In my many years of seeking Oklahomans’ vote to serve them in public office, this was the first time I ran a completely positive campaign. I learned a lesson that I hope my Republican colleagues pay close attention to in future elections.
Last Sunday, John LeBoutillier, TV pundit and former congressman from New York, said on Fox News’ Political Insiders, “If you have the right message, you can sell it with less money than if you just blow a lot of money on negative stuff. You’ve got to have the courage to say, ‘I’m going 100 percent positive. I’m going to tell you what I stand for and what I have done to earn your vote.’ ”
On April 10, the last day to file for re-election in Oklahoma, I decided that this year my campaign would do just what LeBoutillier said — be 100 percent positive and focus only on what I have done, and can continue to do, to fight for Oklahoma’s interests.
I had eight opponents, and it would have been easy to use their names on the campaign trail, or even debate them. Debating runs thick in my blood, and I’ve spent many hours on the Senate floor debating my liberal friends, including Sen. Barbara Boxer, former Sen. Joe Biden, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, a self-proclaimed socialist. After a lengthy debate with Sen. Sanders on man-made climate change, he even admitted that I won the debate and that it was the healthiest debate in his career to date.
Instead of accepting the open invitation to make this a negative campaign, I chose to travel across Oklahoma and share with people what it is I stand for — rebuilding our nation’s military; pursuing American energy independence; strengthening our nation’s infrastructure; and reigning in federal regulations impacting our farmers and small businesses.
In one of my first TV ads this election cycle, I focused on what makes America great — our men and women in uniform fighting to protect our nation and the freedoms we’ve come to cherish. As the senior member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, I’ve fought, and will continue to fight, to protect our military installations in Oklahoma and visit our troops serving overseas. In a Republican majority, I’ll be demanding a budget that reflects the needs of our Armed Forces so that they can execute missions with the best, most sophisticated, resources and return home safely to their families.
I also released a campaign ad about adoption, highlighting my granddaughter, Zagita Marie, who my daughter Molly brought home from an Ethiopian orphanage nearly 12 years ago. As the co-chairman of the Senate Adoption Caucus, I’ve put forward legislation to help raise awareness and streamline the process for children to be placed in forever loving homes.
Come January, I’ll be serving again as chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. On the campaign trail, I shared one of my top priorities to work with Republicans and Democrats to pass a long-term transportation bill so that we can begin to rebuild and repair our crumbling roads and bridges. This will help to support an economy that is ready to make a comeback when a Republican-led Congress begins to address excess government spending and overregulation that has strangled our economy for far too long.
At the end of this campaign, I was deeply honored to garner for the first time the support of all 77 counties and to receive 68 percent of the overall vote. I also beat my opponents with a 40 percent margin, the largest margin in any of my campaigns. I firmly believe this was the fruit of a positive, forward-thinking message. Republicans have a great story to tell about Republicanism and conservatism. I urge my friends running for office to join me in focusing solely on how we can work together to save our great nation and preserve its rich heritage.
Jim Inhofe is Oklahoma’s senior U.S. senator.
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Welcome to the discussion.
13 comments:
Ron Hill posted at 4:57 pm on Sat, Nov 8, 2014.
Dana is still in the ANGER stage of grieving...
She may stay here for a while.....[sad]
Ron Hill posted at 4:56 pm on Sat, Nov 8, 2014.
What happened last Tuesday was not just a political defeat. It was not just “the political pendulum swinging.” No my friends, it was much, MUCH more than that. It was such a remarkable event, that the results have produced a literal GRIEVING by Democrat uber-liberals and politicians.
Allow me to explain:
For the past 6 years, the liberals had hidden their true nature from the American people, and they had done it so well, that they actually began to believe their ideology was popular and mainstream. What a total crock. Basically, the liberals were under massive self-delusion.
Between the unnatural emotional investment and consequent political protection from the liberally biased media, and the actions of the despicable Harry Reid who effectively shut down the legislative process to protect Obama’s liberal ideology, a largely apathetic American public did not recognize the radical nature of the political and cultural ideology of the Democratic Party. It is truly un-American, and it is truly radical.
But now, liberalism has been REJECTED. Regardless of the pitiful and contemptible efforts by liberals to continue to persuade Americans that they are better off, (by spinning numbers and clever deceptive sophistry), AMERICANS ARE SIMPLY LOOKING AT THEIR WALLETS AND THEIR HEALTHCARE DEDUCTIBLES, and realizing it was all a lie. In short, American got a huge dose of uber-liberalism, up close and personal, and we didn’t like it one single bit.
Liberalism is un-American and it sucks, and that is obvious when it’s not spun and covered up by its proponents
So why the literal GRIEVING by the liberals? Think about it. Can any of you just imagine what they are going through right now? They woke up the other day, and realized that the world of deception in which they exist, has been exposed to the nation! They were hit in a face with a brick. And that brick had the message that most people reject them and the entire liberal/progressive belief system! But not only that, but most Americans EMBRACE their mortal enemy, which is CONSERVATISM!! My goodness, this is a MAJOR LIFE EVENT, which will drive a person to GRIEVE!!
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Depression
Acceptance
Liberals just got hit with the reality that THEY are the rejected anomaly. And that has got to hurt, and hurt bad…..
Daniel Creel posted at 4:51 pm on Sat, Nov 8, 2014.
Up until this year he considered "God, gays and guns" to be negative??? From the mouths of babes... [beam][beam][beam]
Robert Wilson posted at 4:19 pm on Sat, Nov 8, 2014.
He should send a personally signed contract to his nephew, Freddie Davis.
Fred is the king of negative campaign ads.
Roger Williams posted at 4:17 pm on Sat, Nov 8, 2014.
Senator: Your decision to run a positive campaign is admirable. However, I have always thought that a candidate was obligated to point out the faults and short-commings of his opponent. As long it is done in a truthful, factual, respectful , and non-vindicitive manner. Good luck and God bless to you. R.W.
Roger Williams posted at 4:11 pm on Sat, Nov 8, 2014.
Unmitigated trash!
Ann McWhortor posted at 3:48 pm on Sat, Nov 8, 2014.
Gordon
To be honest when most political ads came on I was able to hit the mute button. However, the ones I did happen to hear that was aired for Inhofe and Fallin did seem to be more on the positive side.
Ann McWhortor posted at 3:38 pm on Sat, Nov 8, 2014.
Dana
Sour grapes, much?
Talking about running a positive campaign is playing God?
I think you need to take a pill and chill out. You are going to end up with high blood pressure, heart attack or have a stroke if you don't.
Dana Asher posted at 12:41 pm on Sat, Nov 8, 2014.
I am GOD....everyone kiss my butt!! I am GOD....now all of you "cash cows" pay for the military!!!! I am GOD....I do not care about education or healthcare or jobs for Oklahoma!! I to busy being GOD.... being vindictive to all groups or people, who get into my way! I am GOD...in my mind...Jim(war profiteer)Inhofe
Marilyn Torrance posted at 9:08 am on Sat, Nov 8, 2014.
Oops.....Inhofe. [beam]
Marilyn Torrance posted at 9:08 am on Sat, Nov 8, 2014.
Good for you Senator Inhoff. I've long desired that candidates campaign on what they will do for their citizens. Not hear or see them running down their opponents. When they do that, it makes me think they don't have a leg to stand on, so all they can do is run down their opponents.
John Smallwood posted at 7:19 am on Sat, Nov 8, 2014.
Senator, continue to "bring home the BACON! Even if the United States has nearly $18T in debt.
You have served the State of Oklahoma well, Mayor, Congressman and Senator, but as Senator, have you served the United States well? On that I am not convinced!
But I love the BACON!
Gordon Mills posted at 6:15 am on Sat, Nov 8, 2014.
I thought Senator Inhofe's and Governor Fallin's TV ads were positive and stated very well what their beliefs were.