By Carol Cole-Frowe and M. Scott Carter
November 05, 2008 10:28 am
—
Incumbents led the field in local races for the state House of Representatives, with Reps. Bill Nations, Wallace Collins, Scott Martin and Randy Terrill retaining their seats.
Also, Republican Jonathan Nichols won re-election to State Senate District 15. (See story, Page A2.)
Cleveland County Election Board Secretary Paula Roberts said Tuesday's vote went relatively smoothly.
"It went very well for a presidential election," Roberts said.
A few voting machines jammed, forcing workers to secure ballots and run them through the counter later in the day. She said most of the problems were in Moore and south Oklahoma City where there was an additional ballot for municipal issues.
Precinct 22, at Moore's Eastern Avenue Baptist Church, had to have an election night recount. Workers had to feed about 3,000 ballots through a machine at the election board office. It was continuing under the watch of a deputy sheriff at press time.
House District 44
Leveraging his public service experience with a well-organized campaign, state Rep. Bill Nations trounced his Republican challenger, Tod Barrett, by more that 4,000 votes.
With all 15 of the district's precincts in, Nations polled 8,951 votes to Barrett's 4,822.
Nations campaigned on his experience, while Barrett urged voters to elect him, saying he would be a member of the majority party and hold a leadership position.
Neither Nations nor Barrett could be reached for comment.
House District 45
Calling it a landslide victory for family values, a smiling state Rep. Wallace Collins claimed a hard-earned victory Tuesday evening in the House District 45 race.
Collins, a Democrat, defeated his Republican challenger Aaron Stiles 9,132 to 8,220 -- about 52 percent of the vote.
Collins said he was excited by the numbers.
"Coming from where we did last year, 900 votes is wonderful," he said. "This is just great."
Collins originally was elected in 1996, but was defeated by Republican Thad Balkman in 2000.
Two years ago, Collins defeated Balkman by 89 votes to recapture the seat.
"It's always a tough race," he said. "We won the precincts we thought we'd win and we lost the precincts we thought we lose."
Stiles said he didn't feel bad about the loss.
"We came up just a little bit short tonight," he said. "We did everything we wanted to do. It was a great learning experience."
Stiles said he took on "a ludicrous library," and would do so again, referring to the failed referendum for a new Norman library.
And, he said, he expects to seek office again.
"In four years, State Senate (District) 15 opens up," he said, speaking about to the state Senate seat currently held by Jonathan Nichols. "I have the biggest chunk of work accomplished for that seat."
House District 46
Incumbent state Rep. Scott Martin said he never took anything for granted in his race for reelection to the District 46 legislative seat.
"It was extremely humbling as we knocked doors," the Norman Republican said at a GOP watch party Tuesday at Coach's restaurant. "The response was fantastic. ... I am really overwhelmed by the response."
Martin beat political newcomer Miranda Norman by 10,158 to 5,659, with all precincts reporting early Wednesday.
He said this race was different, because this time he ran on what he had done for the district.
"Sharing my message and my vision," Martin said. "(Constituents) wanted to know that we were doing what they sent us up there to do."
He said they also seemed to appreciate his honesty and candor.
"This doesn't happen in a vacuum," he said. "This doesn't happen by itself."
Martin said he was gratified to get a higher percentage this time than he did in his first campaign, taking about 65 percent compared to 61 percent.
And he said he's happy to be going back to the Oklahoma Legislature.
"I cherish it and I honor it," Martin said of his service.
He gracefully dodged a suggestion that he might be a Republican candidate for governor in 2010, smiling but denying that he would be interested.
"No, no, no, no," he said, when GOP leader Bobby Cleveland suggested it.
Miranda Norman thanked her young daughter at the Democratic watch party in the Holiday Inn ballroom, during her concession speech.
"We're proud of the work we've done," said the first-time candidate. "It's a tough district to run in as a Democrat. I'm proud of the campaign we ran and being part of the Cleveland County Democrats."
House District 53
Embattled state Rep. Randy Terrill was reelected to his District 53 seat Tuesday. The Moore Republican defeated challenger Troy Green of Oklahoma City in the pair's second race by a vote of 11,723 to 7,012, complete but unofficial results showed early Wednesday.
Several efforts to reach Terrill for comment were unsuccessful.
Green was circumspect as he watched the returns come in at the Democratic watch party in Norman's Holiday Inn ballroom.
"I'm tired like everybody else," Green said. "It's been really nonstop the last few weeks."
Despite what was likely a loss, Green said he was excited by his strong showing.
"There are a bunch of folks out there who didn't think I'd be so strong," he said. "It's much more exciting when things are competitive.
Green attributed some of that strength to record voter turnout in Oklahoma.
"It took me more than an hour just to vote," Green said. "I think the larger turnout helped."
Additionally, he said, Terrill's reopened federal bankruptcy could have played a part in his weaker performance.
"I think some of that stuck," he said.
Terrill, chair of the House's Revenue and Taxation Committee, also is the author of the state's controversial immigration reform act, House Bill 1804.
Transcript Managing Editor Andy Rieger contributed to this report.
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.