The Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • 7

THE OKLAHOMAN NEWSOK.COM SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2004 7A IBB Poll shows GOP hopefuls running even Former foe's kin joins campaign By Chris Casteel, Washington Bureau WASHINGTON When Republican Tom Coburn first ran for Congress in 1994, he expected to face Rep. Mike Synar, a Muskogee Democrat, in the general election. But Synar was upset in the Democratic runoff that year by retired educator Virgil Cooper. Coburn, a Muskogee Republican, went on to beat Cooper in the general election with 52 percent of the vote. Now, Cooper's grandson, Aaron, is the press secretary for Coburn's campaign for the U.S.

Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Don Nickles. Aaron Cooper, a 2000 University of Oklahoma graduate, had worked in journalism and for a fund-raising committee for state House Republicans. He also worked as an intern in 1996 for Coburn, who retired from Congress after the 2000 session. In a statement from the Coburn campaign, Virgil Cooper said he was "thrilled" his grandson is working for his former opponent.

Independent enters race Gregory M. Wilson, the fire and police chief in the Lincoln County town of Carney, is running for the 3rd District congressional seat held by Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Cheyenne. Wilson, a 1986 graduate of Carney High School and a decorated Army veteran, is running as an Independent. In a statement on his Web site, Wilson said, "I like Republicans and I like Democrats.

However, their conduct on Capitol Hill lacks character and does not represent good leadership. "Decisions are made and paid for by political action committees by both Democrats and Republicans. What's in the best interest of "The People" should come first, not party affiliation and special interest groups." Wilson has been police chief in Carney since 2000 and fire chief since 2003; he was a police officer in Guthrie from 1997 to 2000. The 3rd District includes all or part of 32 counties and stretches from Altus in the southwest part of the state up to the Panhandle and northeast to Osage County. Lucas has been in Congress since 1994.

In 2002, Lucas did not have a Democratic opponent and received 75 percent of the vote against an independent. Women's group backs Bush Oklahoma City businesswoman Terry Neese is part of a group formed to attract women voters for President Bush's relection effort. Neese said she will be part of the leadership team of Stands for Women." The owner of a personnel service and president of a national business organization called Women Impacting Public Policy, Neese said a recent poll by WIPP "found women business owners have a phenomenal 90 percent voting rate, and the president must win their support" to retain the White House. results of those questions was plus or minus 5.7 percent. In a question of 500 registered voters statewide, testing a possible general election match-up, Coburn got 41 percent and Carson got 39 percent a result that was well within the margin of error of 4.4 percent.

Katie Kimberling, senior vice president and director of operations for Wilson Strategies, said the poll shows the race "is wide open at this point." Taken just a few days after Humphreys began running ads in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, the results of the question about Republican candidates show Humphreys running much closer to Coburn than previous surveys. Kimberling said voters are looking for information about the candidates and that the results may reflect the fact that Humphreys, the only Senate candidate who has aired television spots, is providing some. Candidates contacted about the poll Friday said they were more focused on their campaigns than early survey results. "Polls this far out from election day may make good news stories and great political water-cooler fodder for campaigns and chat rooms," Humphreys said. "There is still a great amount of campaign work to be done between now and the primary election, and I think most Republican voters are just now beginning to focus on this race." Coburn, who was in Washington on Thursday and Friday to raise money and work on grass roots organization, said, "It's going to be a fun race." Carson's campaign press secretary, Brad Luna, said, "Throughout the next five months, polls will go up and down and, as we have said all along, this is going to be a very hard fought race.

'We look forward to a spirited contest with any of the Republican candidates in this race about the issues Oklaho-mans care about." By Chris Casteel Washington Bureau WASHINGTON Kirk Humphreys and Tom Coburn are running in a dead heat for the Republican nomination in the U.S. Senate contest, according to a new statewide Oklahoman poll. However, with the Oklahoma primaries a little more than two months away, 41 percent of the Republicans polled still were undecided. Humphreys, the former mayor of Oklahoma City, and Coburn, a former U.S. representative from Muskogee, each received 21 percent of the support of registered Republicans polled statewide Thursday and Friday.

Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Bob Anthony was supported by 11 percent and Iinda Murphy, of Fort Gibson, was favored by 5 percent. On the Democratic side of the U.S. Senate race, U.S. Rep. Brad Carson, of Clare-more, was favored by 45 percent of the registered Democrats polled; Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher got 7 percent, and Muldrow attorney Monte Johnson got 3 percent.

Of the Democrats surveyed, 39 percent still were undecided. The race is for the seat being vacated by U.S. Sen. Don Nickles, a Republican from Ponca City, who is retiring after 24 years in the Senate. It is expected to be one of the most closely watched Senate contests in the country.

Both parties are expected to devote massive resources to the race, which may prove pivotal to the balance of power in the Senate, where Republicans now hold 51 of the 100 seats. The primaries are July 27. Race wide open The Oklahoman poll, conducted by Wilson Strategies, sampled 300 registered Republicans to gauge support for the GOP candidates, and 300 registered Democrats about their party's hopefuls. The margin of error in the Ony-fJ'Jpvr additional Jjua Tree 'jfcsslhw" I CAMERA PHONES after rebate with 2-year service agreement i foooo required per phone. 1 UUJ Phone pnce before rebate is $199.99.

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