EDMOND — Democrat Congressional 5th District hopeful Billy Coyle said he believes Republican James Lankford represents partisan politics.

“I’m convinced that Oklahomans are tired of partisan politics and James Lankford if elected is partisan politics streamlined,” Coyle told The Edmond Sun.

However, Lankford said Oklahomans don’t think typically Democrat, Republican or Independent. Lankford said he joins with Oklahomans in thinking what’s best for families and the state.

Voters will go to the polls on Nov. 2 to choose who will best represent them in the 5th District. Two Independents, Dave White of Deer Creek and Clark Duffe of Edmond, are also on the ballot.

“My preference would be for us to be able to work together as a nation. That may sound cliché but for Oklahomans, we share a lot of common values,” Lankford said. “I do think most of the issues that we dealt with in the campaign are not Republican, Democrat issues. They’re Oklahoma issues.”

Coyle said he challenges Republicans and Democrats to create more energy-related jobs in Oklahoma while focusing on a national energy plan with emphasis on oil.

“I’m going to focus on those issues and take it to the streets of the people,” said Coyle, a defense attorney and former Marine. “And I think people will be pleased to know that this race has someone who is fighting for Oklahoma.”

Lankford exemplifies someone who is thinking right, has the right motives and has overcome incredible odds in the political process, U.S. Sen. James Inhofe said.

“He will be the 5th Congressional congressman and I’m very excited about it,” Inhofe told The Edmond Sun.

White said he is one of two conservative candidates in the Congressional race and Oklahomans cannot afford to ignore the differences between himself and Lankford. White and Lankford are both faith-based, family-oriented and new to the political process, White said.

“Ideas are coming from my background — Naval Academy class president, economics major, former Navy SEAL, businessman, patent holder and inventor, entrepreneur,” White said. “His ideas come from a vastly different source. It’s a good source but still it’s different so this gives people the opportunity to compare the two and decide what’s best suited for the world that we live in today.”

Massive debts and deficits, terrorism, two wars and events heating up in North Korea call for leadership, White said. White cautioned that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is a Hitler-like dictator bent on developing nuclear weapons.

“So who best to tackle these problems with their ideas? In my opinion you need someone that’s got experience — broad-based experience,” White said.

Lankford was director of the Falls Creek summer camp from 1996 to 2009 when he began his campaign for Congress.

His bachelor’s degree is in secondary education focusing on teaching speech and history. He earned a master’s degree in divinity, a Biblical languages degree at Southwestern Seminary at Fort Worth.

“The uniqueness of dealing with Falls Creek is obviously dealing with Oklahomans,” Lankford said of the 51,000 Oklahomans from all areas of the state attending the summer camp.

“So the primary deal for me is knowing who we are as Oklahomans and what we’re all about,” Lankford said. “I think for me that’s one of the primary things you’d want in a congressman.”

Lankford said he is accustomed to managing a staff of 150 people, dealing with business issues, dealing with large budgets.

Duffe said he differs from the three other candidates on cultural issues such as his support for gay marriage and the legalization of drugs.

“Freedom and individual rights is where I’m coming from.” Duffe said.

Duffe said each of the 5th District candidates agree it is necessary to secure the U.S. borders to halt illegal immigration. But he will support some form of amnesty, Duffe said.

“I follow very much the Libertarian line. I believe in individual rights and freedoms — all the individual rights and freedoms — not just what I happen to like or don’t want you to have,” he said.



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