Gary Jones Wins Resounding Reelection Victory

State Republican Party Chairman Gary Jones won reelection today by a margin of almost 4-to-1 over challenger Cheryl Williams, who sought to move up from the vice chairman's seat.

Convention delegates also voted overwhelmingly to keep the party's presidential primary instead of replacing it with a caucus system, Jones said.

Senator Tom Coburn urged delegates to oppose the switch to a caucus, saying it will dilute the party's message and result in divisions among Republicans in the state.

Coburn also deflected criticism of his vote in favor of a federal bailout package, saying it was the right vote to cast for the security of the nation's financial system.

"If that's the only vote you've got against me, you're in trouble," Coburn said after a convention delegate chastised him for his support of the bill. "To do the right best thing for the country, rather than the right best thing for the politician, is a good way to lead this country."

Coburn also renewed his criticism of a federal report on right-wing extremism by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security sent this month to law enforcement officials that suggest military veterans and Americans with certain conservative beliefs could be potential terrorists.

"It's a signal of how disconnected Washington is from society," Coburn said. "Dissent is the purest form of patriotism. "The people she (Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano) was describing fits the description of every one of our founding fathers."

Senator Randy Brogdon, who said today he will join Congresswoman Mary Fallin in seeking the GOP nomination for governor, was given a warm reception by those in attendance.

Fallin told that she can be the conservative leader who moves Oklahoma forward. She said she shares the frustration of other conservatives over the Obama administration’s support of higher taxes and bigger government. With the president and Congressional liberals pursuing a series of “misguided” initiatives, Fallin said Oklahomans should not look to Washington for help.

“It is up to us on the state level to enact the reforms that will help insulate us from the misguided policies of the Obama administration and do what Oklahomans have always done: roll up our sleeves and do the right thing,” said Fallin. “Now is the time to put our state on the path to long-term economic stability and prosperity. It is up to us to get Oklahoma moving again, out of recession, out of stagnation, out of the past and into the future.”

Fallin listed the economy, education, health care and tort reform as some of the issues the state needs to focus on.

Former Speaker of the House Todd Hiett said he liked what he heard. “Mary is going to be a great governor,” said Hiett. “She has been serving this state for over 19 years, and she has always been an effective advocate for Oklahoma. She’s got what it takes to move this state forward.”

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GOP Convention Addresses Primary, Leadership

This weekend's Republican state convention in Oklahoma City could generate considerable heat.

With a contested race for chairman and a battle to change the GOP's presidential primary system, interest in the event has grown.

The two issues are intertwined; the group pushing the change from a primary to caucus presidential system includes many of the same who seek to oust incumbent Chairman Gary Jones in favor of challenger Cheryl Williams.

The group includes arch-conservative Republicans, including national committeeman James Dunn; Rep. Mike Ritze of Broken Arrow; Rep. Charles Key of Oklahoma City; and Charlie Meadows, a Guthrie house painter and leader of the Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee.

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GOP Convention Faces Leadership Contest

Former congressional field representative and Norman attorney L. Don Smitherman has announced that he will seek the Vice-Chairman slot for the Oklahoma Republican Party at the Republican State Convention on Saturday, April 18.

Party rules require the Chair and Vice Chair to be of different gender. Smitherman will team with current State Vice-Chair Cheryl Williams in her campaign for chairman.

Incumbent Chairman Gary Jones is seeking reelection.

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GOP Vice Chair Responds To Allegations

The vice chair of the Oklahoma Republican Party, Cheryl Williams, has responded to rumors and allegations with an email to the editors of Red Oklahoma. Read her response at http://www.redoklahoma.org/.

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Poteau GOP Leader Fears 'Shenanigans'

Republican leader Bobbie McAuliffe of Poteau fears supporters of GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul plan an action she describes as "shenanigans" at the party's upcoming convention on May 3rd.

McAuliffe expresses her fears in a post on the blog http://www.getrightok.com/.

She writes that Paul supporters, despite his lackluster showing in the February GOP presidential primary, appear to be trying to load the party convention with Paul delegates. Paul supporters have been critical of GOP presidential nominee John McCain, who won the Oklahoma primary.

McAuliffe's post: "On January 29, LeFlore County held our precinct caucuses to attempt to elect chairmen/ladies for each precinct. Only 32 people attended and only 8 of the 38 precincts were represented. 17 of those 32 people had never attended any of our meetings or events in the past. The first red flag for me went up when Ron Paul won our straw poll with well over 50% of the vote. Anyone who has participated in internet forums knows how the Revolution brags about how many straw polls Ron Paul has won with exaggerated %s. This is how they do it.

"February 5 was the State Presidential Preference Primary and Ron Paul only garnered 3.6% of the vote in LeFlore County, 63 of the 1847 votes cast. There are over 4000 registered Republicans in LeFlore County.

"On March 1 we had our LeFlore County GOP Convention and about a dozen people I had identified as Ron Paul Supporters signed up to be delegates and saying they want to serve on the Rules and Platform committees, along with 11 I know to be conservatives, to go to the 2nd District Convention in Muskogee on March 8.

"Our Chairlady was not expected to attend the convention because she had long planned a vacation with her parents, and put me in charge of handling things. On a spurt of brilliance I checked the voter registration of the 17 newbies to our precinct elections in the VoterVault and learned only 3 were registered Republicans; the others were either "not found" or Democrats, but I know VoterVault is not updated regularly.

"When I received the delegate list, I went to the county election board to verify registration and learned all of them had recently registered, or changed their registration to Republican.

"At the convention, things really went quite smoothly. The meeting was scheduled to begin at 12:30 and an optional bbq sandwich lunch was served prior. Then all of the delegates introduced themselves and the voting began. We first voted separately to elect 3 delegates and then three alternates. Paul people had been informed there would be someone near the front holding up cards with the name of delegates who were Paul supporters so they could vote for a member of the Revolution.

"Every vote went to a second ballot and in the end 2 Ron Paul delegates (1 from LeFlore County) was elected and 1 Ron Paul delegate (this one also from LeFlore County) was elected. 50% of the 2nd District delegates will be going to Minneapolis with bells on. It was all over about 4pm.

"I praise them for showing up and voting for what they believe in, and I am mad as heck at conservatives who did not. What happened at the District 5 convention should never have happened.

"I do believe shenanigans are planned for the State Convention, and the National Convention. If you have signed up to be a voting delegate at the State Convention, I strongly urge you to be there. If you can afford the trip and time please register before April 11, to be elected as one of the 3 'at large' delegates to the national convention at the State Convention."

Meanwhile, www.redoklahoma.org reports there's growing concern within the GOP about Paul's supporters: "RedOklahoma.org Editors this weekend received several tips from credible sources that Oklahoma State Republican Party Vice-Chair Cheryl Williams is an active lieutenant in the Ron Paul conspiracy to hijack the Republican National Convention taking place this September in Minneapolis.
Nationwide, grassroots Paul supporters are using elaborate procedural motions and exploiting convention rules to elect pro-Paul delegates to District and State Conventions. Their ultimate goal is to send Paul supporters to the GOP National Convention to defeat John McCain and overrule millions of Republicans nationwide who voted in their primaries and caucuses. A timeline of events is emerging illustrating the Paul conspiracy’s successful effort to win two-thirds of delegates elected at the 5th District Convention this past Saturday and the role Williams played."

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