2022 OKC Mayoral Race

[Plutonic Panda]

My thoughts too. Being involved in this seems like it would only hurt him. The good old saying that you can argue with idiots in front of a crowd for only so long until they can’t tell who’s who.

[jerrywall]

Free Press OKC article on the debate:

https://freepressokc.com/mayor-holt-...ivering-ideas/

Urbanic successfully sued the City of Oklahoma City to allow bars to stay open late during the previous height of the deadly pandemic that has claimed the lives of nearly 12,000 Oklahomans.

What an accomplishment.

[Plutonic Panda]

I thought bars could already stay open until 2am? Wasn’t sure what they accomplished.

[jerrywall]

I thought bars could already stay open until 2am? Wasn’t sure what they accomplished.

During the first Covid peak, when we were locking down, the city put an order for all restaurants and bars to close at 11pm.

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news...few/313736007/

[onthestrip]

I agree its weak of Holt not to show up but when you think about it, why would he even consider sharing the stage with that crazy facebook aunt that is Carol Hefner? Not to mention she's just an outright liar. She interviewed 92 homeless people and 89 of them were bussed to OKC from the west coast? Good lord what a load of BS. Islam needs to be eradicated from OKC? She spouts absurdities.

[Pete]

Frank Urbanic said on The Lost Ogle podcast that Carol Hefner demanded $3,300 per month to continue supporting him.

According to him, he refused and that's when she decided to run against him (after publically endorsing Urbanic).

Urbanic also said he had no idea about her previous controversial social media posts or anything much about her before she endorsed him.

Also claims Hefner met with him in person and asked him to leave the race because she was planning to run.

[jerrywall]

Urbanic also said he had no idea about her previous controversial social media posts or anything much about her before she endorsed him.

Wow. That's a level of engagement and awareness that will really benefit a mayor of OKC.

[Midtowner]

Frank Urbanic said on The Lost Ogle podcast that Carol Hefner demanded $3,300 per month to continue supporting him.

According to him, he refused and that's when she decided to run against him (after publically endorsing Urbanic).

Urbanic also said he had no idea about her previous controversial social media posts or anything much about her before she endorsed him.

Also claims Hefner met with him in person and asked him to leave the race because she was planning to run.

Urbanic seems like a pretty decent guy. A colleague of mine, who is a big GOP supporter, and I'd say a friend, volunteers her time on his campaign. I think Urbanic might have seen an opportunity for a decent campaign if he rode the anti mask/anti vax wave. That might've worked pretty well someplace like Guthrie. It's a win-win for him. Even if he loses, he's had a ton of free publicity that he's an attorney in private practice, and for the most part, other people are paying for the publicity.

Carol Hefner is just an entitled housewife with nothing other to do than play politician.

I'm glad we have a quiet, non-partisan mayor, who does a fine job at being OKC's part time cheerleader. I'm thankful for all of our underpaid Council members as well who give up lots of time for this city taking on serious subjects.

But all of this is pretty tame compared to the 'ol Brent Rinehart comic book.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=5403426&page=1

[Laramie]

[Richard at Remax]

I got a mailer from Urbanic. One of the bullet points was he proposed on Fox and Friends. I dunno how that qualifies you to be mayor but it's funny that it was printed

[soonerguru]

The debate will be televised tonight (Tuesday 1/25) at 5:45 PM on news9.com.


Oklahoman is reporting that Holt has a 55 point polling lead over the closest competitor.

Also says Holt has raised $700,000. Urbanic: $14,000; Lawson: $4,000; Hefner has yet to report.

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news...te/6594441001/

The Oklahoman's coverage of this "debate," pre and post, is embarrassing. It provided a significant platform for unserious fringe candidates through its coverage. I predicted this would happen, but it's still disappointing to see.

Nondoc also should be ashamed for its stupid pandering and substance-free self promotion. I thought Tres Savage's comments were especially superficial when he called out Mayor Holt for not participating in this wholly self-serving chimera. This is not journalism and this is not real life and this was not a real debate.

Regarding the "debate," the candidates present demonstrated a total lack of understanding about how civic government works. Literally all of them, regardless of position. And how did the moderators do? They did a woeful job of fact checking these civic morons, underlining the ridiculousness of the premise that this was somehow helping voters make an informed decision.

Lawson showed he has paid scant attention to the multiple homeless initiatives the citizens have already voted for. He even advocated for things that are already funded and happening, suggesting that the entire basis of his candidacy is untethered from reality.

And, of course, Urbanic and Carol were lost in some bizarre right-wing dystopia, painting the picture of a crime-riddled city where fire and police personnel are out of work and unsupported and it's not safe to leave your home. Do you believe that's a reasonable depiction of OKC?

Nondoc and "NEWS 9" argued that this "debate" was something that would benefit our democracy and system of civic government. Really??

I do wish there were a legit debate, but that would only be possible if there were legit candidates, and, other than Holt, there aren't any.

[jerrywall]

^^ I agree. I was somewhat disappointed by Nondoc's participation/validation of these fringe positions and this "debate".

[Laramie]

I agree its weak of Holt not to show up but when you think about it, why would he even consider sharing the stage with that crazy facebook aunt that is Carol Hefner? Not to mention she's just an outright liar. She interviewed 92 homeless people and 89 of them were bussed to OKC from the west coast? Good lord what a load of BS. Islam needs to be eradicated from OKC? She spouts absurdities.

They all would have ganged up on him like a bunch of coyotes attacking a buck. Mayor Holt having been in the Oklahoma Legislature and OKC Mayor since 2018 obvious knows about the city's MAPS initiatives and TIF funding.

The candidates running against him were totally ignorant about moving parts of city government operations involving MAPS & TIF funds. Mayor David Holt could have mopped the floor with all three candidates.

Mrs. Carol Hefner tried to look tough, braggart and experienced. Mrs. Hefner are you listening; you don't dare undo a MAPS 4 Initiative passed by the citizens who participated in the vote and talk about what you would have done with those funds.

[king183]

^^ I agree. I was somewhat disappointed by Nondoc's participation/validation of these fringe positions and this "debate".

Without the Nondoc debate the only exposure to these candidates most people would have had are their absurd mail pieces and TV ads. I'm much happier that their lack of understanding of how the city works, their chaotic approach to governing, and their focus on non-city issues was exposed in a larger forum and is on record. You have to trust the electorate to see these candidates for what they are and they can't do that if the only exposure they have is the candidates' own PR material. And I'd argue the voters of OKC have earned that trust.

[Midtowner]

Mrs. Carol Hefner tried to look tough, braggart and experienced. Mrs. Hefner are you listening; you don't dare undo a MAPS 4 Initiative passed by the citizens who participated in the vote and talk about what you would have done with those funds.

MAPS passed with overwhelming support despite organized resistance. What joke of a consultant told her to come out against MAPS in a race where winning a majority of the votes is the end game? That's just monumentally stupid. C'mon, it's math.

[Plutonic Panda]

There’s no one better right than Holt. Holt is the best of bad situation and that’s just a fact. You aren’t changing it. But then you don’t seem to want OKC to boom and become prosperous given you have previously said you don’t like vibrancy and every you wrote about not liking it are attributed most booming metros have. Nothing personal, but I want to see OKC become a boomtown and you don’t seem to want that.

Holt is continuing the legacy of the previous mayors promoting OKC and walking a fine but well comfortable line between the most liberal city in the state yet understanding it’s a small stronghold in a sea of ultra conservatives. Oklahoma was the only state that every county voted for Trump. OK County came the closest for majority voting blue. Mayor Holt knows how to walk on thin ice. Clearly the good old white boys club sees what is happening and made one of the blatant gerrymandering moves with no shame I’ve ever seen.

[TheSteveHunt]

I am trying to be civil and discuss serious things, I wish you wouldn't delete my messages.

[Plutonic Panda]

^^^ I haven’t deleted anything nor do I have the ability to do so.

Early voting has begun: https://freepressokc.com/early-votin...ace-for-mayor/

[soonerguru]

I just got spam texted a scary video from Carol. Apparently OKC has descended into an urban hellscape tantamount to the worst parts of Chicago. At least, that's what Carol said in her scary doomsday video.

Being spam texted is the most low rent, intrusive form of campaigning. Of course I unsubscribed from the number I never subscribed to and blocked all future messages but it's funny that people think this is an effective way to persuade voters.

[mkjeeves]

Her people deleted my post and banned me from her Facebook page weeks ago for saying Holt is a better choice.

[BoulderSooner]

I just got spam texted a scary video from Carol. Apparently OKC has descended into an urban hellscape tantamount to the worst parts of Chicago. At least, that's what Carol said in her scary doomsday video.

Being spam texted is the most low rent, intrusive form of campaigning. Of course I unsubscribed from the number I never subscribed to and blocked all future messages but it's funny that people think this is an effective way to persuade voters.

yes it is the absolute worst ..

[king183]

I am disappointed with Carol Hefner and her campaign’s racist overtures. Her campaign commercials are clearly attempts to tie black people to high crime rates and her Facebook posts attacking black people and cheering (she “loves it!”) on a group waving Confederate flags at President Obama are disgusting. I knew she was a bit “off” after seeing her performance at the City Council meeting, debating against the mask mandate, but I didn’t realize just how nasty she was.

[Midtowner]

I mean.. I have to hand it to her consultants. They let Carol be Carol. They let her freak flag fly. Knowing some of the GOP consultants personally, at this point, I strongly believe that they didn't moderate the candidate, they let her own narcissism undo her.

Urbanic's campaign, I think hits some pretty strong notes. He's very qualified for public office. He'd be a strong candidate against Stephanie Bice for CD5 if he could figure out how to appeal to the rural vote, which I think is going to be a strong departure from what I know to be in Bice's former campaign manager's wheelhouse. For Urbanic, I think this race may be mostly about name rec. Holt's got this thing in the bag.

[soonerguru]

I mean.. I have to hand it to her consultants. They let Carol be Carol. They let her freak flag fly. Knowing some of the GOP consultants personally, at this point, I strongly believe that they didn't moderate the candidate, they let her own narcissism undo her.

Urbanic's campaign, I think hits some pretty strong notes. He's very qualified for public office. He'd be a strong candidate against Stephanie Bice for CD5 if he could figure out how to appeal to the rural vote, which I think is going to be a strong departure from what I know to be in Bice's former campaign manager's wheelhouse. For Urbanic, I think this race may be mostly about name rec. Holt's got this thing in the bag.

You seem to give Frank a lot of undeserved credit. His campaign, while not a complete horror film like Carol's, shows a total lack of understanding. Both of them are basically campaigning on the same MAPS critique: F the Streetcar. LOL. Urbanic is grandstanding on his ability to impact MAPS in the first place. Candidates that are so fundamentally dishonest deserve no foundation in our city government that, while far from perfect, has presided over a period of unprecedented improvement and general collegiality that is mostly untarnished by bare-knuckle partisanship and mindless populism.

Also, nothing is ever "in the bag" unless people vote. So, everyone reading this, please vote tomorrow if you have not already.

[Plutonic Panda]

Yeah Urbanic is a clown no different than Hefner.