Oklahoma House, District 89, and how to get a pro-gun candidate in that seat.

[thefenux]

Currently, the seat is held by Rebecca Hamilton (D). Does anyone know if someone who is pro-gun republican has stepped up to run against her in 2014?

The district is in SW OKC and includes the stockyards area. You can see a map of the district here. This also happens to be the district I live in.

I've been debating this since the 2012 session where open carry and several other gun related issues were being discussed. In the absence of a better candidate, I would like to quit complaining and do something about it. However, beyond the actual procedure for getting on the ballot, I have no idea where to get started.

I'm hoping that someone here can at least offer some advice. If you agree with what I have to say, I wouldn't mind any additional help and support from the community here, especially if you happen to live in this district.

Here is a little bit about me and what my beliefs are. Hopefully this information will at least help someone point me to the people I should talk to.

I am a registered Republican. I have at least philosophically libertarian views, even if I sometimes don't agree with the Libertarians.

I support Constitutional Carry.

I believe our teachers should be allowed to be armed.

I think we have too many laws on the books, and I would like to see many of them repealed or at least simplified.

I believe in having the smallest government possible.

I don't like the idea of legislating morality.

I'm not trying to start a debate on these issues here, but I wanted to share some of my beliefs because it may be relevant to finding the right people to speak with getting started.

If anyone has any helpful advice, I would really appreciate it.

 

[Poke78]

Go check her campaign finance reports to see how much she expended for the 2012 election, assuming she ran opposed. If she was unopposed, that data won't help you so you'll have to find an election when there was some opposition that would have caused her to expend money. That figure establishes your absolute budget floor and really needs to be about double that since you have to achieve name recognition. Do you have that kind of money personally? If not, you'll need a plan to raise it.

How many and what type of connections do you have that can become a campaign organization? Church, civic group, neighbors, businesses in the district? That's your base and it needs to expand exponentially by finding out who those people know in the district so you can draw them into your circle.

ETA: These ^^^ are the facts and they are undisputed. (End Kevin Bacon voice) Your personal political philosophies have little to do with these facts and here are some others. Start with the basic research to determine if you would be a viable candidate. The info above is just a start. You also need to know the political mix of registrations in the district, votes/ballots cast in recent elections, demographics of the district, etc.

 

[Raoul Duke]

Currently, the seat is held by Rebecca Hamilton (D). Does anyone know if someone who is pro-gun republican has stepped up to run against her in 2014?

The district is in SW OKC and includes the stockyards area. You can see a map of the district here. This also happens to be the district I live in.

I've been debating this since the 2012 session where open carry and several other gun related issues were being discussed. In the absence of a better candidate, I would like to quit complaining and do something about it. However, beyond the actual procedure for getting on the ballot, I have no idea where to get started.

I'm hoping that someone here can at least offer some advice. If you agree with what I have to say, I wouldn't mind any additional help and support from the community here, especially if you happen to live in this district.

Here is a little bit about me and what my beliefs are. Hopefully this information will at least help someone point me to the people I should talk to.

I am a registered Republican. I have at least philosophically libertarian views, even if I sometimes don't agree with the Libertarians.

I support Constitutional Carry.

I believe our teachers should be allowed to be armed.

I think we have too many laws on the books, and I would like to see many of them repealed or at least simplified.

I believe in having the smallest government possible.

I don't like the idea of legislating morality.

I'm not trying to start a debate on these issues here, but I wanted to share some of my beliefs because it may be relevant to finding the right people to speak with getting started.

If anyone has any helpful advice, I would really appreciate it.

Just based on what I've heard so far, I'd be inclined to vote for you. You should give it a try, you only live once. Just beware, running for public office is the surest way to find out which of your friends really are true friends. It's likely you'll be disappointed by more than a few folks who you consider friends. Politics does weird things to people.

 

[Poke78]

Further thoughts: you say you are a registered Republican, what have you done for them lately? If you've done little/nothing, expect the same from them. You might get them to let you know whether they consider that seat a viable possibility or whether they've written it off.

 

[abajaj11]

I would say that once you show commitment by registering yourself on the ballot and spending a few hundred dollars of your own money and sweat campaigning...come to this forum and start asking for donations. I know I would be VERY inclined to support the turnover of a state seat from anti 2A to pro 2A. You may be surprised how many thousands of dollars you will raise.
Besides, don't worry about winning or losing...just worry about if the CAUSE of pro 2A is worth fighting for. Even if you lose the first time, you will have created an energy that will make you or someone else pro-2A win.
Good luck and I hope you do run!

 

[thefenux]

Thanks for the advice. I feel like I've at least got a place to start now.

When I was first thinking about this, money was the first thing that came to mind. I do not have much in the way of personal finances. I'm a working class stiff. Plus I'm also trying to get a new business off the ground on a shoestring budget.

As for the GOP, I haven't done anything directly for them before. All if my political involvement in the past has been directly 2A related.

I did make a call just a bit ago to the OK GOP headquarters to ask about that seat. She asked if I was intetested in running. I told her, yes, unless there is already someone better. Then I would like ti get involved in helping them. Someone is supposed to be calling me back.

I do have some local connections in the 2A community, but not a lot within my district.

I'm going to look into the demographics later, but from anecdotal evidence, the district is predominantly hispanic and lower class white.

 

[mons meg]

PM inbound

 

[DFarcher]

Further thoughts: you say you are a registered Republican, what have you done for them lately? If you've done little/nothing, expect the same from them. You might get them to let you know whether they consider that seat a viable possibility or whether they've written it off.

This is the sad reality. Unless you have unlimited personal resources it is almost impossible to win a seat today without the backing of one of the major parties. This is especially true in the metro areas. Contact the republican party in Oklahoma, become involved, see what they are working on for that seat, there is a plan.

 

[thefenux]

I'm still waiting on a callback from them. But if they've got a good plan, I'm probably going to volunteer.

 

[rebelracer79]

You could also get ahold of GOA, NRA, and OK2A and see what kind of advice/support you can get from them