Sen. Inhofe seeking third full term

July 21, 2008 09:49 pm

— By Joe Hadsall
jhadsall@joplinglobe.com
U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma is seeking his third full term.
The Republican primary ballot will have three other candidates on it, and the Democratic ballot will have two candidates. The primaries will be Tuesday, July 29.
The other Republicans are Evelyn L. Rogers, Dennis Lopez and Ted Ryals.
Andrew Rice, a state senator, will face off with Jim Rogers in the Democratic primary.
The winners will run against each other and independent candidate Stephen P. Wallace in the November general election. The winner of that race will serve a six-year term in the Senate, alongside Oklahoma Republican Tom Coburn.
Republicans
n Inhofe, 73, has served in the Senate since 1994, when he was elected to fill the unexpired term of Sen. David Boren. He was elected in 1996 to a full term and was re-elected in 2002.
He graduated from the University of Tulsa with a degree in economics. In addition to service in the Army, he is a businessman who has worked in aviation, real estate and insurance.
Inhofe said that if elected, he would focus on improving the economy, increasing border security, developing a national energy policy with a focus on expanded oil and gas exploration, and improving access to affordable health care.
Inhofe cited his experience, before Congress and after, as why he should be elected.
“While there is still much to accomplish during this Congress, I look forward to securing re-election and continuing my service for Oklahoma,” Inhofe said in an e-mail. “I take great pride in our state and strive every day to honor the trust the people of our great state have placed in me. Oklahomans know where I stand.”
n Evelyn Rogers, 55, is a librarian at Tulsa Community College. She has lived in Tulsa for the past 15 years.
She has an associate degree in nursing and psychology from Pasadena (Calif.) City College; a bachelor of science in health-care management from the University of La Verne (Calif.); a master of arts in practical theology from Oral Roberts University; and a master’s degree in library and information services from Oklahoma University.
Rogers said that if elected, she would focus on improving education by making changes to the No Child Left Behind Act, grant illegal immigrants a chance to register for citizenship before deportation, and concentrate on family values.
Rogers said her ability to listen to people makes her the best candidate for the job.
“My mission is to represent unrepresented people,” she said. “I’ll focus on issues people are interested about.”
n Lopez, 48, is a Southern Baptist pastor and works in a machine shop. He has lived in Thackervile for the past 12 years.
He served in the Navy from 1978 to 1982 and received an honorable discharge. He owned a construction company before becoming the pastor of Jimtown Baptist Church. He has led that congregation for the past two years.
Lopez said that if elected, he would focus on issues that put God first in the nation, including banning abortions and declaring homosexuality illegal. He also said he would work to develop alternative energy sources and reduce dependency on foreign oil.
Lopez said his willingness to do God’s will is what makes him the best candidate.
“This race isn’t about me,” he said. “It’s about what God can do through me. That’s why I can do good for the people of Oklahoma.”
n Ryals did not return calls from the Globe seeking comment about his campaign.
Democrats
n Rice, 35, has been a state senator from District 46, which covers portions of Oklahoma City, since 2006. He is a resident of Oklahoma City.
He has a bachelor’s degree in religious studies and a minor in African-American studies from Colby College, Waterville, Maine, and a master’s in theological studies from Harvard University Divinity School.
Rice said that if elected, he would concentrate on developing alternative energy sources, providing affordable health care and strengthening U.S. policy to prevent another situation similar to the Iraq war.
Rice said his experience in Oklahoma’s split-party Senate makes him the best candidate for the job. Oklahoma’s Senate this year was equally divided between Republicans and Democrats.
“The only thing I’ve ever known is power-sharing,” Rice said. “We have to work together to get anything done. Oklahomans like that. We’re not a big party state; we just want things to get done.”
n The Globe’s efforts to obtain information from Jim Rogers were unsuccessful.

Poll hours
Polls will be open for voting from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 29, in the Oklahoma primaries.