OKLAHOMA CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS 2014- INCUMBENTS AND CHALLENGERS AND WHERE THEY STAND: BY RUTH KING
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/detail/oklahoma-2014-candidates-for-congress-where-they-stand?f=puball
To see the actual voting records of all incumbents on other issues such as Foreign Policy, Second Amendment Issues, Homeland Security, and other issues as well as their rankings by special interest groups please use the links followed by two stars (**).
U.S. Senate
Jim Inhofe (R) Incumbent
http://www.jiminhofe.com/home/ http://www.inhofe.senate.gov/
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/james_inhofe.htm**
Rated -2 by AAI, indicating anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
HEALTHCARE Healthcare Medical decisions belong between a patient and their doctors – not a government bureaucrat. While reforms are needed to reign in ever increasing healthcare costs, a government take-over is not the answer. Senator Inhofe is committed to repealing and replacing President Obama’s healthcare law. Principles of reform must improve the quality of coverage and care while reducing costs. Any reforms that take away patient choice while giving control to the government will devastate the quality of patient care. Additionally, federally administered programs like Medicare and Medicaid must be reformed to address costs and gaps in coverage.
IMMIGRATION Senator Inhofe has long supported immigration reform that makes border security a priority. He has insisted on immigration solutions that do not grant amnesty, shortcut the naturalization process, or ignore our nation’s laws by rewarding illegal activity. Senator Inhofe has repeatedly authored legislation that would make English the official language of the United States. He has stood up to the federal bureaucracies and defended the rights of states, especially those on the border, to protect themselves, their citizens, and their property from those that enter the country illegally.
ENERGY ” The Keystone XL Pipeline is the bellwether of energy policy today. It’s such a simple decision, but the President has wavered year after year. This posture should give the American people every bit of information they need about what the President really thinks about North America becoming energy independent and economically secure. He simply doesn’t want it to happen.” APRIL 29, 2014
American energy independence is not simply an economic issue. Energy independence is a matter of national security. Throughout my time in Washington, D.C. I have worked toward policies that encourage the U.S. to meet its energy needs domestically. This mean an “all the above” U.S. energy policy. We must continue to work to increase exploration and production of natural gas and oil, continuing the development and use of coal, along with the development of renewable sources of energy and further develop nuclear energy. As the former Chairman and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, I have worked hard to build upon the environmental accomplishments of the past thirty years. Scientifically based, well thought-out environmental regulations can provide benefits to the American people. Unfortunately, however, many current environmental regulations are not grounded in science. As a result, they usually do harm and put undue restrictions upon the freedoms of many Americans. Additionally, poorly designed environmental regulations have been a large contributor to the energy problems we now face and have put an unnecessary drag on our overall economy. If we rethink environmental regulation, we could be in a better position in the future and find ourselves in a place where we can have far greater environmental protection, more reliable and diverse energy sources, a stronger national defense, and a stronger economy.
America does not need to be dependent upon foreign powers to meet our energy needs. We must open domestic sources of energy production in our Outer Continental Shelf, Alaska, and on federal lands, and I know it is possible to do this in an environmentally friendly way. Oklahoma plays a key role in America’s energy independence. The oil and natural gas industry that helped build our state years ago is experiencing a resurgence and contributes billion of dollars and thousands of jobs to our Oklahoma economy.
Matt Silverstein (D) Challenger
http://www.mattforoklahoma.com/
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
REAL EQUALITY FOR WOMEN Women are paid less than men for the same work and that must change. Matt is a husband, father of a two-year old daughter, and grew up in a household as the older brother to two younger sisters. He is an adamant fighter for women. Matt has pledged to support forward thinking policies that help level the field for women. He is also a strong advocate for the Violence Against Women’s Act, equality for women in the military, and overall women’s health issues. Congress should never turn a blind eye to inequality towards women and we should all support common sense efforts to help local officials address these inequalities. The first step is admitting they exist.
ENERGY Our approach to energy must put Oklahoma first. Matt won’t allow special interests to guide his energy policy and he won’t promote out of state resources over Oklahoma’s own resources.
Jim Inhofe embraces out of state coal. While he wants to pick winners and losers, Matt believes the free market should guide our energy policy. Oklahoma is in a unique position to lead on new energy as well as old and that is what we should be doing in a 21st Century economy. Oklahoma energy can and will lead our nation towards energy independence and away from the grasp of OPEC.
TAX REFORM Matt will support a tax system that makes sense for businesses and individuals alike. Our corporate taxes are among the highest in the world and that makes our businesses less competitive around the world. However, corporate tax loopholes reduce taxes for the biggest corporations while the entrepreneurs and small businesses that are creating new jobs are saddled with paying close to the full rate. Matt is determined to work towards a tax system that works for small businesses not Wall Street. Matt supports eliminating all special interest corporate tax loopholes and reducing the overall rate to 20 percent or less.
Tom Coburn (R)
Resigning in December 2014 – Special Election in November 2014
James Lankford (R)
Challenger presently U.S Congressman for Oklahoma District 5
http://jameslankford.com/ http://lankford.house.gov/
http://www.ontheissues.org/house/James_Lankford.htm**
Rated -4 by AAI, indicating anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
ENERGY Voted for construction of the KeystoneXL Pipeline. As a nation, we currently spend over $2 billion a day importing over 42 percent of our oil from foreign countries. Some oil exporting nations are unfriendly towards the United States with unstable governments that control the supply and pricing of some of the largest oil reserves in the world. The United States is the top producer of natural gas in the world, and we should have the opportunity to responsibly sell our abundant resources to energy-hungry friendly nations and allies. According to a recently released study by the National Economic Research Associates (NERA), American natural gas production from 2012 to 2040 is predicted to increase overall by 39%. The NERA report concluded that the U.S. increase in GDP for exporting LNG could range from $1.5 billion in 2018 to $36 billion in 2038.
HEALTHCARE Repealing the Government Takeover of Health Care and Replacing with Patient-Oriented Solutions
JOBS AND ECONOMY America is at a crossroads and House Republicans are committed to taking every possible step to spur job creation and get our economy back on track so that Americans can do what they do best: create, innovate and lead.
Connie Johnson (D) Challenger
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
SENSIBLE REFORM OF OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM Oklahoma ranks number one in the world in female incarceration, and fourth in incarceration of men. These numbers are the result of the War on Drugs and its “tough on crime” and “mandatory minimums” legislation that is separating families and destroying neighborhoods and communities across Oklahoma and the country. Low-level drug offenders, primarily poor people and people of color, face wildly disproportionate prison sentences, at a cost to Oklahoma taxpayers of over $500 million per year. As an Oklahoma State Senator, Connie introduced a variety of sentencing reform measures, including eliminating “life without parole” as a possible punishment for drug offenses; eliminating three-strikes-you’re out sentencing for non-violent offenses; creating structured sentencing guidelines; decriminalizing marijuana; legalizing medical marijuana; and, establishing post-incarceration grace periods for court fees and restitution.
WOMEN’S ISSUES Ensuring Equal Pay for Equal Work As our U.S. Senator, Connie will work to close the wage gap between women and men in our state and nation. She’ll fight to ensure equal pay for equal work. Today, while women are 50.5 percent of Oklahoma’s population, they still only make 77 cents on the dollar compared to their male counterparts. Connie supports the Violence Against Women Act in the U.S. Senate. Oklahoma ranks third in the nation in deaths from spousal/partner abuse. Women who experience violence, emotional and sexual trauma, unintended pregnancy, and witness violence early in life are more likely to be incarcerated during their lifetimes.
Protecting Women’s Reproductive Rights
IMPROVING HEALTH CARE REFORM As our U.S. Senator, Connie will work to improve health care reform that provides access to care for all hardworking Oklahomans. She’ll fight for effective cost controls that reign in spiraling prescription drug and hospital costs. Even though Oklahoma is not participating in the Affordable Care Act-refusing to expand Medicaid or to create state health insurance exchanges-Oklahomans still benefit from key provisions in the ACA that Connie supports.
IMMIGRATION REFORM Immigrants in the U.S. have always encouraged innovation and helped spur economic growth. Connie supports immigration reform that paves the way for college graduates with international backgrounds to remain legally in our country after they graduate.
Connie also supports the Dream Act. Every high school student-including young Oklahomans whose parents are undocumented-should have access to affordable college education that helps them become skilled, productive, civic-minded citizens. It’s not these young people’s fault that they were born to parents who are here illegally. We do not visit the sins of the fathers upon the children.
District 1
Jim Bridenstine (R) Incumbent
http://www.jimbridenstine.com/ http://bridenstine.house.gov/
http://www.ontheissues.org/house/Jim_Bridenstine.htm**
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
HEALTHCARE Obamacare – America has the world’s finest doctors, hospitals, and medical innovations, but all that is in jeopardy because of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. I truly believe that Obamacare is the most significant domestic policy issue of our time, and stopping it is one of my top priorities in Congress.
- While Obamacare was supposed to bring down the cost of health insurance, the average premium for a family has risen by more than $3,000 since it was signed into law.
- President Barack Obama has repeatedly promised that “if you like your health care plan, you can keep it” under Obamacare, but the Congressional Budget Office now estimates that 7,000,000 Americans will lose access to their employer-based health insurance as a result of the law.
- Because the most stringent regulations apply to businesses with over 50 employees, many employers are already laying off staff and/or reducing work hours to avoid the exorbitant expenses and compliance requirements of Obamacare.
- Despite assurances to the contrary during debate over the law, new insurance mandates coming out of Washington threaten fundamental freedoms by requiring employers to cover services that directly conflict with their moral and religious principles.
Obamacare will be hugely expensive to each of us as consumers of healthcare. On top of that, the government will hire 16,500 new IRS agents to administer and enforce the provisions of the program. They will be charged with enforcing the mandate that citizens buy insurance, while many constitutional scholars believe that forcing citizens to buy any product is unconstitutional. The fact of the recent revelations of IRS corruption only reinforces the suspicion that compliance waivers granted to companies are politically motivated. Equal application of the law does not apply to Obamacare.
Putting a stop to Obamacare is one of my top priorities in Congress. That is why I co-sponsored and voted for H.R. 45, which passed in the House on May 16, 2013, and if enacted into law, would repeal Obamacare in its entirety.
ENERGY Supports construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments. Most of America’s energy needs are met with fossil fuels. Coal has long been the fuel of choice for electric generation. Since early in the first term, the Obama administration has targeted the coal industry, and the EPA has steadily tightened regulations. This is bad policy. Burdensome regulations on coal use directly increases the cost of electricity. Since low-income families spend a larger portion of their income on utilities, this is especially hard on the poorest Americans, but it hits everyone and increases costs for everything people consume.
For even more fundamental, constitutional reasons, I oppose EPA policy and regulatory efforts to penalize coal use. It is entirely inappropriate for any federal agency to circumvent the separation of powers by trying to achieve by regulation what would never pass Congress as legislation.
IMMIGRATION Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution gives Congress the authority “To establish a uniform Rule of Naturalization.” The immigration system does need reform, and it is the right and responsibility of Congress to do so. Border security must be a precondition to any comprehensive immigration reform. In order to fix our broken immigration system, we must start by securing the border and doing a better job of tracking guest workers. If these problems are not corrected first, a future Congress will be forced to deal with the same immigration problems we have today. Additionally, border security and guest worker tracking can’t just be a promise from the President but must have real “teeth” and credibility. I support enhancing our border security by extending and reinforcing physical barriers along the southern border, augmented with sufficient surveillance assets to alert authorities of illegal entries. I also support increasing our response capability. Once the border has been secured, we can begin to discuss meaningful reforms, but it is important that we focus on policies that will actually begin to solve the problem. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 demonstrates that simply giving citizenship to illegal aliens will not slow or stop illegal immigration so long as the border is unsecured and guest workers are not tracked. In fact, according to the non-partisan Congressional Research Service (CRS), the number of illegal aliens living in the United States has risen from about 3.2 million in 1986 to 11.1 million in 2011. Indeed, the mere discussion of this kind of “reform” only serves as a powerful incentive to accelerate illegal entries.
Here is where I stand on several specific issues related to any legislative reform of our immigration laws: ·
- I will vote “no” on any bill that is not given sufficient time for reading, deliberating, and vetting. Immigration reform must not be passed in the same secretive, rushed, and frenzied manner as Obamacare. Members of Congress must not shirk transparent discussions.
- Immigration reform starts with accountable border security that includes regular audits and oversight from Congress.
- We cannot reward people who broke our laws. The punishment must be proportional to the crime. It must be neither weak nor excessive.
No challenger
District 2
Markwayne Mullin (R) Incumbent
http://www.mullinforcongress.com/ http://www.ontheissues.org/house/Markwayne_Mullin.htm**
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
IMMIGRATION America always has been, and always will be, the land of freedom and opportunity. Any solution to our broken immigration system must contain strong border protection provisions, and must not allow amnesty. We cannot reward those who break our laws by giving them amnesty. We must also find a way to protect ourselves from dangerous criminals who enter this country and to ensure the safety net programs for legal U.S. Citizens are not used by non-Americans.
It is also critical that the immigration laws already on the books are enforced, not ignored for political reasons.
HEALTHCARE I have voted numerous times to delay, defund or repeal the budget-busting government-run health care known as Obamacare. This terrible law imposes more mandates, new taxes and it is costing jobs. A recent Congressional Budget Office report estimates that Obamacare will cause Americans to work fewer hours, enough to equal 2 million fewer jobs in 2017, estimated to rise to the equivalent of 2.5 million jobs in 2024. Furthermore, it jeopardizes Oklahoma’s rural hospitals, which are already struggling. Instead of more government intervention in our personal healthcare decisions, I favor reforms that are market-based and patient centered and which actually solve some of the problems in our health care system – not create an entirely new system with layer upon layer of new problems.
ENERGY America is rich in natural resources, but the federal government makes it difficult and expensive to tap into these resources. Instead, we are beholden to countries that don’t always have America’s best interests in mind. The President’s climate action plan and “War on Coal” will only cost Americans more money and kill jobs. That “War on Coal” is already being felt here in Oklahoma. I have repeatedly called on the President to finally permit the northern leg of the Keystone XL Pipeline. For over five years, this Administration and its liberal supporters have stood in the way of the good jobs and economic boost that this northern leg will have. I believe the government needs to get out of the way and allow us to access and use these natural resources to make America more energy independent while keeping energy costs down.
Earl Everett (D) Challenger
http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/local/x1535565437/Retired-educator-seeks-to-serve-in-Congress
District 3
Frank Lucas (R) Incumbent
http://www.frankdlucas.com/ http://lucas.house.gov/
http://www.ontheissues.org/house/Frank_Dean_Lucas.htm**
Rated -2 by AAI, indicating anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
ENERGY Voted for construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline without limiting amendments. I support an “all of the above” energy agenda that can create new American jobs, decrease our dependence on foreign oil, and promote efficient usage of energy here at home. –
HEALTHCARE We need real health care reform in this country that lowers costs, maintains options, reduces the uninsured population, and expand access. –
IMMIGRATION I am working to see our borders secured and our immigration laws enforced, allowing legal immigration and naturalization.
Frankie Robbins (D) Challenger No website
District 4
Tom Cole (R) Incumbent
http://www.tomcoleforcongress.com/ http://www.ontheissues.org/house/Tom_Cole.htm**
Rated -2 by AAI, indicating anti-Arab anti-Palestine voting record. (May 2012)
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
HEALTH CARE Our country’s health care system needs reform. As your Representative I will fight for patient centered improvements that reduce cost, allow flexibility, and protect America’s most vulnerable citizens. Obamacare – I strongly oppose the so-called Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare.
IMMIGRATION America is a land of immigrants, and we are also a nation of laws. Those laws must be enforced in order to secure our borders and stop the flood of illegal immigration.
TAXES I support the simplification of our nation’s tax code and common sense proposals to make tax collection fair and efficient for America’s workers. I support making the Bush tax cuts permanent.
DEBT Our national debt is unsustainable. Families have to live within a budget and Congress should too. I am fighting to root out wasteful, duplicative, and unnecessary spending and return us to balanced budgets.
ENERGY I support developing all of our nation’s energy resources and becoming energy independent while reducing dependence on foreign oil. I support the Keystone XL Pipeline and increased production of oil and natural gas.
Bert Smith (D) Challenger
http://bertsmith4congress.com/
In 1997, I retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after 28 years in the U S Army Reserve. In 1971-72, I flew in combat in the Republic of Vietnam as a helicopter pilot, lift section leader, and assistant S2 with the 3/17 Air Cavalry Squadron. My military career included being honor graduate of my Infantry Officer Basic Class, five years with the 96th MTC, graduation from the Army’s Command and General Staff College, and 10 years as an Admissions Field Representative for the United States Military Academy at West Point.
District 5
James Lankford (R) Candidate for US Senate in 2014
No decisive winners: There will be a runoff on August 26
Patrice Douglas (R) Challenger
http://www.patricedouglas.com/
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
HEALTHCARE As a proud mother of two boys, I understand the importance of a health-care system that empowers and protects the trusted doctor-patient relationship. Bureaucrats in Washington should not control Oklahoma families’ medical decisions. Patient care must be our primary goal.
We MUST REPEAL ObamaCare. Let’s work together and find free market-based and patient-centered solutions that will increase accessibility, lower costs and promote cutting-edge research that save, improve and enhance lives without raising taxes, rationing care or increasing government control.
IMMIGRATION I oppose amnesty for illegal immigrants. America must protect and secure its borders to ensure the financial and personal safety of all Americans. The failure of the federal government to enforce our immigration laws leaves taxpayers with higher costs in health care, education and public safety. I strongly support a solid employment verification system that encourages companies to hire legal workers, and provides stiff prosecution for those who employ illegal workers.
JOBS AND ECONOMY Oklahoma’s small businesses power our economy and create jobs. Let’s find solutions to reduce our national debt, balance the budget and keep America prosperous so small businesses can once again flourish without the threat of job-killing regulations and higher taxes. In my experience, I believe Oklahoma small businesses won’t be able to start hiring again until Washington gets off their backs. We do not need the federal government to create jobs; we can create an atmosphere that encourages entrepreneurship and small business growth with a sensible tax system and little government interference.
Steve Russell (R) Challenger
The unit LTC Steve Russell (Ret) commanded was a central player in the hunt and Capture of Saddam Hussein. LTC Russell speaks across the US and Canada, rallying the American public to support the troops with victory, not just words. LTC Russell retired from the US Army after serving 21 years in Airborne, Light and Mechanized assignments in the Arctic, the desert, the Pacific, in Europe and in the Continental United States. He served more than 7 years overseas and has deployed operationally to Kosovo, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq.
During Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, LTC Russell commanded the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry ‘Regulars’ and conducted combat in Tikrit, Iraq from the spring of 2003 to the spring of 2004. His battalion was broadly covered during the first year of the war by CNN, FOX NEWS, ABC, NBC, CBS, TIME MAGAZINE, Associated Press and Reuters. His unit was a central player in the hunt and capture of Saddam Hussein and has been featured in Discovery’s ‘Ace in the Hole’ and BBC Panorama’s ‘Saddam on the Run’ documentaries. He is described by the media as “an officer who never misses a chance to be on patrol with his unit. Russell is of average height, wiry and doesn’t seem imposing. Yet, he impresses you as a natural leader. He’s got the earnestness and intensity of a missionary.”
LTC Russell is highly decorated, having received the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device and Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge and the Valorous Unit Award.
Tom Guild (D) Challenger
http://www.guildforcongress.com/
HOT BUTTON ISSUES
UNIONS I support the right to organize, collective bargaining and minimum wage laws. I oppose “Right to Work,” attacks on Unions and the extension of the Bush Tax Cuts for the Wealthy.
HEALTHCARE Providing health care to American families is a moral issue. Democrats have just extended health coverage by passing health care reform that extends protection to 32 million additional Americans. It makes denial of coverage on the basis of preexisting conditions a thing of the past, prohibits sex discrimination that charges women more for their health care premiums and forbids insurers from placing lifetime dollar limits on policies. It is devastating for the American people to have their health insurance premiums increase by 30, 40 or even 50 percent or more each year. Cost controls put in place by the new law will reduce premiums, and provide income based subsidies to assist all families in paying for their health insurance. It is simply unacceptable that 12,000 Americans a day lose their coverage; the new law eliminates cancellation for illness or pre-existing conditions. It was not acceptable that businesses had to choose between failure and providing their employees with health care protection. The new law provides subsidies to support small business in doing the right thing and insuring all their employees.
WOMEN I am running for Congress to help ensure that every woman is treated fairly in her life. Whether on the job, making health decisions, raising children or in her every day affairs. “All Women Deserve a Voice in Washington!”
GLBT I support equal rights for all. I support the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” I support equality for all and I do not believe it should be legal to fire someone solely based on sexual orientation.
Al McAffrey (D) Challenger
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