Weight of political endorsements depends on the name
By MICK HINTON World Capitol Bureau (excerpt)
OKLAHOMA CITY -- A telephone recording to Democrats this week on behalf of candidate Pete Regan invokes the names of David and Dan Boren.
Delivering the message is former Gov. George Nigh. He ends the message with: "And speaking of champions, Coach Barry Switzer will be calling you."
Lieutenant governor candidate Regan's telephone message is the epitome of candidates capitalizing on political endorsements, said Keith Gaddie, University of Oklahoma political science professor.
Switzer, who coached the University of Oklahoma football team to three national championships, is "sort of a folk hero" in Oklahoma, and any politician would want his backing, Gaddie said.
"Barry Switzer is credited with helping put Brad Henry in the governor's seat," said Bob Darcy, political science professor at Oklahoma State University.
Darcy said Regan needs Switzer's help "because nobody knows who Regan is."
On the campaign trail, Regan often points out that he worked for then-Sen. David Boren in Washington, and was chief of staff for Dan Boren, U.S. congressman.
Sometimes endorsements are very beneficial, Gaddie said. "But sometimes they don't work at all."
Ed Meese has come out in support of U.S. Fifth District congressional candidate Denise Bode "Who is Ed Meese? Nobody remembers who he is," Gaddie said.
Meese was attorney general under former President Ronald Reagan.
On her Web site, Bode says her jump to second place in the polls was due to the "amazing endorsement of Ed Meese" along with her "good old-fashioned grass roots campaign."
This week, former U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts endorsed Todd Hiett, the Republican speaker of the state House running for lieutenant governor.
Darcy and Gaddie said they thought Watts has been out of the limelight for so long that his endorsement has marginal benefit.
U.S. Fifth District congressional candidate Mick Cornett, Oklahoma City's mayor, brought to town conservative Indiana U.S. Rep. Mike Pence for an endorsement.
The Web site for Ernest Istook, Republican candidate for governor, contains several endorsements from out-of-state politicians.
They include Jack Kemp, Republican nominee for U.S. vice president in 1996, and Colorado congressman Tom Tancredo.
Kemp said in his endorsement that Istook embodies "the ideas and ideals of Ronald Wilson Reagan."
Posted at 7/20/2006 10:08:00 AM
