Check out the website: https://lenspoliticalnotes.com Political Note #245 Al Gross US Senate Alaska, Political Note #221 Mark Kelly US Senate Arizona, Political Note #275 Dan Whitfield US Senate Arkansas, Political Note #295 John Hickenlooper US Senate Colorado, Political Note #262 Barbara Bollier US Senate Kansas, Political Note #279 Steve Bullock US Senate Montana, Political Note #291 MJ Hegar US Senate Texas
Political Note #311 Abby Broyles US Senate Oklahoma
2020 General Election
Let’s push. Let’s aim for 60 Senators. That’s improbable. Maybe impossible. There are races out there that have the potential to be interesting. Focus on the Senate in 2020.
Don’t forget about Joe Biden, of course. Give him every dime you can. If he’s going to have a successful presidency, he needs a Democratic Senate. Every Democratic candidate for US Senator who gets support puts Republicans on the defensive in all of the Senate races. In the really red states, Abby Broyleshttps://www.abbybroyles.com/ might be among the less improbable. She is a 30 year-old local television personality running against the incumbent Jim Inhofe.
Jim Inhofe has been in the US Senate since 1994. Twenty-six years out of his 54 year political career. He’s 85 years old. Before being elected to the US Senate, he served in the US House of Representatives in the Oklahoma Senate, in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and as Mayor of Tulsa. He was first elected to political office in 1966 – 24 years before Abby Broyles was born. Inhofe is seven years older than I am – almost to the day.
Getting elected to a position that will last until you are 92 is not routine. Even for a Republican in a very Republican state. Given some resources, Abby Broyles could make this campaign less routine.
Abby Broyles describes herself as an investigative reporter. She can recount some successes, She uncovered political corruption, embezzlement of campaign funds. State senator Kyle Loveless was charged with a felony. She did a story about hush-money payments to cover up a sexual harassment scandal at the state Capitol, a scandal that led to the expulsion of the State Representative from Tulsa. She described a sexual predator keeping his state-funded retirement. She described state legislators unconstitutionally appropriating public money. Her claim to be an investigative reporter stands up
She’s smart. Perhaps she takes after her mother who is a professor at Southern Nazarene University. Or her father who runs a credit union. Either way, Abby Broyles was smart enough to graduate from the Riverside school — California Baptist University in 2 ½ years.
Abby Broyles was smart enough to start her television career at KWTV while still in school. Although she began her career as a producer, she wound up behind the camera as an Anchor and Reporter for KYTX, a CBS affiliate. For the past six years, she has been an Anchor and Reporter for KFOR, an NBC affiliate, in Oklahoma City. To avoid wasting time, she has also earned a law degree at the Oklahoma City University Law School.
Abby Broyles can speak effectively, even powerfully. Asked about a Democrat winning in a blue state, she responds that “The campaign is less about red v. blue and more about right v. wrong.” People have seen a lack of leadership and a disregard for their future.
Asked to speak further about that, she talks about Jim Inhofe’s amendment to a defense spending bill that reduced regulation of the Grand River Dam authority and increases the danger of flooding. The amendment would permit keeping the water level high in Grand Lake, making it possible for the Senator to enjoy his vacation home.
Is Jim Inhofe an energetic old man? He is an active conservative. In 2017, GovTrack, which does report cards on Senators and Members of Congress, described him as Congress’s most conservative member. He denies the existence of global warming, for instance – describing it as the second greatest hoax after the separation of church and state.
Jim Inhofe has been involved in a fair number of controversies about issues other than climate change.
- In 2006, he got the US Senate to amend an immigration reform to make English the national language of the United States.
- He is sufficiently opposed to same homosexuality to have
- Proposed a constitutional amendment to prohibit same sex marriage
- Blocked Bill Clinton’s appointment of a gay man to be ambassador to Luxembourg
- He has opposed various civil rights and affirmative action proposals including efforts to support minority businesses
- He has supported loosening wiretapping rules to allow wiretapping even if the target of the wiretapping is not using the telephone or is not even in the house where the telephone is.
- He co-sponsored a proposed constitutional amendment to prohibit desecration of the flag of the United States of America.
- His view of individual liberty was reflected in his insistence, ten years ago, on landing a plane he was flying personally, on a closed runway in a south Texas airport. The FAA eventually agreed not to bring charges against him. He filed a bill, which eventually became law, titled a “Pilot’s Bill of Rights.”
- He has received the Air Force Academy’s Character and Leadership Award
- He has made well over a hundred trips to Africa and other third world countries primarily to support Bible study, but with enough governmental purpose to allow the government to pay the cost of the trips.
- Except in response to tornados that have hit Oklahoma, he has opposed all disaster relief, paying special attention to opposing relief for northeastern states after Hurricane Sandy.
- A strong supporter of gun rights, he blamed the sanctuary cities movement for the 2017 shootings in Las Vegas
- He has been accused of inappropriate purchases and sales of stocks
- After a briefing about Covid-19
- After lobbying for defense purchases
Abby Broyles https://www.abbybroyles.com/ has stuff to work with in her campaign against Inhofe – her youth and her journalistic career v his age and his controversies. Can she turn that stuff into a successful campaign? It won’t be easy. The last Democratic Senator in Oklahoma left office in 1973. Jim Inhofe won election in 2014 with 68% of the vote. Help Abby Broyles out. In addition to electing Joe Biden, we need the Senate. Add her to your list of candidates you are supporting.
Special note: Sunday night, August 9, while driving herself, Abby Broyles’ car was T-Boned on the driver’s side by a speeding car that ran a red light and then drove away. She suffered a concussion and bruising of her back and upper body.. A campaign spokesperson recommended that she suspend her campaign for a week. Noting how few days there were left until the election, the spokesperson did not promise she would follow that advice. Last night, August 12, a man claiming to be the driver of the hit and run car turned. himself in to the police.
There are plenty of Democratic Senate candidates to support:
DEMOCRATS ARE AHEAD
Arizona Astronaut Mark Kelly, gun safety leader supported by his wife former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords v. Incumbent and ex fighter pilot Martha McSally. July 15 Cash on hand: McSally $11 million. Kelly $21 million. Polls: July Kelly 53-35, 47-45, 52-36, 51-42, 50-42, 53-41
Colorado Former Governor John Hickenlooper v Incumbent attorney and party activist Senator Cory Gardner. July 24 Cash on hand: Gardner $10.7 million, Cash on Hand June 30 Hickenlooper $4.5 million, Polls: June Hickenlooper 48-42, 51-39, 58-28
Michigan Incumbent Democrat Gary Peters has a tough opponent in African-American Businessman John James. July 15 Cash on hand: Peters $11.6 Million, Johnson $9.2 Million. Polls: August Peters 51- 40 July Peters 47-39, 52-35, 41-34, 48 – 44, 49 – 35, 48-38, 47-39, 53-48
North Carolina. Businessman, environmentalist, and veteran, Cal Cunningham v Incumbent Thom Tillis. June 30 Cash on Hand: Tillis $6.9 Million, Cunningham $6.6 Million. Polls: July Cunningham 48-39, 47-36, 52 – 40, 46-37, 48-40, 49-42, 47-39, 44-40 . Tied 43-43
RACES THAT ARE CLOSE TO EVEN
Alaska Physician and Commercial Fisherman Al Gross v. incumbent and attorney with military connections Dan Sullivan. June 30 Sullivan’s cash on hand $5.3 million. Gross’s cash on hand $3.2 million. Polls: July Sullivan 39-34
Georgia (A) Jon Ossoff v incumbent David Perdue. Cash on Hand June 30. Perdue $10.7 Million, Ossoff $2.5 Million,. Polls July Perdue 45-43, 49-43. 45-42, 48-43, Ossoff 45-44
Iowa Businesswoman and civic leader Theresa Greenfield v incumbent Joni Ernst. June 30 Cash on hand: Ernst $9.1 Million, Greenfield $5.6 Million, Polls: August Ernst 48-45, July Greenfield 49-47
Kentucky Retired Marine Pilot Amy McGrath and conservative Democrat v Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. June 30 Cash on hand: McConnell $16.6 Million, McGrath $16.2 Million. Polls August McConnell 49-46, July McConnell 53-36, June McGrath 41-40
Maine Speaker of the ME House, Sara Gideon v former moderate Senator, Susan Collins. June 30 Cash on hand: Collins $5.6 Million, Gideon $5.4 Million Polls: July Collins 45-37, Gideon 44 – 39, 47-42, 47-43, 46-42
Montana Steve Bullock, Democratic Governor of Montana versus corporate-oriented incumbent Steve Daines. June 30 Cash on hand: Daines $7.1 Million, Bullock $7.6 Million. Polls: July Bullock 46-44, 47-43
South Carolina Former Party Chair Jaime Harrison v incumbent, former moderate Republican Lindsay Graham. May 20 Cash on hand Graham $15 Million, Cash on Hand June 30 Harrison $10.2 Million. Polls: July Graham 44-43, 49 – 45, 48-41
REPUBLICANS ARE AHEAD
Georgia (B) Five candidates. The top two will be in a run off. Three Democrats: The Reverend Dr. Raphael Warnock, Senior Pastor at the Ebenezer Baptist Church of Atlanta, Businessman Matt Lieberman, ex US Attorney Ed Tarver. Two Republicans: Incumbent Kelly Loeffler, Congressman Doug Collins. June 30 Cash on hand: Loeffler $7 Million, Warnock $2.9 Million, Collins $2.6 Million, Lieberman $300,000 Polls: July Collins 21, Loeffler 20, Lieberman 14, Warnock 9, Tarver 5, July Collins 26, Loeffler 24, Warnock 18, Liberman 11, Tarver 9
Kansas Physician and former Republican State Senator Barbara Boliier for Open Republican Seat in Kansas. July 15 Cash on hand: Bollier $4.1 Million Marshall $1 Million Polls: May Hamilton 42-41
Texas Military Helicopter Pilot MJ Hegar v Incumbent John Cornyn. June 30 Cash on hand: Cornyn $14.5 Million, M. J. Hegar $900,000 Polls: July Cornyn 43-42, 44-38, 42-35, 47-38, 44-36, 42-29,
REPUBLICANS PRETTY FAR AHEAD
Alabama Incumbent ex US Attorney and KKK Prosecutor Doug Jones v former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville. June 30 Cash on hand. Jones $8.8 Million. Tuberville $550,000. Polls: July Tuberville 52-35 June Tuberville 50-36, Tuberville 47-44
Mississippi Ex Member of Congress and Ex Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy v Incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith. June 30 Cash on hand: Hyde-Smith $1.2 Million, Espy $680,000. Polls: June Hyde-Smith 49-41
Oklahoma Television journalist Abby Broyles v Incumbent Jim Inhofe June 30 Cash on hand: Inhofe $2.2 million, Broyles $200,000. Polls July Inhofe 50-34
Tennessee Memphis-based African-American environmental activist Marquita Bradshaw for an open Republican seat in Tennessee. June 30 Cash on hand: Republicans: Hedge Fund Owner Bill Hagerty $4.1 Million, Democrat Mar Bradshaw – no funds reported. Polls: None
REPUBLICANS SEEM LIKE A SURE THING, BUT IT IS WORTH CAUSING THEM TROUBLE ANYHOW. YOU NEVER KNOW ABOUT AN UPSET
SOUTH DAKOTA, Businessman Dan Ahlers v Incumbent Mike Rounds. March 31 Cash on hand : Rounds $2 Million. Ahlers (who still has to win a primary) $35,000. Polls: None
Idaho Former state senator Paulette Jordan versus incumbent James Risch. June 30: Rish cash on hand $2.4 million. Paulette Jordan $70,000
Arkansas Independent Dan Whitfield (if he can get on the ballot) v incumbent Tom Cotton March 31 Cash on hand Cotton $5 Million, Whitfield $5 Thousand. No polls.
