NORMAN — Former OU football coach Barry Switzer has never run for elective office, but he still carries a lot of weight with voters.
Late in 2002, he endorsed Brad Henry. Election watchers thought it could have been the needed push to put him over the top against Republican Steve Largent. Largent lost by fewer than 7,000 votes. That’s less than one-half of one percent. Well-financed Independent candidate Gary Richardson and the late endorsement of Mr. Henry by a cockfighting coalition also may have helped the victory.
Now, eight years later, Coach Switzer made a last-hour endorsement of Jari Askins. She won by fewer than 1,500 votes over Attorney General Drew Edmondson and now faces Republican Mary Fallin in the November General Election.
Greg Dixon, a former OU football player who played under Coach Switzer, was fortunate enough to score an endorsement this past week. The two appeared in newspaper advertisements. Mr. Dixon faces fellow McClain County lawyer John Mantooth in the Nov. 2 General Election.
Mr. Switzer, who resigned from OU’s head coaching position in 1989, still commands the attention of Oklahomans. In a close race, his pick could mean the difference.
