Oklahoma Governor 2018 Smorgasbord

[Joe Biden 2020]

Republican Governor Mary Fallin is term-limited (Hallelujah!) in 2018, and there is a litany of candidates already lining up to take her place in both parties.

Here are the candidates in both parties who have either formally declared or are considered potential contenders:

Republicans:

Declared
Mick Cornett - Mayor of Oklahoma City
Gary Jones - Oklahoma State Auditor & Inspector
Todd Lamb - Lieutenant Governor
Gary Richardson - former US Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma and Independent Gov Candidate in 2002

Potential
Jim Bridenstine - US House Representative - District 1
Ken Miller - Oklahoma State Treasurer
Bob Mills - Businessman

Democrats:

Declared:
Drew Edmondson - Former Attorney General
Scott Inman - State Senate Minority Leader
Connie Johnson - Former State Senator

Potential:
Kenneth Corn - Former State Senator
Mike Turpen - member of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and former Attorney General

Declined:
Dan Boren - Former US House Representative - District 2
Joe Dorman - Former State Representative

Libertarian:

Declared:
Rex Lawhorn - telecommunications technician
Joe Moldonado (aka Joe Exotic), zookeeper
Chris Powell - candidate for Oklahoma County Clerk in 2016

[Joe Biden 2020]

Hoping Edmondson wins the primary, I think he'd have the best shot of winning aside from Boren, who isn't running.

Any of these are better than Fallin though.

I'm personally hoping for Scott Inman.  You're right, though, any of these are better than Fallin.  I am proud to say I did not vote for Fallin in either 2010 or 2014.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Rooting for Mick Cornett

He would not be a bad governor.  He's done well by the people of Oklahoma City.  He is our longest-serving mayor, having been in office since 2004.  He has helped grow this city tremendously and, really, exponentially, and played a key role in bringing the Seattle Supersonics to town 9 years ago.  He took us from an oil town only to a bustling tourist city with lots of stuff to do.  He has been instrumental in bringing businesses and jobs to this city.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Oh hey welcome back. This is and probably will be Likely R at best for Democrats for the majority of the race, but Inman at least keeps it somewhat alive.

In most cases, including this one, you're probably right with the Likely R prediction, but with the vastly unpopular administration of Gov. Fallin, especially in her second term and the sad state of education in our state and the inability/lack of want of the state legislature to raise teacher pay (an issue very personal to me as I am currently in school to become an elementary teacher), this is the best chance for a Democrat to win.  Also, keep in mind who Mary Fallin's predecessor was - Democrat Brad Henry.  Before him was Republican Frank Keating, but before him was Democrat David Walters.  So, we have actually been alternating between Republican and Democratic governors.  Personally, I would put the race as Lean R for the time being just because of our voting bloc.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Scott Inman just came to our house. Seemed like a nice guy.

I really would like to meet him.

[Joe Biden 2020]

Don't live nor ever been to OK, but Inman and Edmondson both seem to be quite electable (and heavyweights)?

Also just researched on Mike Cornett, seems like a fine and sane guy with little ties to Trump?

Either Inman or Edmondson could very well win the race with as much as everyone, including a lot of Republicans, dislike Mary Fallin.

Mick Cornett has said very, very little about President Trump, whether in support or disagreement.  He has exclusively been focused on being the Mayor of Oklahoma City and is running for Governor of Oklahoma.  To my recollection, he has rarely even mentioned Governor Mary Fallin either in support or disagreement.  He doesn't want to ruffle too many feathers, which I think is smart.  There's no doubt he voted for both Trump and Fallin in their respective general elections, but he has mentioned very little about either one of them.

The most controversial thing he has done is just recently proposed extending our MAPS city construction and improvement bond sales tax that was first implemented over 20 years ago, but without allocating a single penny or fraction of a penny to education.  This is after the voters rejected SQ 779 last November which would have implemented a penny sales tax to give teachers a $5,000 pay raise.  He wants to raise our taxes to pay for city improvements, but not to pay our teachers.  This is the main reason I hesitate to vote for him for Governor.  I'm afraid he will prioritize the cosmetics of the state over necessities like education.