Republicans, Wes Watkins and Worms


The Daily Oklahoman reports today that the national Republican Party donated more than $500,000 to three Oklahoma organizations as part of an arrangement to get leftover campaign money from retired U.S. Rep. Wes Watkins.
The Republicans gave $275,000 to the Oklahoma State University Foundation; $140,000 to Rural Enterprises Inc. in Durant; and $100,000 to the Oklahoma Foundation for Career and Technology Education.

At the end of last year, Watkins still had almost $200,000 in his campaign account. He said he might use the money to establish a charitable organization that would donate fertilizer to poor countries where soil quality inhibits agricultural productivity. This is apparently related to Watkin's latest passion, vermiculture - or worm farming. Watkins wants to farm worms to create fertilizer and sell or give it to Africa. Watkins has made more than one trip to Nigeria in recent years.