Political Pulse

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The Republican Party in Oklahoma now
controls the Legislature but its rise to power didn’t happen
overnight.
Political analysts say it took almost five decades - beginning
with the election of Henry Bellmon in 1962 as the first Republican
governor in state history.
Historian, author and former state Senator Denzil Garison from
Bartlesville says Bellmon went from town to town in an old station
wagon and people just liked him.
Other notable events for the GOP was the election of Republican
Don Nickles to the U.S. Senate in 1980 and the switch by
Congressman Wes Watkins from Democrat to Republican.
In the Nov. 4 election the Republicans won control of the state
Senate for the first time ever and expanded their majority in the
state House.
The GOP also kept its numbers in the congressional delegation
with six Republicans and one Democrat.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Oklahomans voted overwhelmingly for Arizona
Sen. John McCain earlier this month, but there were areas of the
state where President-elect Barack Obama picked up support.
According to an analysis by The Oklahoman of precinct-level
voting results, McCain won 2,005 precincts and Obama won 198
precincts statewide. The candidates tied in five precincts.
McCain took every county in Oklahoma, which gave him his largest
percentage total among U.S. states. That differed from the national
trend that swept Obama into office, making him the first black
president of the United States.
Obama had his strongest showing in heavily populated urban
precincts in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman and Lawton. He also got
support in eastern Oklahoma from Okemah to Pryor.
University of Oklahoma political science professor Keith Gaddie
says Democratic concentrations were in precincts with large
minority populations, older working class suburbs and older
affluent suburbs.
Gaddie says by contrast, newer suburbs in urban areas and rural
precincts voted heavily for McCain.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Paul Ziriax of Edmond is Senate
President Pro Tem-designate Glenn Coffee’s choice to serve in the
dual posts of state Election Board secretary and secretary of the
Oklahoma Senate next year.
Ziriax, a former aide to ex-U.S. Rep. Wes Watkins, has been
Republican leadership assistant in the Senate the past six years.
He will replace Michael Clingman, who has been picked by Gov.
Brad Henry to be director of the Office of State Finance.
Coffee said Ziriax is well prepared for his new position,
calling him a man of “tremendous character and intellect.”
He also praised Clingman for his job as Election Board
secretary, saying Oklahoma has gained a national reputation for
conducting efficient elections.
Ziriax holds a degree in business administration and finance
from Oklahoma State University.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The first Republican majority ever in the
state Senate is looking at changing the civil justice system to
curtail so-called pain-and-suffering damage awards.
Senate President Pro Tem-designate Glenn Coffee says limiting
lawsuit damages will again be high on his party’s list of
priorities, along with tax cuts and education changes.
Other top priorities include creating a new agency to oversee
performance audits of state agencies and requiring voter
identification at the polls.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - A bill to require insurance companies to
cover diagnosis and treatment of autism in children is the first
bill filed in the state Senate for the 2009 legislative session.
Senate Bill 1 is entitled “Nick’s Law” and is named for
11-year-old Nick Rhode of Edmond, who suffers from autism. Wayne
Rhode - Nick’s father - lobbied without success last year to get
the measure out of a House committee.
Democratic Sen. Jay Paul Gumm of Durant is the principal sponsor
of bill which is opposed by insurance interests who say it will
raise rates.
Gumm says similar legislation has been enacted in other states
with bipartisan support, but is being blocked by Republican leaders
in the Oklahoma House.