KINGFISHER – There’s a rule in Oklahoma Primary election that says if an incumbent candidate is forced into a runoff that incumbent is probably going to get defeated.
That’s the rule. It’s been around a long time.
And it’s almost always accurate.
Until this year.
Last Monday Darcy Jech, the incumbent Republican state Senator for Senate District 26 was in the political fight of his life – trying to keep his seat against Brady Butler aggressive, far-right candidate who pushed back against the political norm.
Many pundits were sure Jech would lose. Jech’s centrist approach and his endorsements by the political establishment weren’t playing well and Butler’s campaign had made running against the establishment a central part of his platform.
During a June candidate forum, Butler told the crowd he was not running primarily to fix roads or bridges, education, taxes, or the McGirt decision. Instead, Butler said he was running on root cause issues.
“I’m trying to get to the foundation of why is our government broke,” he said. “Why do we continually have to year after year address education and roads?”
He said he would push to limit the power of legislative leaders and work to inject more religious policy into state government.
“Our government has essentially been stolen by a hierarchy that happens inside the Capitol. I believe that the Speaker of the House and the Senate Pro Tempore in each chamber have far too much power and we need to equalize that power among the 48 senators” he said. “I understand that’s a big thought, but it has to happen.”
Butler said he had three goals: change the rules of the state Senate; end the separation of church and state; push the belief that states can nullify federal actions. He said the notion of ‘separation of church and state’ doesn’t have a place in American politics and argued that even though First Amendment allows anyone to worship how they choose, state legislation should have a Biblical basis.
Butler said states didn’t have to follow federal laws. “So, when the federal government does something wrong, we don’t have to sue in federal court to find out if we win or lose,” he said. “We just nullify. We just don’t have to go along with it.”
Jech countered that he was trying to represent his district and working to pass legislation that would have a positive impact on the residents of his district.
“When I vote on something I don’t always look on what kind of grade I might get from some organization,” Jech said. “I take each vote seriously. I look how it’s going to impact my district really without any consideration on how it’s going to apply to scorecard or grade that I might have with any group.”
Jech’s message didn’t seem to be getting through to votes and by the time of the June Primary Election, most pundits said Jech was done.
The pundits were wrong.
Last week Jech turned the tables on Butler, defeating the Butler’s insurgent candidacy by more than 4.5% of the vote. Unofficial election day totals show Jech earned 4,187 votes (52.29%) to Butler’s 3,821 votes (47.71%).
Jech has done what few incumbents forced into a runoff have been able to do: win reelection.
Jech’s statement on election night was simple: “I’d like to say a big ‘thank you’ to the voters of Senate District 26 for reelecting me tonight,” he wrote. “I’d also like to thank my family, especially my wife, my campaign team and anyone who volunteered their time and talents, we couldn’t have done it without you! I look forward to serving all of Senate District 26 four more years.”
For his part, Butler congratulated Jech on his win and thanked his supporters in a posting on Facebook.
“I would like to congratulate Senator Darcy Jech on winning his 3rd term in the Oklahoma Legislature,” Butler’s post said. “To my supporters and friends who worked tirelessly on the campaign, thank you and may God bless you for the grace that you have shown to me and my family for the last several months.”
Because no Democrat or Independent filed in the race, Jech’s primary runoff win places him back in public office for his final four-year term and, once again, upends one of the longstanding rules of Oklahoma politics.