action, but I believe he's okay on every other issue, and I'll gladly take a 95% conservative who can help us end the RAT Party's monopoly over the black vote.