The Daily O’Collegian

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — A new poll found little support among Oklahoma voters for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.

The Oklahoma Poll found that Republican John McCain has broad support in the state to lead Obama by 32 percentage points, 56 percent to 24 percent. Seventy-one percent of those questioned said they are firm in their decisions.

“Oklahomans have their minds made up and they aren’t going to change come hell or high water, no matter what,” said poll consultant Al Soltow, vice president for research at the University of Tulsa.

The poll, sponsored by the Tulsa World and television station KOTV, is a statewide survey of 750 likely voters that was conducted July 19-23. The poll’s margin of error is plus or minus 3.58 percentage points.

A trend noted in national polls of a substantial core of dedicated supporters for Obama is not evident in the Oklahoma Poll.

“The enthusiasm that Obama has generated in other parts of the country is certainly not evident here,” Soltow said.

In fact, enthusiasm for the campaign in general seems to be quite low.

Overall, 38 percent of those surveyed said they were more enthusiastic than usual about this year’s elections. About 32 percent said this year’s elections will make an important difference in the lives of themselves and their families.

Only those describing themselves as liberals indicated much excitement about this year’s elections.

“That goes a long way to explaining the low turnout in the primary,” Soltow said, referring to elections last week in which fewer than 20 percent of Oklahoma’s registered voters participated.

“I would rather have had somebody different than John McCain on the Republican side, but I can’t even believe who the Democrats picked,” said poll respondent Billy Garrison, a registered Democrat who often votes Republican.

“I know our country will be in bad shape if Barack Obama is elected president,” said Garrison, of Tulsa.

Another erstwhile Democrat, Charles Ogdon of Muldrow, said he believes Obama will be the next president, in part because Ogdon believes an Obama presidency would fit biblical prophesies concerning Armageddon and the Second Coming.

But Ogdon isn’t happy about it.

“I know the news media give John McCain fits and are for Barack Obama, but tell me, what has Barack Obama done?” he said.

More than a quarter of those surveyed said they found nothing to like about Obama, compared with 14 percent who said the same thing about McCain. More than half the Democrats had a favorable opinion of McCain, compared with just one in five Republicans who said the same about Obama.

When asked what they most disliked about McCain, the No. 1 answer (at 20 percent) was “nothing.”

Lack of experience was the most frequently listed shortcoming for Obama.

McCain’s greatest liability, in fact, may be President Bush. Many of those supporting Obama said they were ready for a change of direction.

“Honestly, it amazed me when the Republicans began talking about putting George Bush on the ticket back in 1999,” said Fred Weinecke, a former Republican who recently changed his registration to Democrat.

“Most likely he’s done more damage to the Republican Party than anybody ever. He’s probably going to be the one who elects Barack Obama.”