NORMAN — The race is over for U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla.
Cole won with 77 percent of the votes — a total of 32,584 — against R.J. Harris, a 19-year veteran of the National Guard, in Tuesday’s primary election, sealing the seat for Oklahoma’s 4th Congressional District.
With no Democrat filing to run for the congressional seat this year and only one Republican opponent on the ticket — a first since his initial race in 2002 — Cole will return for a fifth term in Washington.
These results, however, are unofficial and will be certified 5 p.m. Aug. 3 by the State Election Board.
“I’m really excited to come through with a strong win tonight,” said Cole via a video message shot earlier in Washington.
“This campaign wasn’t about me. It’s about what’s happening in Washington. The real fight has only just begun. The next few years are going to be very decisive.”
Unexpectedly, a vote in Washington for supplemental funding for the war in Afghanistan put Cole on a 6 a.m. flight back to Washington Tuesday, so he was unable to attend his election watch party at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Convention Center.
During the watch party, Cole was flying back to Oklahoma City from Washington.
“Hopefully, I’ll make it back in time to shake a few hands,” Cole said in the video message.
Harris also was unable to attend his watch party at Earl’s Rib Palace in Moore because he was at military training at Camp Gruber.
“[R.J.] always said, regardless of what happened, he’d consider it a moral victory if he came out with 30 percent of the vote,” said Jonathan Gibbons, Harris’ campaign manager, as he held up his laptop to give Harris a panoramic view of his supporters at the watch party.
Gibbons set up a video stream so Harris, who was at Howard Houchen’s watch party in Muskogee for U.S. Representative for the 2nd Congressional District, could speak to his supporters.
“It was a David and Goliath kind of thing. I think we did a good job coming in at 23 percent. It wasn’t that 30, but still…,” said Gibbons, trailing off, after Cole was announced the winner.
Gibbons said both he and Harris called the Cole Campaign to congratulate them on their win.
Nathan Atkins, Cole’s campaign manager, said upon Cole’s return to Washington he plans to “repeal and replace” the health care bill, seal the country’s borders and put the brakes on “runaway government spending.”
“I think we’re going to put up a heck of a fight against President Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi,” Cole said as he urged voters to continue to stay involved through the general election on Nov. 2. “We want to make sure we sweep those and give Oklahoma conservative governance.”
Editor’s Note: Nanette Light served as an intern for Congressman Tom Cole in the summer of 2007.
Nanette Light 366-3541 nlight@normantranscript.com
