Holiday Review Of The Political News...

The Oklahoman has a pair of interesting stories today: James Lankford's address is in Edmond, but he actually lives in Oklahoma City. And House Speaker-elect Kris Steele says he wants the House to avoid getting sidetracked on some issues.

Tulsa World recaps the fight over the selection of a new Supreme Court justice, reporting, "The Legislature's Republican leaders ramped up their pressure on the Judicial Nominating Commission late Wednesday in an effort to block the appointment of a new Oklahoma Supreme Court justice before Democratic Gov. Brad Henry's term expires early next year." (http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=16&articleid=20101125_16_A25_CUTLIN636036)

In Alabama, WSFA-TV reports: "Alabama Republicans added to their majority Monday in the statehouse. Four state lawmakers announced their intentions to switch parties. The four house Democrats - Steven Hurst (Munford); Mike Millican (Hamilton); Lesley Vance (Phenix City); and Alan Boothe (Troy) - announced that they will join the Republicans. The moves increase the Republican majority from 62 to 66 members in the House giving the GOP a super majority - power to end any filibuster. The soon-to-be speaker of the house, Mike Hubbard, is welcoming the legislators with open arms. "We welcome these gentlemen. I've told them they were Republicans before they knew they were Republicans. We knew all along that they were Republicans aligned with us. But we would only be looking for and be accepting of members who are like-minded."

The Atlanta Journal Constitition reports: "State Representatives Ellis Black and Amy Carter today announced that they are joining the House Republican Caucus and resigning from the House Democratic Caucus. “This is where I belong,” said Rep. Black. “When I was first elected, we had conservative Democrats in the leadership of the Democratic Party; today, there are none," said Carter. With today’s announcements, the Georgia House of Representatives now consists of 113 Republicans, 66 Democrats, and one independent.

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