OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - With the 2016 presidential election cycle ramping up, the chairmanships of both the Oklahoma Republican and Democratic parties are up for grabs.
Republicans will gather next weekend in Oklahoma City for their annual convention, where incumbent GOP party boss Dave Weston will try to fend off a challenge from two challengers - longtime party activist Pam Pollard and one-time tea party favorite Randy Brogdon.
Oklahoma Democrats will select a new leader for its state party after Wallace Collins said he won’t run for another two-year term. Current party vice-chair Dana Orwig and Oklahoma City attorney Mark Hammons both announced plans to seek that post at the Democratic Party Convention on May 30.
Republicans have enjoyed tremendous success during the last decade in Oklahoma, capturing both chambers of the Legislature and every statewide elected office. The GOP also retained all five congressional seats and both U.S. Senate seats in 2014.
“I feel blessed that it’s been one of the most successful terms election-wise in Oklahoma Republican Party history,” said Weston, 46, who spent 23 years in the financial services industry before being elected party chairman in 2013. “Now we need to take that momentum that we have down to the courthouse, the school house and city hall.”
Weston will face two familiar names in Oklahoma Republican politics in Brogdon and Pollard. Brogdon, 61, is a former state senator from Owasso who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2010 and U.S. Senate in 2014. Pollard, 55, has held numerous positions in the party, including vice chairman, Oklahoma County Republican Party chairman and her current position as state president of the Oklahoma Federation of Republican Women.
Both Brogdon and Pollard stressed the importance of diversifying the party and reaching out to young people and minority groups.
“There are plenty of African-Americans, Hispanics and definitely millennials who believe government at all levels is too big and too abusive,” Brogdon said. “When Republicans take the message of limited government and expansion of freedoms to them, that will sell like hotcakes. I truly believe that.”
Pollard, who runs her own accounting firm, said her top goal is to both grow and unite the party.
“My 20 years of grassroots experience gives me a unique perspective in organizing our county and getting them involved in their local community to accomplish the bigger goal, which is bringing in this new generation of Republicans,” Pollard said.
On the Democratic side, Collins said he’s proud of what he’s been able to accomplish during his two terms in office, paying off the party’s debt and defending the seats of every incumbent in the Legislature.
“We’re solid now. We’ve climbed out of that hole of being in debt, and I’m proud to say we’ve upgraded our computers, our equipment, servers and telephones. Our voter file is updated monthly now instead of who knows when,” Collins said. “Some of the gains we’ve made may not show up on the scoreboard … but we’ve been successful at protecting our Democratic incumbents.”
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