Oklahoma's Next Big Political Contest Spurs Early Speculation

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Conservative Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe is entering his fifth decade as a public official and sees no reason why he should slow down. <br/><br/>``I ride horses, fly airplanes and

Sunday, December 24th 2006, 8:18 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Conservative Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe is entering his fifth decade as a public official and sees no reason why he should slow down.

``I ride horses, fly airplanes and out work everyone around me,'' he said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Inhofe will be 71 in 2008, when he would be up for re-election to a third full term, and political blogs on the Internet are filled with speculation about whether he will run again and who the Democratic candidates might be.

There is some sentiment among Democrats that the Tulsa Republican might retire, since he is now in the Senate minority after this year's elections.

While a formal announcement will wait, Inhofe indicated strongly that Democratic hopes are wishful thinking.

``I see no reason why I wouldn't run,'' he said.

He also said ``I haven't felt a real challenge out there'' among his potential political foes.

One by one, the biggest Democratic names in the state have said they either are not considering running against Inhofe or their prospects of running are not strong.

The most formidable Democratic figure in the state, Gov. Brad Henry, reiterated in an AP interview his previous stand that he will not challenge Inhofe. He also said he does not see himself going to Washington at any future date.

``I don't have any agenda to run for the United States Senate at anytime, certainly not during my term'' said the 43-year-old chief executive, who got more than 66 percent of the vote in defeating outgoing U.S. Rep. Ernest Istook in November.

``I have no desire to go to Washington, D.C, where the order of the day is partisan politics and gridlock,'' Henry said.

He said no one knows what the long-range future will hold, but ``I still have a relatively young family and I want them to be raised in Oklahoma and to go school here.'' Henry and first lady Kim Henry have three daughters. The youngest is 9-year-old Baylee Henry.

Dan Boren, who won re-election to a second term in the 2nd Congressional District, is another Democratic Senate prospect who has publicly said he will not oppose Inhofe in 2008.

A third prominent Democrat, Attorney General Drew Edmondson, also was re-elected to a four-year term in November.

Edmondson did not completely shut the door to considering a Senate race, but left doubt when he said he would not weigh any future political options until after his lawsuit with the poultry industry is settled.

``My obligation is to that lawsuit,'' he said. ``I'm simply not going to look at anything else until that is resolved.''

The filing period for the 2008 elections will not be until early June of that year, but from a practical standpoint, anyone wanting to have an effective Senate candidacy will have to start raising money and running for the post several months earlier.

Lisa Pryor, state Democratic chairwoman, said many Democrats are reportedly considering a U.S. Senate run, pointing to blogs that speculate on possible candidacies by state Sens. Jay Paul Gumm of Durant and Kenneth Corn of Poteau, Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor and others.

Pryor said anyone serious about running may make a move as early as March, but much will depend on the developing national political climate.

``I think our U.S. Senate candidate will come more into focus once the presidential candidate announcements are made.''

Republicans will have more U.S. Senate seats to defend than Democrats in 2008, but Inhofe is predicting the GOP will win back control by picking up at least one seat because Democrats are vulnerable in GOP-trending states in the south and elsewhere.

He said he does not think conservative and moderate voters will not be happy with the policies of Democratic senators such as Pat Leahy of Vermont, Charles Rangel of New York, Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts and Barbara Boxer of California, who will be spotlighted on television as new committee chairmen.

He also believes Sen. Hillary Clinton will get the Democratic nomination for president and will be a formidable candidate but ``a real drag'' on some Democratic Senate candidates.

Boxer is expected to be more favorable to policies supported by environmental groups, who were sharply critical of Inhofe's tenure as chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Environmentalists were particularly infuriated with Inhofe's position that the notion of human-caused global warming is a hoax.

Inhofe said as ranking member of Boxer's committee, he would be in line to return as chairman if Democrats do not retain a majority, but he would probably opt to become chairman of the Armed Services Committee. He said that post would open up if Arizona Sen. John McCain leaves the Senate or is elected president.

Inhofe has been a staunch hawk on defense issues throughout his public career, which began with his election to the state House in 1966. He was later a state senator, mayor of Tulsa and U.S. House member.

Tom Daxon, state Republican chairman, said Inhofe has shown the ability to attract voters who don't normally vote for GOP candidates because he is independent and ``not afraid to challenge the establishment when that is called for.''

At age 35, Inhofe was the Republican nominee for governor, losing in the general election to Democratic David Boren, whom he would later replaced as U.S. senator in 1994 when Boren returned to Oklahoma to become president of the University of Oklahoma. Known as a ferocious campaigner, Inhofe easily defeated former Democratic Gov. David Walters in his re-election bid in 2002.

Having been in the minority for much of his political life, Inhofe said he looks forward to the GOP regaining Senate control. ``I've tried it both and I like the majority better,'' he said.