Ron Peterson, the Oklahoma lawmaker who blocked health insurance mandates after getting thousands of dollars in contributions from insurance companies, is only one of a growing list of Republican House leaders opting to give up their legislative posts.
Peterson, R-Broken Arrow, announced that he will not be among lawmakers who will be taking part in the three-day filing period that began June 2 at the state Capitol.
He was not specific about his plans, other than that he would be returning to the private sector. He is a former owner of a property and casualty insurance agency and his wife is a part-time independent insurance agent.
In his announcement, Peterson bragged about passing some insurance-related legislation, but made no mention of blocking bills this year to require insurance companies to cover autism in children and other medical disorders and conditions.
Democrats have vowed to make Republican opposition to insurance coverage bills a top issue in the fall elections, along with failure of the GOP-dominated Legislature to adequately fund the Oklahoma Ethics Commission.
In a previous interview, Peterson, chairman of the House Economic Development and Financial Services Committee, said his close ties with the insurance industry had nothing to do with his opposition to Senate-passed mandate bills. He has received more than $20,000 this year from people or political action committees tied to the insurance industry.
“They say I’m the devil and I’ve been bought off. It’s absolutely not true,” said the lawmaker, who was derided in several Capitol protests by angry parents of autistic children.
Others criticized his opposition to a bill that would prevent insurance companies from refusing to pay routine claims of patients who take part in clinical trials, often in an effort to save their lives.
Other Republican House members who have announced they are leaving the legislature include Majority Floor Leader Gregg Piatt of Ardmore, and Reps. Susan Winchester of Chickasha, Trebor Worthen of Oklahoma City and Rob Johnson of Kingfisher. Johnson is running for the Corporation Commission.
Another GOP lawmaker considering whether to retire is Rep. Dennis Adkins, R-Tulsa.
Republicans leaving the Legislature – with the exception of Winchester – have one thing in common: They were lieutenants under former House Speaker Lance Cargill, R-Harrah.
Cargill gave up his leadership post in January after a year of controversies over ethics issues and late payment of his personal income and property taxes.
There is widespread speculation that Cargill himself will choose not to seek re-election, although he earlier told reporters he would run again.
Cargill was expected to draw a primary foe and Democrats believe they have a strong candidate in Dianne Hunter, wife of Dr. David Hunter, who ran unsuccessfully for Congress last year.
Neither Cargill nor Adkins returned telephone calls.
Republicans hold a 57-44 majority in the House and it would take a net gain of seven seats for Democrats to wrest control from the GOP.
House Democratic Leader Danny Morgan, D-Prague, said he was surprised so many GOP leaders are bailing out.
“Maybe they know something that the rest of Oklahoma doesn’t but will on election night, and that is the Democrats will be in the majority,” Morgan said.
Neither Morgan nor state Democratic Chairman Ivan Holmes are predicting a seven-seat pickup for Democrats, but Holmes said there will be “very competitive races” in 10 districts now held by Republicans.
If Republicans retain their House majority, they would have control of the Legislature if their predictions of a Senate takeover become true. Democrats and Republicans are now tied in the Senate with 24-24 members each.
Democrats are encouraged by a national Democratic trend that has led the defeat of Republicans in recent special elections for Congress in three states.
“I think Oklahoma probably is going to be one of the few states that buck that trend,” said state Republican Party Chairman Gary Jones. “As far as the state House and Senate, it’s match play and we think we match up pretty well.”
Republicans generally say the departure of so many GOP lawmakers has nothing to do with policy issues such as ethics and insurance coverage.
Jones said some of those lawmakers entered the “10-year syndrome” where they realized they were term-limited in two years and began to reflect on the time they had missed with their families and the opportunities they might have in the private sector.
“I don’t think people realize the sacrifices legislators makes in terms of finances and their families and the stress from personal and political attacks,” said Rep. Gus Blackwell, R-Goodwell, who heads up a House political action committee devoted to re-electing Republicans.
There are three statewide races on the ballot this year. Republican Jim Inhofe will be favored in his re-election bid for the U.S. Senate, as will the state’s four GOP House members and Democratic Rep. Dan Boren.
Topics Legislation Market Oklahoma
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