"I am honored to be receiving support from Republicans as well as Democrats," she said. "I think that support is a result of my belief that as elected officials it is our duty to avoid extreme partisanship and work together to accomplish great things for all Oklahomans."

Hiett questioned the poll's accuracy.

"I question a poll that has 90 percent of voters already decided if it would be accurate," he said Wednesday evening after a speech in Norman. "However, if it is accurate, that's a good sign for me to be that close. The state is 2 to 1 registration (Democrats to Republican), so for me to be that close at this point in the election would be a very good sign."

The SurveyUSA poll used live interviews of 519 likely voters and has a sampling error of plus or minus 4.5 percent. The Rasmussen poll used "robo calls" and did not use live interviewers; it, too, has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percent.

Yet, polling isn't the only area where Henry and Askins are doing well.

State campaign filings show both Henry and Askins with more cash on hand than their opponents. According to the state Ethics Commission reports, Henry has $2,417,335 available to Istook's $29,354.

In the lieutenant governor's race, Askins is sitting on $251,724 to Hiett's $88,851.

Both Henry and Askins are running television commercials, and sources in both camps say the commercials will continue "until the November election."

Istook's campaign is not currently advertising on television. Instead, Istook is using "face to face" retail-style to take his mesage to the public, his spokesman said. "We'll be on the air soon," Kern said. "But right now we are campaigning person to person."

Kern said Istook and his wife, Judy, have toured 27 counties since July. He said Istook plans to tour all 77 of the state's counties prior to election day. Locally, Kern said Istook staffers and volunteers are also working before and after OU home football games to distribute literature and touch base with voters.

Larson said Henry's staff also would work the tailgate crowd at Sooner football games. "Right now I can't tell you if the governor himself will be there, but we will have staff and supporters at the games," he said.

M. Scott Carter 366-3545 scarter@normantranscript.com