The race for the GOP nomination in the race for Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner is set—-one between a nearly 30-year incumbent and a former legislative leader with a background in the oil and gas industry.
After getting the most votes in the primary on Tuesday, Commissioner Anthony issued a statement.
“In this volatile political climate, it’s encouraging to know that Oklahoma Republicans still support honesty, integrity and fairness at the Corporation Commission,” he said. “I look forward to reminding voters about my record of achievement on their behalf–of cleaning up corruption, dramatically improving auditing and transparency, reducing regulatory burdens to business and keeping Oklahoma’s utility rates among the lowest in the nation—and to securing the nomination in August.”
Anthony received 47.17% or 197,242 of the 418,177 votes cast in the GOP race.
Former State Senate President Pro tempore Brian Bingman of Sapulpa received 38.42% or 160,672 votes. Since neither he nor Anthony received 50% plus one vote, it’s a runoff to be decided in the Aug. 28 runoff election.
Bingman touts his oil and gas industry experience as a landman and his leadership when he was in the Oklahoma Senate. He served as Senate President for six years before he was term limited in the Senate.
He claims to have no political agenda and linked himself to President Donald Trump, stating on his campaign website, “Brian Bingman believes that unnecessary regulations should be removed at the state level in the same way Donald Trump has removed them at the national level.”
Bingman likes to point out that he has worked in the oil patch for his entire professional career, starting as a petroleum landman for Continental Oil Co. and now for ConocoPhillips. He is vice president of Land and Operations for Uplands Resources.
Commissioner Anthony and Bingman’s campaign goals are very similar, emphasizing all forms of energy and reduction of regulations they believe aren’t helping the state’s economy.
Anthony lists “bringing wind power to the state” as one of his accomplishments while Bingman vowed to “make sure that no energy business will be excluded from the state to bring in more dollars and business into Oklahoma.” Bingman said he believes all energy sources in the state “including wind, coal, natural gas, and oil are important for the future of this state.”
Here is the list of goals from Commissioner Anthony:
- creating jobs by making Oklahoma utility rates more competitive
- promoting natural gas usage in vehicles, homes and businesses
- strengthening consumer protections
- ordering the largest utility refunds in state history
- rooting out corruption
- embedding regular performance, financial and operational agency audits
- reducing regulatory burdens to business
- growing domestic energy production
- protecting the environment
- bringing wind power to the state
- rolling out high-speed Internet and enhanced 911
- enforcing the toughest ethics code of any state agency
- increasing utility reliability standards
- offering incentives for energy efficiency
- upgrading technology for schools and tele-medicine
- deregulating intrastate trucking
- improving railroad and pipeline safety
Then there is the list of goals and campaign themes emphasized by Brian Bingman.
- Brian Bingman has no political agenda.
- Brian Bingman believes that unnecessary regulations should be removed at the state level in the same way Donald Trump has removed them at the national level
- Brian Bingman will work to protect the interests of all Oklahoma citizens and not the special interest groups.
- Brian Bingman believes Oklahoma has a bright future and will put Oklahoma first.
- Brian Bingman wants to bring timeliness and order to the commission process
- Bingman wants to ensure that orders of the commission are issued in a timely and efficient manner
- Brian Bingman wants to ensure companies have certainty at the commission.
- Brian Bingman wants to provide for a better tomorrow.
- Brian Bingman will bring a new insight and fresh eyes into the commission.
- Brian Bingman wants to return the Corporation Commission back into a full operating state agency to relieve the backlog of caseloads.
- Brian Bingman will work to provide reliable energy at the lowest possible cost
- Brian Bingman will make sure that no energy business will be excluded from the state to bring in more dollars and business into Oklahoma.
- Brian Bingman believes all energy resources in Oklahoma including wind, coal, natural gas, and oil are important for the future of this state.
