Governor Brad Henry said a visit from Barack Obama could have a large impact on general election. Obama won 31 percent of the vote in the primary.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Gov. Brad Henry says there is “still a good chance” that Barack Obama will visit Oklahoma before the Nov. 4 general election, despite the fact that the state will likely vote Republican in the presidential race.
Henry said on Tuesday that he and University of Oklahoma President David Boren continue to work to persuade Obama to keep a pledge to visit the state.
The Democratic governor acknowledged the likelihood that Republican nominee John McCain will win Oklahoma’s seven electoral votes. He said, however, an Obama visit would have a significant impact on the general election.
Henry guessed that political strategists for Obama would probably advise against using the candidate’s “precious time” in a state that has not voted for a Democratic nominee for president since 1964. He said he still believes Obama will probably come to the state.
Oklahoma did not get a visit from the 2004 Democratic or Republican presidential candidates.
Henry, who endorsed Obama in late April, said then that Obama had pledged to come to the state, probably after June, when he secured enough delegates to ensure the nomination against Hillary Clinton. The early endorsement by the two-time Democratic governor was a surprise because Clinton had won the state’s presidential primary in February with 55 percent of the vote to Obama’s 31 percent.
Henry said he wished “Oklahomans would be a little more open” to candidates of both parties in presidential elections, instead of automatically siding with the GOP nominee.
This year’s election in Oklahoma features a fierce battle for control of the Oklahoma Senate, which is now tied with 24 Democrats and 24 Republicans. Republicans are predicting they have a good chance to take over the Senate, while Democrats would have to pick up seven seats to win control of the 101-member House.
Henry said he would campaign for Democratic candidates “when my time allows,” but he played down the importance of the outcome of the legislative contests on his office.
He said he has always operated in “a very bipartisan” fashion, having good relations with Republican legislative leaders.
“I don’t think anything will change for me if the balance of power changes,” he said.
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