Yard Signs Available

If you would like to have a yard sign for your favorite candidate, please call Marilyn Goodban at 405.665.5031. If she's not there, leave a message and she'll get back with you.

Blake Cummings for Congress Fundraiser

Garvin County Democrats would like to thank Phil and Susan Henderson for hosting a fundraiser and "meet and greet" for Blake Cummings at the Pig Shop on October 9th. The old faithful and several others had a great time and were furnished with free food and beverage by the Hendersons.

Garvin County Politica Forum

Brad Perry, Democrat and Lisa Billy, Republican, are shown here waiting on their turn to talk at the Garvin County Political Forum. Brad and Lisa are candidates for District 42 of the State House of Representatives.

Andrew Rice Speaks to Garvin County Democrats


At the Santa Fe Depot Museum on Saturday, State Sen. Andrew Rice asked the crowd a question: "How many of you think that, if you're a veteran, you get health care from the VA?" About half of the 40 or so people in attendance raised their hands. But Rice, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, somberly shook his head. "There are 2 million veterans in this country who do not have health insurance," said Rice, 35, during a meeting of the Garvin County Democrats.

Rice, who will face incumbent Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa, if he receives the Democratic nomination, joined Democratic candidate for U.S. House District 4 Blake Cummings to discuss issues they felt were not being addressed or were being addressed poorly in Washington. Rice explained why so many veterans do not have health care, a story that began because "George Bush passed tax cuts that, I'm assuming didn't help anybody in this room." "Whoever heard of giving tax cuts to the wealthy in a time of two wars?" Rice asked. "So, they don't have enough money to pay for veterans' health care, so they changed the means test for who can get health care." Rice said the 2 million uninsured vets are "middle class veterans."

"The government is saying they make too much money to qualify (for health insurance) from the VA," he said. "Why should a veteran not have the same health insurance that I have (as an Oklahoma State Senator)? Does anybody disagree with that?" That's why Rice said he authored a bill in the Oklahoma Legislature this year that would have made the same health insurance plan that legislators have available to any Oklahoma veteran. The bill, however, stalled and did not receive a hearing in the Oklahoma House of Representatives owing to partisanship that protects health insurance companies. "God-forbid the government spend money on something that's important," Rice told Garvin County Democrats, and even two Republicans in the audience.

Rice said rising health care costs and rising gas prices represent two things that are important - health care reform and energy diversification. Rice said the failures of the Bush Administration and Republican leadership in Congress to address the issues are the reasons his father, a life-long Republican, recently became a Democrat.

"You think the $4-a-gallon gas we're about to have could have been prevented?" Rice asked. "Absolutely. They knew we were going to have to get to a point where we needed to diversify." Rice said Inhofe and other Republicans in Congress are trying to blame the energy situation on Democrats who gained a majority in 2006. But he said Republicans were in control of Congress and the White House from 2000 to 2006 and did nothing to decrease our dependence on foreign oil. "Why can't you go down to the CP station here today and fill up your truck with Compressed Natural Gas?" he asked, praising Oklahoma's natural gas industry. "It's better for the environment. It's our own energy source. Can you get more patriotic than that - using Oklahoma energy? "But you don't have that option. We're not able to do that, and that's because people like Jim Inhofe who wanted to protect the status quo. Exxon Mobile (based in Texas) just came out with the highest profits they've ever had. We are the most technologically advanced country in the world, but we haven't diversified our energy."

Rice said Inhofe has taken about $1 million from "big energy" thus far in his campaign, but he said a lot of private citizens are taking the lead in energy diversification because the federal government has refused to do so.

He mentioned people he knows in Western Oklahoma who installing wind mills on their farm and ranch land. "They're going to make six-figures a year leasing their land," he said. "How is that not a win-win for Oklahomans? This is clean, renewable energy. It never goes away. The wind doesn't stop blowing in Oklahoma."

Taken from a Andrew Rice Press Release by Tres Savage

Blake Cummings Files for Congress 4th District

Pauls Valley resident Blake Cummings was also on hand Saturday at the Depot. He spoke after Rice, joking about the longevity of his campaign to unseat Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore. "I made that decision way back on Wednesday," said Cummings, a self-employed Oil & Gas Consultant who is a registered member of the Choctaw Nation.

He said many people appreciate the fact that Cole is a Native American, but he said the communities would be better represented by him. "They've going to get a Native American (in me) who understands we've got health care problems," Cummings said. "We're having life and death health decisions not made by doctors, but made by managers and analysts who are trying to save the insurance companies a dollar and who get bonuses for doing it."

He joined Rice in calling for more natural gas expansion. "I think we really need to get with these natural gas initiatives and make Compressed Natural Gas a reality in Oklahoma," Cummings said. "Most of the problems this country has are related in some way or another to our dependence on foreign oil." But he said that the supposed solutions advocated by many Republicans are not real solutions. "Republicans were in power for six straight years and they didn't build any refineries," he said. "It's not happening because, if you build refineries, you have to lower prices."

Cummings said he has received vast support from people "I don't even know." He also said he will be working hard as a grassroots candidate who does not have a large, well-funded campaign. "I think the last election I was in was FFA president in 1977," he said to laughter.

A crowd member asked, "Did you win?" Cummings replied: "No, but I was unanimous vice president. My opponent asked the teacher to make free soda pop available in class."

To read more about the Blake Cummings, click here.

Taken from a Andrew Rice Press Release by Tres Savage