Brogdon named top conservative; Watson nominated as a RINO

Liberal GOP members are
Republican In Name Only

State Sen. Randy Brogdon, R-Owasso, was named senate lawmaker of the year by a conservative committee that rates votes on key issues.

Brogdon has scored 100 this year and last year and has a career average of 94 on the Conservative Index.


The Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee (OCPAC) bases its financial support and the awards on lawmaker scores on the Oklahoma Constitution Newspaper’s Conservative Index. Charlie Meadows of Oklahoma City is the president of that conservative group.

Sen. Anthony Sykes, R-Moore, was close behind Brogdon. He had a 100 score last year, 90 this year and a career average of 90.

Senator Mike Mazzei, R-Tulsa, scored 80 last year, 80 this year and has 73 as an average. Sen. Bill Brown, R-Broken Arrow, had an index score of 90 last year, 80 this year and an average of 80.

The OCPAC RINO (Republican In Name Only) award goes to Sen. Harry Coates, R-Seminole, for the second year in a row. His score last year and this year was 43, with a career score of 45.

Eight House members were nominated for this year’s RINO award. They are Weldon Watson, R-Tulsa (50 last year, 57 this year and an average of 57); Steve Martin, R-Bartlesville (50 last year, 60 this year and an average of 67); Dale DeWitt, R-Braman (70 last year, 60 this year and an average of 56); former winner Phil Richardson, R-Minco (50 last year, 60 this year and 49 for an average); Earl Sears, R-Bartlesville (50 last year, 55 this year and an average of 55); last year’s winner Shane Jett, R-Tecumseh (53 last year, 55 this year and an average of 47); former two-time winner Terry Ingmire, R-Stillwater (46 last year, 51 this year and an average of 41) and this year’s winner is Rep. Doug Cox, R-Grove (26 last year, 35 this year and an average of 41).

Cox is so liberal that 17 Democrats had higher Conservative Index scores, one tied him and 14 either tied him or had higher average scores for the past 2 years. Cox, a pro-abortion physician, had 2 Democrats file against him this year.

Watson, a freshman, represents District 69, one of the most conservative districts in Tulsa and the entire state.

“If the winner of the Democrat primary race is a conservative Democrat, the citizens of that district and the state as a whole would be better off with the Democrat in office than RINO Cox,” said Meadows.

“Cox losing to a conservative Democrat would send a signal to other liberal Republicans of the risk to their re-election efforts.”

The Oklahoma Observer, a publication even more liberal than the Tulsa World, recently picked Cox as the “best Republican in the House.” That index used a large number of the same bills as the Conservative Index.

“It just goes to show how on target the Oklahoma Constitution’s Conservative Index is as far as being relevant to determining the conservatives from the liberals,” Meadows said.

The top conservative index award for the Oklahoma House of Representatives goes to Rep. Mike Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City. His score last year was 100, this year was 97 and he has a career average of 94.

Three representatives were tied for runnerup. They are Rep. Rex Duncan, R-Sand Springs (100 in 2007, 95 in 2008 and a career average of 93); Rep. Sally Kern, R-Oklahoma City and Bethany (100 in 2007, 95 in 2008 and a career average of 93) and Randy Terrill, R-Moore (90 in 2007, 90 in 2008 and a career mark of 85).

For the second year in a row, Freshman of the Year goes to Rep. Jason Murphey, R-Guthrie, with a mark of 100 for the last two years and his career. The runner-up is Rep. Charles Key, R-Oklahoma City and Bethany, (90 in 2007, 80 in 2008 and a career average of 80).

OCPAC members named 7 House members for financial contributions for high marks, including Murphey; Reynolds; Duncan, Kern; Terrill; Key and George Faught, R-Muskogee.

The address for OCPAC is P.O. Box 2021, Edmond, Okla., 73083