Sources: Nickles won't run again for Senate

[LewisJackson]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Don Nickles, R-Oklahoma, will announce Tuesday that he will not seek re-election to the Senate next year, according to sources close to him.

Nickles, who is chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, has an announcement planned for 11 a.m. (12 p.m. EDT) at the Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City.

Many Republicans say they want former Oklahoma Congressman J.C. Watts to run for the seat in what has been an overwhelmingly Republican state.



How good are our chances in OK?

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Very poor...... n/t

[RobertSeattle]

3. What no Democrat Actors From OK available?

[dsc]

4. we could try will rodgers

after all Mel Carnahan won as a dead man. Otherwise I don't think so.

[jbfam4]

2. waiting for Goober's input

but this is really good news.

[barbaraann]

5. Is Bush pre-empting Nickles' announcement?

He's on right now babbling.

[OKNancy]

6. The only chance is Barry Switzer

you see, in OK an idiot like JC can get elected if he is associated with football. ( Steve Largent too).

But! Switzer is a big Democrat.

[mndemocrat_29]

7. Steve Largent LOST in 2002

I think we have a very good shot here in 2004. We'll have to campaign hard, but Rep. Brad Carson and Atty. Gen. Drew Edmundson will both be top tier candidates, and both have expressed interest in a race. Rep. Ernest Istook will probably be the Repukes candidate.

[jiacinto]

8. This is going to be one of the key contests in 2004

If we can get either Drew Edmonson (D), the Attorney General, or Brad Carson (D), who represents the 2nd district, we will be able to make a contest out of this.

[FullCountNotRecount]

9. Dems s/play up loss of Congress Seat in 2000 = Only state besides MS

The GOP hasn't been drawing population to the fine state of Oklahoma with their policies...Democrats should have a vision for a growing state.

Edit: Only sunbelt state beside Mississippi

[burr]

12. You must be kidding me...Brad Carson?

Why not just ask Nickles to run again?

If we want a real Democrat, former Gov. David Walters would be a great candidate. Or if we just enjoy imprisoning nonaccountants who recieve the disability tax credit, elect a tyrant like Drew Edmondson.

[NewJerseyDem]

13. Walters did great last time

He was slaughtered by Inhofe. We need someone who can win and Carson can win. No liberal is going to win anything in Oklahoma.

[NewJerseyDem]

10. This is great!

I really hope Congressman Brad Carson runs. He is a young, fairly conservative democratic congressman, the only democrat from Oklahoma. He seems interested in the race and would have a good chance as long as JC Watts doesn't run. If Watts does than were in a lot of trouble but I think that Carson could defeat Ernest Istook who seems like the frontrunner for the republican nomination if he runs and Watts doesn't.

[hippywife]

11. I wonder

if there's any chance of him talking Inhofe into retirement, too? Hey, a girl can dream can't she??

[RevolutionStartsNow]

14. He wants to "campaign against Dean"

He will work for the Republicans in the coming presidential election and campaign against Democratic candidate Howard Dean, saying that he is concerned Dean would undo tax cut legislation supported by the GOP.

"I don't want him to be elected president," Nickles said about Dean, the former Vermont governor.

http://us.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/10/07/nickles.senate...

Heh.