Owasso Rep. David Derby, who has supported Rep. George Faught in the 2nd District Republican primary, has withdrawn his endorsement.
In a communication with Michael Bates of Batesline, Derby wrote, “I pulled my support from Faught because his press release said he was disappointed with the Republican caucus. I’m part of the Republican caucus, and there is no way I will ever stand for being called pro-choice. I chaired the health committee that personhood came through. I kept the liberal amendments from being added. I voted yes on all the whip counts to hear the bill. So I was disappointed in Faught’s press release by not calling out leadership. I will not be called pro-choice, nor will I stand for a press release that implies that I am pro-choice. I have an adopted son, and my wife and I personally have had issues that led us to adopt, and thus my pro-life stance. I hope and pray that this clears up the confusion.”
In reading this, and then going to Batesline for the full story, the bigger issue seems to be that those attacks on Mr. George Faught, which ended in Bates conclusion that people in District 2 should support the Carpet Cleaner (George Faught) and not the carpet baggers who have moved in to try to create a career for themselves.
Mr. Derby might be confused in his statement as to the author, and want to re-read the press release before pointing fingers, because it looks like he is playing right into these rumor-mongers. It was reported widely that Kevin Calvey was the one that discussed a pro-choice label on legislators. From News 2: “Kevin Calvey of Oklahomans for Life called the resolution a “cop-out,” and says anti-abortion House members plan to force a vote to bring a personhood bill to the floor for consideration. Calvey says any procedural vote against such a move will be considered a vote in support of abortion.” Read more: http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/local_news/anti-abortion-group-oklahomans-for-life-flexes-for-personhood-bill#ixzz1u6wXIsKBRep.
Mr. Faught’s press release did not say anything at all about that or even any person in particular, but did reflect a growing sentiment among us in the state who voted them in after seeing a lot of opportunities to promote good government and social values wasted. He wrote specifically about frustration that ‘core Republican ideas on both social issues and fiscal policy are gutted or killed’. McCarville Report published this, where I saw it, and I did not read that day any attacks on anyone personally, and no mention of calling people ‘pro-choice’. Faught’s comments and that report stood out to me, because I feel the same way, and wish more of our legislators would understand that.
And for Mr. Faught. Thank you, Sir. It is a strong person who has the backbone we need to voice concerns, and it is a strong party that takes that opportunity for introspection – that people’s concerns need to be thoughtfully taken into consideration, and acted on, communicating that there is a stronger commitment in the future to do what is right. After seeing none of that in response to his concerns raised – that is the biggest failure I see in this whole episode. The Republicans got a huge chance in 2010 to prove responsive to the will of the people. If these opportunities are not acted on, the state office holder positions will be held again by democrats, and opportunities to support life, small government and other republican ideals campaigned on will not come again so easily.
If anyone really did withdraw endorsements, I’ll be looking to see which District 2 candidate is ‘wobbly’ as Batesline called it, enough on issues to earn these people’s new endorsements. And I will be talking to everyone I know about why those that promise they will be ‘wobbly’ too to earn those endorsements won’t be able to stand up in Washington for what is right as our congressman
Although I’ve heard rumors of Faught attacking others, this is the first I’ve heard of attacks against Faught.
I think it is interesting that this race has been labeled the carpet cleaner vs. the carpetbaggers. That is an erroneous statement and no one should take that as a sound reason for voting for the carpet cleaner. Every 2nd District Republican candidate has 2nd District ties. The term carpetbagger might be appropriately applied to some, but definitely not to Rowe, Thompson, or Faught.
I can’t fault Derby for withdrawing his support from Faught. In the same way that Bates used a very broad brush to paint the 2nd District candidates as carpetbaggers, Faught used a very broad brush to paint the Republicans in the House as anti-conservative. Neither picture accurately describes a number of individuals in the respective groups.
Mullin and Pettigrew are the carpetbaggers in this race. Dakota Wood is from this district, Claremore. Just because he served in the military all over the world does not make him a carpetbagger, it makes him a patriot. Neither can I fault Derby for dropping Faught. Maybe now he’ll endorse the only candidate in this race with the intellectual horsepower to make change in Washington. Thats clearly Dakota Wood.