Tag: Frank Keating

The Arizona Republican's perch atop the Senate Armed Services Committee is widely expected to be occupied by Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), who might be more likely to run for re-election — and more likely to win — if he's the chairman of that powerful panel. That means ex-EPA boss Pruitt, who was widely thought to be using his Cabinet-level post as a launch pad for higher office, could face long odds if he's eyeing a 2020 bid for Inhofe's Senate seat. There's been no official announcement about the Armed Services post since McCain's death, but Inhofe is all but certain to take the helm as the panel's second-most-senior Republican. "Senators get to a certain point where once you get past about age 75 or so, everyone they know is in the Senate." As for the ex-EPA boss's prospects in Oklahoma, Gaddie said, "There's a lot more talent and political ambition in this state than is represented by Scott Pruitt." Oklahoma's junior senator, James Lankford, doesn't face another election until 2022. 'Go back home and start again' Inhofe would be bolstered in a primary race if he were Armed Services chairman, Keating added. Chad Alexander, former Oklahoma Republican state chairman who now hosts a politics talk show, said Pruitt's reputation wasn't hurt as much in the Sooner State as it was elsewhere, but the headlines probably had an impact. But should Pruitt return to his home state, "I think he has a base of support among Oklahoma Republicans that still think of him very fondly." "The indictments involving Trump's inner circle certainly don't help," said the headhunter, who believes Pruitt should leave Washington and return to Oklahoma to find his next job.

Keating was a fitting member of the panel, then, since he served as a Republican governor with a Democrat-majority legislature. “Since then, we’ve built up walls.” The panel took on issues that are coming up at a time when Oklahoma seems to be shifting politically. Bartlett said one reason for that is there is no incumbent running. It all comes down to energizing voters. “Whenever Obama was in office, there was a lot of energy in the Republican party because they could use the president to energize their base. “One thing we’re continuing to want voters to understand is that only 20 percent of current legislature has been there more than eight years,” Pollard said. Sweeney had a similar take, saying again that the losing side has an easier time energizing its base to win these elections. I say that to say that when my kids — and not just our six — talk to me about these things, I listen. Bartlett said he believes legislators need to get back to listening to constituents. Do we want to re-elect people not responsible with that power and that vote?” But the one-sidedness has also led to some bad habits from the minority, Sweeney said.