Talk among businessmen in Oklahoma these days is about how former Congressman Steve Largent is taking his election for granted. Supporters of Largent are perplexed and frustrated with Largent's lack of visibility around the state. One supporter of Largent was overheard saying that the Largent campaign had told him not to worry, that they had plenty of money to buy up TV for his ads. They plan on winning the election with overwhelming media presence. The Largent campaign seems to be cocksure of their winning position but their supporters are nervous.

Meanwhile, everyone is dumfounded that Brad Henry won the Democratic nomination to run against Largent. The expectation was that Orza was going to win, partly because Orza had been 14% points ahead of Henry in the primary in August. Henry mounted an amazing come from behind effort and closed in the last few days. The last polls had not captured his move into the lead. Henry had attacked Orza for being in favor of right-to-work and against union issues. It seemed to work with the Democratic faithful but it is likely to backfire in the general election. Right-to-work, after all was passed by popular vote in an election earlier in 2002. He may have won the primary but lost the general election.

Of course this was the plan of the Daily Oklahoman, which endorsed Brad Henry. Anyone the least familiar with the Daily Oklahoman knows it is extremely Republican and anti-union. Talk among the knowing is that the Daily Oklahoman endorsed Henry over Orza because Gaylord (owner) expected that Henry would be much less likely to beat Largent than would Orza. Orza was pro-business, wealthy, moderate, and appealed even to Republicans (which he used to be). Such a man could beat Largent and the Daily Oklahoman wasn't going to let that happen. Largent has already met with and been blessed by Gaylord. Of course, for a newspaper to endorse a candidate because it believes he can be beat by your preference is unethical. Ethical concerns such as this have rarely troubled the fervently Christian power brokers at the Daily Oklahoman
however.