Anthony, Coburn join Humphreys on airwaves; Carson waiting

Monday, June 7th 2004, 3:52 pm

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- All three major Republican candidates for U.S. Senate are now running broadcast commercials to woo the vast pool of undecided voters in the hotly contested nomination fight.

Former congressman Tom Coburn began radio ads Monday, while Corporation Commissioner Bob Anthony's television spots start airing Tuesday. Former Oklahoma City Mayor Kirk Humphreys' TV ads began May 17.

Anthony and Humphreys officially filed for the seat being vacated after 24 years by Sen. Don Nickles, R-Okla., on Monday, the first day candidates were able to file for election.

Coburn and Fort Gibson businesswoman Linda Murphy were expected to file before the deadline Wednesday.

"It's filing day," said Bill Shapard, spokesman for Anthony, explaining why the campaign is starting its commercials now. "It's time to get the campaign started."

A poll published by The Oklahoman May 23 showed Humphreys and Coburn in a dead heat for the nomination, but it also showed that 41 percent of polled Republicans had not decided whom they would for.

"We're trying to get some of those undecided voters to go our way, and being first up was part of our strategy," said Rich Buchanan, Humphrey's spokesman. "We've been able to run for three weeks without our opponents on the air."

The large number of undecided voters illustrates that each candidate needs to enhance statewide name recognition, and the ads now running largely serve to introduce the candidate to unfamiliar voters.

Only Anthony has run a statewide campaign before, but the commission spots are low-profile. Coburn represented northeastern Oklahoma in Congress form 1994-2000, and Humphreys has only won election in the state's largest city.

Humphreys' third commercial runs this week in the Tulsa and Oklahoma City markets. In each, Humphreys touts his conservative beliefs, and the first one featured Nickles, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., and former congressman J.C. Watts endorsing the former mayor.

Coburn's three radio spots, which are running statewide on Christian and NewsTalk stations, feature unnamed men and women describing the Muskogee physician as a Christian family man with integrity.

"Typically, a lot of conservatives listen to talk radio, so we thought that would be the best way to get our message out," said Aaron Cooper, spokesman for Coburn's campaign.

In his ads, Anthony, a commissioner since 1988, labels himself as a fighter of corruption on the commission and a conservative who values his faith and his family.

"I believe in limited government, lower taxes and a strong national defense," Anthony says in the commercial, which will run on broadcast and cable stations in Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Lawton and Ada/Ardmore.

Murphy, a former state education official, could not immediately be reached.

Rep. Brad Carson, D-Okla., is the main Democrat seeking Nickles' seat. His campaign is not currently airing any commercials.

"We're in the works right now to come up with what our schedule for TV would be," said Carson spokesman Brad Luna. "We expect to be on the air sometime and throughout the summer."