Oklahoma will play a big role in both the Republican and Democratic presidential primaries on Tuesday, and four candidates hit the state over the weekend. On Friday, Republican hopefuls Donald Trump and Marco Rubio stopped in Oklahoma City. On Sunday, Democrat Bernie Sanders rallied supporters in Oklahoma City while Republican Ted Cruz barnstormed the state, including stops in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Lawton. Former President Bill Clinton campaigned on behalf of his wife, Hillary Clinton, in Edmond on Saturday.
Despite heavy campaigning, some Oklahoma voters still haven’t made up their minds. KGOU invited five undecided voters into the studio on Friday, February 26 to “speed date” surrogates from the seven remaining campaigns.
Meet our undecided voters
Undecided voter Jeanette Schreiber, from Oklahoma City, can’t decide between Sanders and Clinton. She says a four- or eight-year commitment is a big decision.
“Do you want the excitement? The inspiration? Or do you want that relationship that will stand the test of time that may not be quite as exciting?” Schreiber said. “Are all the promises going to be kept? I know we can’t tell the future but it would be nice to know.”
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Meet our undecided voters
Undecided voter Jeanette Schreiber, from Oklahoma City, can’t decide between Sanders and Clinton. She says a four- or eight-year commitment is a big decision.
“Do you want the excitement? The inspiration? Or do you want that relationship that will stand the test of time that may not be quite as exciting?” Schreiber said. “Are all the promises going to be kept? I know we can’t tell the future but it would be nice to know.”
University of Oklahoma freshman Sam Flowers, from Ponca City, will be voting for the first time. He is leaning towards Marco Rubio but he is not quite ready to take the plunge yet.
“I guess I’m just scared of commitment right now. It may be a little too early in the relationship stage,” Flowers said. “I think things may have cleared up a little bit recently but I’m also just really looking to really get to know these candidates and their policies and then make a more well informed decision.”
Ashley Combs, from Oklahoma City, voted for the first time in 2008 when she cast her ballot for then-Senator Barack Obama. She voted for Obama again in 2012. She said she’s “still in love” with Obama after eight years.
“He still has my heart, being that he was the first person I voted for, but I am terribly, terribly sad to see him go which is why I can’t commit to someone right now because I am kind of heartbroken,” Combs said.
Keith Lough is a scorned Jeb Bush supporter on the rebound, trying to find the right candidate. (Full disclosure: Keith is also the father-in-law of KGOU’s Paige Willett Lough). Lough said he was drawn to Jeb Bush’s quiet leadership style.
“I think that the founding fathers were very definite in their separation of powers, and that’s what gives power to the voter, to the people,” Lough said. “I thought Bush was following that middle road of leadership but not crossing the line into trying to be the legislator.”
Lauren Jenks knows she will vote for either Sanders or Clinton, but she still hasn’t made a final decision. She said she is looking for the best of both worlds.
“I love Bernie’s domestic policy, and I think Hillary really has the stand on foreign policy. If I could just marry the two together and have this one super candidate, I would be thrilled,” Jenks said.
The surrogates
KGOU invited surrogates from the campaigns to help woo these voters. John Kasich’s national communications advisor, Trent Duffy, joined us by phone. A volunteer for the Ben Carson campaign in Oklahoma, Brian Tate, came to the studio to talk to voters. State Sen. Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City, also dropped by the studio to stump for Hillary Clinton. U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine, called to pitch U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Tex. State Sen. Ervin Yen, R-Oklahoma City, joined us to talk about U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. Former state Sen. Connie Johnson called on behalf of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont. Due to a scheduling conflict, a surrogate supporting Donald Trump had to cancel, so our undecided voters listened to a 90 second montage of Trump’s South Carolina victory speech.
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