2006 Oklahoma gubernatorial election
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Labelled list hatnote". Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Template:ElectionsOK The 2006 Oklahoma gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democratic governor Brad Henry won re-election to a second term in a landslide, defeating Republican U.S. representative Ernest Istook. Henry took 66.5% of the vote to Istook's 33.5% and swept all but three counties in the state.[1]
since 2025[update]Template:Dated maintenance category (articles)Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters"., this remains the last time that a Democrat was elected Governor of Oklahoma, or along with the concurrent elections, won any statewide office. Republicans later swept all statewide executive offices on the 2010 ballot, as they did majorities in both state legislative chambers.
Background
Though Democrats had dominated state politics for most of Oklahoma's history, the Oklahoma Republican Party had recently gained control of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and held five of the state's six Congressional seats.[2] Henry's opponent, Republican Ernest Istook, was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Oklahoma's 5th congressional district.
As in many Southern states, Oklahoma has favored conservative Democrats to the more liberal members of the party. In his first term, Henry had supported some tax cuts and took centrist positions on many political hot button issues.
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Brad Henry, incumbent governor of Oklahoma
- Andrew W. Marr, Jr.
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | Brad Henry (incumbent) | Script error: No such module "string". | 85.82 | |
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | Andrew W. Marr, Jr. | Script error: No such module "string". | 14.18 | |
| Total votes | Script error: No such module "string". | 100.00 | ||
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Republican primary
Candidates
- Ernest Istook, U.S. congressman
- Bob Sullivan, former Oklahoma Secretary of Energy
- James A. Williamson, Oklahoma state senator
- Jim Evanoff
Campaign
Istook's strongest opponent in the primary was Bob Sullivan, who positioned himself as the only "non-career politician" in the race.[4] He ran ads featuring Gailard Sartain that attacked his opponents' "career politician" background. The Sartain ads were seen as over the top and may have hurt his chances. Sullivan said education was a top priority and had led an effort to place an initiative petition on the November 2006 ballot that would have required 65 percent of money earmarked for education be spent in the classroom.[5]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | Ernest Istook | Script error: No such module "string". | 54.71 | |
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | Bob Sullivan | Script error: No such module "string". | 30.94 | |
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | James Allen Williamson | Script error: No such module "string". | 9.76 | |
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | Jim Evanoff | Script error: No such module "string". | 4.60 | |
| Total votes | Script error: No such module "string". | 100.00 | ||
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General election
The incumbent Democratic governor Brad Henry won the election with more than 66 percent of the vote, beating Republican U.S. representative Ernest Istook.[1]
Predictions
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[6] | Template:USRaceRating | November 6, 2006 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[7] | Template:USRaceRating | November 6, 2006 |
| Rothenberg Political Report[8] | Template:USRaceRating | November 2, 2006 |
| Real Clear Politics[9] | Template:USRaceRating | November 6, 2006 |
Polling
| Source | Date | Brad Henry (D) |
Ernest Istook (R) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Survey USA[10] | November 4, 2006 | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" align=center| 65% | 29% |
| Rasmussen[11] | September 29, 2006 | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" align=center| 59% | 34% |
| Survey USA[12] | September 26, 2006 | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" align=center| 64% | 33% |
| Rasmussen[13] | September 6, 2006 | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" align=center| 54% | 33% |
| Survey USA[14] | August 28, 2006 | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" align=center| 60% | 34% |
| Sooner Poll[15] | July 17, 2006 | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" align=center| 57% | 29% |
| Rasmussen[16] | May 7, 2006 | style="color:black;background-color:Template:Democratic Party (US)/meta/shading" align=center| 50% | 39% |
Results
Template:Election box winning candidate with party link| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | <templatestyles src="Template:Tooltip/styles.css" />±%Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Script error: No such module "Political party". | Ernest Istook | 310,327[1] | 33.50% | Script error: No such module "String". | |
| Total votes | 926,462 | 100.00% | n/a | ||
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Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
- Roger Mills (Largest city: Cheyenne)
- Custer (Largest city: Weatherford)
- Dewey (Largest city: Seiling)
- Woodward (Largest city: Woodward)
- Alfalfa (Largest city: Helena)
- Cleveland (Largest city: Norman)
- Ellis (Largest city: Shattuck)
- Harper (Largest city: Laverne)
- Grant (Largest city: Medford)
- Canadian (Largest city: Yukon)
- Oklahoma (Largest city: Oklahoma City)
- McClain (Largest city: Newcastle)
- Major (Largest city: Fairview)
- Kay (Largest city: Ponca City)
- Tulsa (Largest city: Tulsa)
- Wagoner (Largest city: Coewta)
- Washington (Largest city: Bartlesville)
- Jackson (Largest city: Altus)
- Stephens (Largest city: Duncan)
- Comanche (Largest city: Lawton)
- Kingfisher (Largest city: Kingfisher)
- Logan (Largest city: Guthrie)
- Noble (Largest city: Perry)
- Garfield (Largest city: Enid)
See also
References
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- ↑ a b c 2006 election results for governor (accessed May 28, 2010).
- ↑ Gaddie, Ronald Keith, "Oklahoma Republican Party Template:Webarchive," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture Template:Webarchive (accessed May 28, 2010).
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Robert J. Sullivan, Jr.
- ↑ Allen, Cindy, "Governor, his challengers debate about leadership role," Enid News & Eagle, June 8, 2006 (accessed May 28, 2010).
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- ↑ Survey USA
- ↑ Rasmussen
- ↑ Survey USA
- ↑ Rasmussen
- ↑ Survey USA
- ↑ Sooner Poll
- ↑ Rasmussen
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External links
Official campaign websites (Archived)
- Brad Henry 2006 Gubernatorial Campaign Site
- Ernest Istook 2006 Gubernatorial Campaign Site
- Oklahoma State Election Board, primary results
- Bob Sullivan 2006 Gubernatorial Campaign Site
- Jim Williamson 2006 Gubernatorial Campaign Site
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