Oklahoma GOP Party’s unprecedented decision to endorse ahead of partisan primary panned

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Republican Party State Committee’s decision to endorse three statewide candidates days before the primary runoff has inflamed some party stalwarts, who argued it’s an unprecedented attempt to try to influence the outcome.

They said party leaders should have continued the tradition of remaining neutral until after voters choose their nominees at the ballot box Tuesday.

But Charity Linch, who chairs the state GOP Party, defended the State Committee’s decision to endorse Mike Mazzei, James Taylor and Kevin West Monday, saying the endorsements represent the will of Republicans living across Oklahoma.

Mazzei, a financial adviser, faces Republican opponent Attorney General Gentner Drummond for the gubernatorial nomination. Taylor, a teacher, faces retired Republican educator Robert Franklin in the superintendent race. West, a House lawmaker, faces Republican colleague state Rep. John Pfeiffer.

Linch, who chaired Saturday’s endorsement meeting, said the state committee is made up of elected leaders from every county and is not a fringe group.

“The body of the committee decided that is what they wanted to do,” Linch said. “Every resolution to endorse each candidate was met with an overwhelming majority.”

About 100 Republicans signed the letter endorsing Taylor that was posted on the Republican Party website. There are over 1.28 million registered Republican voters.

Linch said the committee decided to make the endorsements because some Democrats have changed their party affiliation “to vote in our primaries and put their finger on the scale.”

She also said she created a program to help voters identify who is “OKGOP Certified.” To be certified, a candidate must agree with 80% of the party platform on views such as abortion and gun rights and meet other requirements, she said.

The candidates endorsed were also certified Republican.

But other Republicans criticized the endorsements and Linch’s purported certification test.

“This is a horribly poor decision and harmful to the party that has always taken the position that we leave the nomination up to the voters,” said A.J. Ferate, former GOP state party chairperson. “Once the voters have decided, we get to work for that candidate.”

He said the decision to endorse during a Republican primary runoff is “unprecedented.”

Gary Jones, another former state party chairman, agreed.

Jones said it makes people think that a large number of Republicans support the endorsement, but it is a “small group of extremists that hijacked the party over the years.” 

Jones also called the GOP’s certification process “bizarre” and a “scam.”

Ronda Vuillemont-Smith, former Tulsa County Republican Party chairperson, said a small group of Republicans is trying to tell the 1.2 million registered GOP voters how to vote.

She compared the certification process to a “purity test.” She said that is not the job of the party.

“The job is to get Republicans elected, not to choose which Republicans get to be on the ballot,” she said.