Governor Predicts Bipartisan Cooperation

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Gov. Brad Henry is predicting bipartisan cooperation between himself and Republican and Democratic state lawmakers during his second term. <br/><br/>Henry, a Democrat, won re-election

Sunday, December 31st 2006, 9:56 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Gov. Brad Henry is predicting bipartisan cooperation between himself and Republican and Democratic state lawmakers during his second term.

Henry, a Democrat, won re-election in a landslide while Republicans maintained their 57-44 majority in the state House and gained two seats to forge a 24-24 split in the Senate.

Senate Democratic and Republican leaders have created a partnership with majority duties to be split evenly between the two parties.

``Isn't it beautiful? I'm so proud of the fact that since the first day I came into office, I've not only talked bipartisanship and used it in every paragraph almost, but I've practiced it and we've been very successful,'' Henry said in an interview with The Oklahoman.

``Four years ago, you didn't hear legislative leaders using the term `bipartisanship' very often; it was more of a rarity,'' the governor said. ``Today, everybody's talking bipartisanship, and that is good for Oklahoma. ... I'm not going to take credit for it all, but hopefully some of that is a result of our bipartisan approach.''

Henry, who served 10 years as a state senator from Shawnee before being elected governor, said he expects to be able to work with legislative leaders.

He was House Speaker Lance Cargill's state senator and served in the Legislature with Cargill, R-Harrah, who has supported some of Henry's education and research development ideas.

The governor is familiar with Senate President Pro Tem Mike Morgan, D-Stillwater, and Republican Senate leader Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City.

Keith Gaddie, a University of Oklahoma political science professor, said Henry should be effective in his second term.

``He's got some weight; it's a question of how he throws it around,'' Gaddie said.

The split Senate will mean some measures that Democrats would have kept from getting to committee hearings will at least be heard, he said.

``I'm just not sure if the Democrats in the Senate are going to be willing to stand there and kind of shield him from controversial issues,'' Gaddie said.

``The thing about Brad Henry, though, is he wants to be where the solution is going to be, so he's going to figure out where that is and he's going to arrive there.''

Gaddie said the House and Senate will have to bargain and compromise, making Henry a power broker until a Senate seat changes hands.

Henry, who attributes his re-election to his ability to be a consensus builder, said his administration will continue looking for ways to get both sides together and come to an agreement on critical issues.

``We've worked with everybody over the past four years.''