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February 3, 2010

Gov. candidates spend $663K in 4Q of 2009

SEAN MURPHY Associated Press Writer

Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010 — OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Campaign finance reports show that Oklahoma's five announced candidates for governor have spent nearly half of the $4 million they've raised — primarily on consultants, employees and fundraising as they seek their party's nomination.



"Right now they're concerned with the primaries, and that's the insiders," said John Ulrich, professor of political science at East Central University and the editor of Oklahoma Politics. "So they're going to the county meetings, the local areas, and focusing on building their primary base."



During the last quarter of 2009, the candidates spent $663,000, the reports show. Candidates officially file for office in June in advance of the July 27 party primaries.



Among the announced candidates:



—Attorney General Drew Edmondson, a Democrat, has raised $1.7 million and spent $741,000.



—U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin, a Republican, has raised $1.18 million and spent $666,000



—Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, a Democrat, has raised $934,000 and spent $420,000.



—State Sen. Randy Brogdon, a Republican, has raised $144,000 and spent $115,000.



—Yukon businessman Robert Hubbard, a Republican, has raised $723, all from himself.



Gov. Brad Henry, a Democrat, cannot seek a third consecutive term in office because of term limits. In his 2006 race against Republican Ernest Istook, Henry raised $4.8 million and Istook $1.7 million, for a total of $6.5 million.



From Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, Fallin reported receiving $27,100 from political action committees for insurance and drug companies, bankers and telecommunications and energy industries, among others, and Askins received $14,500 from PACs connected to agriculture, corrections, title companies, firefighters and petroleum marketers.



Edmondson received $2,500 from chemical company DuPont's PAC and $250 from Oklahoma Petroleum Marketers. Neither Brogdon nor Hubbard reported any campaign contributions from committees.



A total of 1,644 individuals donated money to gubernatorial candidates in the last quarter of 2009 — 682 for Edmondson, 414 for Askins, 359 for Fallin and 189 to Brogdon.



Exactly twice as many individual donors gave money to Democrats as opposed to Republicans, 1096 to 548, records show.



Individual donor lists show several contributors gave money to multiple candidates, including a half dozen contributors who donated to both Askins and Edmondson. Four contributors gave money to both Edmondson and Fallin, and four others donated to both Askins and Fallin.

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