Republicans Once More to Convention

On local and state leadership we struggle

I offer the following ditty to describe my involvement in Oklahoma Republican Party Politics (OKGOP): We the willing, led by the unknowing are doing the impossible for the ungrateful – we have done so much for so long with so little that we are now perfectly qualified to do anything with nothing.

The political party cycle begins again as those that attended their 2025 precinct meeting go to county convention, then later to State convention. This year we elect leadership. In my experience, the state party has never been more divided and my Tulsa County party is a train wreck of self-interest and deception. This is the worst disorder I have ever observed. I will offer specific endorsements, but for the first time here, those will be behind a paywall. Paid subscribers may find those opinions of interest, but first some common reflections.

For one hundred years Oklahoma was controlled by Democrats and, what few Republicans met in public, were united. I miss those days (1990s), but by the nature of conservativism most of us do not worship politics. We prioritize faith, family, free enterprise with enjoyment of life. Party politics is far and away downstream.

In contrast, Democrats hire their friends for government jobs. Republicans stand in a circle and shoot their friends for not being perfectly aligned on whatever perfect point. Principles are critical, but the nature, honor, and spirit of humans is hard to know. State Republicans are self-selecting private group of volunteers. Chairs are obliged to raise money to fund office and working expenses and, after that, may raise money (in a perfect world) to pay themselves a stipend.

Said another way, leadership is an unpaid, 24/7, contentious engagement that is worse than herding cats – it’s more like herding butterflies. Each chair must heal the damage done by the previous chair, grow the party, raise money for candidates, consult to help those new, and organize public functions. At the end of a term, most chairs are disliked, if not dispised.

To paraphrase Will Rogers, “I’m not a member of an organized party, I’m an Oklahoma Republican.” Oklahomans are a very populist people inclined to hold our positions “come hell or highwater.”

The perfect chair would be able to work for free and not mind taking a hundred calls a day. Such a leader would be part diplomat, counselor, teacher, organizer, accountant, social media guru, media spokesperson, and inspirational speaker. In general, God’s gift to the world holding every social and business skill.

Shared thoughts on Leadership

Prominent Republican Leader and former Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak considered running for Tulsa GOP Chair which would have been historic. Usually only defeated candidates for public office run for leadership of the party. Yes, there is a lot of irony there.

I regret Tulsa County will not have the benefit of Doak’s successful experience. In formally declining a party campaign, he outlined important specifics to candidates Charity Marcus, Melissa Myers, and Brent VanNorman that could be valuable statewide.

Doak wrote, “If we want the Republican Party to succeed in the future, we must champion a petition initiative to turn Tulsa [City] elections back to partisan. In my opinion, Brent is the most qualified candidate for Chair, as he has no conflicts of interest. The fact that both [Charity, Melissa] of you are running for Chair suggests a reliance on Brent’s capabilities. While he may have political aspirations of his own, I believe that if Charity and Mellissa were to consider stepping down to the Vice Chair role, it could foster unity within the party.

“The reality is that our party is in serious trouble. Without strong leadership capable of bringing us together, Tulsa will continue to shift more liberal with every election. Voter turnout in Tulsa County is declining, financial transparency within the Tulsa GOP is crucial, and it is imperative that we adapt to the changing landscape…

“My fear is that we might waste the Trump golden era to build the party if we don't take proactive steps now. We must think outside the box and implement strategies that will help us grow and strengthen our presence in Tulsa,” Doak concluded as he offered to be engaged regardless of who may win what position.

Here comes the paywall with endorsements, videos and detail on people who should never be in a position of authority.