Incumbent Protection Act of 2008

Letter to the Oklahoman Editor

Incredible disadvantage

The Oklahoma House, by a vote of 92-8, just passed House Bill 2196, which I call the "Incumbent Protection Act of 2008.” The actual title is the "Oklahoma Clean Campaign Act of 2008,” but if the Senate passes it as is and the governor signs it into law, it will hamstring any citizen who dares run against an incumbent legislator. And our legislators know this.

The problem is this clause: "Contributions shall not be made to, nor solicited or accepted by, a member of the Oklahoma Legislature or a candidate for a state legislative office fifteen (15) days prior to, fifteen (15) days after, or during any regular legislative session.” The result is that challengers who decide after mid-January of an election year to run for legislative office won't be able to raise any campaign funds until after the filing period in June. This puts them at an incredible disadvantage against incumbents who've spent the previous summer and autumn raising cash.

As a practical matter, citizens will have to start their campaigns over a year before the general election; not many people can make that decision that early. This part of the bill is anti-democratic, unfair and wrong. Ask your state senator to kill it.

Clark Duffe, Edmond