Former Democratic gubernatorial candidate eyes political future

Monday, April 10th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- It's been about 18 months since then state Rep. Laura Boyd was eyeing a statewide political future as she campaigned as the Democratic candidate for governor.

Boyd didn't win that race, losing by a 505,498-to-357,552 margin to incumbent Republican Gov. Frank Keating. But she hasn't given upon the idea of being a statewide elected official.

Boyd is gearing up for another statewide campaign in 2002, and she's leaning toward running for lieutenant governor -- a position already held by a woman, Republican Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin.

"What's important to me is to serve," Boyd said. "What matters to me is the policies that need to happen for the people of Oklahoma and being in a position to forward that."

In spite of her loss to Keating in 1998, Boyd, of Norman, still collected 42 percent of the vote in an election in which political analysts said Boyd was little known and under financed.

"With that number of individuals believing that I was offering to lead Oklahoma in a particular direction, I think it is incumbent on me to continue to keep those policy issues voiced," Boyd said.

Boyd, a licensed marriage and family therapist and a licensed professional counselor, has kept busy since the election as a lobbyist and consultant for the Oklahoma Federation of Teachers, a teachers union with about 4,500 members.

Boyd also consults for a couple of non-profit groups, including the Center for Policy Alternatives, a bipartisan think tank based in Washington, D.C., that works with legislators from across the nation.

But Boyd said public service is her first love and that a statewide post will give her the platform she needs to promote the policies she espoused during her three terms in the House of Representatives.

"I said immediately after the race that I was still committed to Oklahoma and to those policy issues that I had pushed as a legislator and had made the center of my gubernatorial platform," she said.

"The bully pulpit for these policy issues is what's significant."

Boyd, the first woman to run as the Democratic nominee for governor in Oklahoma, said her original goal of being governor has not changed. But the politics of gender make gaining for the top job a difficult task in Oklahoma as well as other states.

In 1998, 10 women ran for governor of a state, Boyd said. None won.

"While women in executive positions have made great strides in this country in the last 50 years, there is still a long road to travel," she said.

On the other hand, Oklahomans have shown a willingness to elect a woman lieutenant governor. Fallin is serving her second term and has said she is eyeing a run for governor in the next election.

"Oklahomans are willing to have women as a lieutenant governor," Boyd said.

There are 18 women lieutenant governors in the United States.

Boyd said she is not interested in being promoted to Congress.

"I would like to serve Oklahoma from Oklahoma," she said. "I listen well. I am a good consensus builder. I want to lead on the issues, not because of power."

Boyd describes herself as socially liberal but fiscally conservative. "If you look at my record, that's exactly what I've been," she said. "We ran on a promise that all people of Oklahoma would have access to this leadership and a voice in the decisions governing their lives. That it would be a politics of policy, not of privilege."

Boyd said she was the first candidate in the 1998 governor's race to bring up the issue of car tags as part of her gubernatorial platform. She said she wanted a reduction in car tag costs that wa revenue neutral and across the board.

Car tag reform has turned into one of the hottest issues in the 2000 Oklahoma Legislature, with separate measures proposed by both Republicans and Democrats.

"Some of those issues that we brought to the race are now being carried on by others on both sides of the aisle," Boyd said.

Boyd said Oklahomans want "a common sense system of taxation" including "real, honest tax cuts that give visible return to the citizens."

Oklahomans also want smaller government but are demanding better health care and better public education, Boyd said.

"They are interested in smaller government and non-interference," she said. She said she believes the Legislature is passing too many laws.

"We are out of control in offering pieces of legislation," Boyd said. "I have been a part of that. But the fact is, we're litigation happy, whether it's creating laws or suing one another."

Boyd said her social agenda was an important part of her gubernatorial race and remains an important part of her political platform.

Boyd was principal House author of the 1996 Ryan Luke Act, named for the 2-year-old McAlester boy who died from blunt head trauma while the state investigated whether he was being beaten at home.

The law changed how courts deal with children who are suspected of being abused.

"We ran on the right of every child to enter school healthy and ready to learn," she said. "The people want quality education forall of their children." "People of Oklahoma want quality, affordable health care," Boyd said. "The senior citizens want to have access to drugs to stay healthy. And they want to die with dignity at their home."

"I have had the ability to work with many Oklahoma families in my career," Boyd said. "My commitment is to the people of Oklahoma and to these policies."