Published: August 26, 2008 09:08 am      

2 senators to be elected Tuesday

OKLAHOMA CITY — Two new Republican state senators will be elected Tuesday as Oklahomans go to the polls for primary runoff contests.

Three other legislative races, all for state House seats, also will take shape, and a host of county contests will be decided. There are no statewide races on the ballot, so state election officials expect a small turnout.

Voting in the state's 77 counties is scheduled to last from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Voters in Oklahoma County and Tulsa County will elect the two Republican senators, because no Democrats filed to run in the heavily GOP districts.

In Oklahoma City's Republican primary, Steve Russell, a retired Army colonel whose unit was involved in the hunt and capture of Saddam Hussein, faced businessman Kyle Loveless for the District 45 post Republican Kathleen Wilcoxson is leaving because of term limits.

In Tulsa's GOP primary, attorney Cason Carter faces Gary Stanislawski, a financial planner, for the District 35 position term-limited GOP Sen. James Williamson is vacating.

The Oklahoma Senate is now deadlocked with 24 Democrats and 24 Republicans. It is the only evenly divided legislative chamber in the country.

Senate Co-President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee said after Tuesday, Republicans will be assured of 19 Senate seats, "and we are excited about the prospects to elect six more," giving the GOP a Senate majority for the first time.

There are two Republican runoffs for House posts and one Democratic runoff. The winners face opposition in the general election.

In District 57, Republicans Lyle Miller of Clinton and Harold Wright of Weatherford are in a runoff. The district covers Blaine, Canadian and Custer Counties.

In District 59, the runoff matches Mike Sanders and Chris Cameron, two Kingfisher Republicans. Counties in the district are Blaine, Canadian, Dewey, Kingfisher, Major and Woodward.

Democrats meeting in a runoff in Tulsa County's District 72 are Christie Breedlove and Seneca Scott.

Eleven runoffs for sheriff are scheduled across the state. In Woodward County, Sheriff Les Morton is trying to survive a Democratic runoff with veteran deputy sheriff Joe Adams.

Morton faces state embezzlement charges linked to alleged misuse of a credit card and county vehicle.

The Nov. 4 general election ballot will include a U.S. Senate contest between incumbent Republican Jim Inhofe and Democratic state Sen. Andrew Rice.

Important races that will help decide control of the state Senate include one in Tulsa County's District 37, where incumbent Democrat Nancy Riley is being challenged by Republican Dan Newbery.

In Stillwater, Democrat Bob Murphy, a former judge, will face Republican Jim Halligan, a former Oklahoma State University president. They are vying for the District 21 post being vacated by term-limited Democrat Mike Morgan, the Senate president pro tem.