OK 2018: Boren open to running

[smoltchanov]

IMHO - THE only Democratic candidate, who has chances to win in present day Oklahoma. As correctly noted - Oklahoma is NOT going to elect even a centrist Democrat, much less a progressive. And he will be still less far-right that ANY feasible republican candidate. So, in case he will run - 100% of my personal support.

[smoltchanov]

Why are Democrats here complaining that Dan Boren will essentially govern as a Republican, while Republicans are fine with Phil Scott in Vermont likely governing from the left of many Democrats?

Because Republicans here are mostly liberal Republicans who just like the Republican label for some reason (nostalgic, maybe). I want someone who will actually advance at least some sort of change from the deeply conservative status quo here. Again, there is a difference between a Democrat who is kind of to the right of most Democrats on certain issues and a Democrat who literally spent his time in Congress reciting Republican talking points. Even for Governor, Dan Boren's nomination would just further legitimize Republican rule over the state.

There are quite a few Republicans in Oklahoma I'd rather have Governor than Dan Boren.

I repeat: ANY such Republican will be MORE conservative then Boren, and, undoubtely, will "further legitimize Republican rule over the state". So, i will prefer Boren...

[smoltchanov]

Why are Democrats here complaining that Dan Boren will essentially govern as a Republican, while Republicans are fine with Phil Scott in Vermont likely governing from the left of many Democrats?

Because Republicans here are mostly liberal Republicans who just like the Republican label for some reason (nostalgic, maybe). I want someone who will actually advance at least some sort of change from the deeply conservative status quo here. Again, there is a difference between a Democrat who is kind of to the right of most Democrats on certain issues and a Democrat who literally spent his time in Congress reciting Republican talking points. Even for Governor, Dan Boren's nomination would just further legitimize Republican rule over the state.

There are quite a few Republicans in Oklahoma I'd rather have Governor than Dan Boren.

I repeat: ANY such Republican will be MORE conservative then Boren, and, undoubtely, will "further legitimize Republican rule over the state". So, i will prefer Boren...

well I'm actually from Oklahoma. Mick Cornett may be more conservative on policy papers, but I'd absolutely trust him far more to be independent and stand up to the Republican legislature on things that matter. I do not trust Dan Boren.

Well, may be, and of course you have personal knowledge i don't. But my criterion is purely political and has nothing with trust: Oklahoma, IMHO, will NOT elect anyone to the left of Boren in foreseable future, so (from my centrist point of view) it must be Boren as "most liberal" of all ELECTABLE alternatives...

[smoltchanov]

Anything can happen, Smolts. Sicily is run by gay communist, Maryland by a rightist Republican etc.

Didn't know about Sicily, but Hogan is far from being rightist... Pragmatic moderate conservative..

[smoltchanov]

anything can happen. I think you have a bit of an overly clean image of politics, where every politician is on a neat line from "very lefty" to "very righty" and voters carefully pick based on how close they are on the line to the candidates. The truth is, very few voters care about ideology, and will happily vacillate between leftists and rightists depending on who speaks nicest, or who has the nicest haircut.

May be... I, naturally, use myself as "typical voter", but i may be non-typical after all....

[smoltchanov]

Why are Democrats here complaining that Dan Boren will essentially govern as a Republican, while Republicans are fine with Phil Scott in Vermont likely governing from the left of many Democrats?

Phil Scott is preferable to most Vermont Democrats, while Boren is considered a bad person and worse than people like Cornett, Pruitt, and Lamb.

What's SO bad about him? Yes, he is a conservative, as his father (and if i remember correctly - grandfather) always were. So what? Strong majority of Oklahoma's population and considerable part of Oklahoma's Democratrs are conservative too...

[smoltchanov]

Why are Democrats here complaining that Dan Boren will essentially govern as a Republican, while Republicans are fine with Phil Scott in Vermont likely governing from the left of many Democrats?

Phil Scott is preferable to most Vermont Democrats, while Boren is considered a bad person and worse than people like Cornett, Pruitt, and Lamb.

What's SO bad about him? Yes, he is a conservative, as his father (and if i remember correctly - grandfather) always were. So what? Strong majority of Oklahoma's population and considerable part of Oklahoma's Democratrs are conservative too...

If you care, you could go over his record. He's OK in my book, but there are better options.

I, essentially, care only about electability of candidate, and he easily takes first place acording to this my criterion....