Andrew Rice calls on OK delegation to support S-CHIP, reports on 3Q fundraising

I got an email from Andrew Rice’s campaign today, their “Blogger Connection” distribution, with some news updates, on the pending S-CHIP vote in DC and the campaign’s fundraising figures for the third quarter.

1) Sen. Rice today called on members of the Oklahoma House delegation to vote to override President Bush’s SCHIP veto tomorrow. The text of the press release is available at our website, http://www.andrewforoklahoma.com/newsroom_details.asp?id=963 , and the text is below this message.

2) Thanks to PAC contributions, Jim Inhofe did raise more funds than Andrew Rice in the 3rd Quarter. However, just counting individual contributions, the two candidates were nearly neck and neck:

Q3 Individual contributions for Jim Inhofe: $346,172
Q3 Individual contributions for Andrew Rice: $304,656

And Sen. Rice only kicked off his campaign a month before the end of the quarter, raising almost as much as Jim Inhofe from individuals in 60 days of fundraising (vs a full quarter). It’s clear – real Oklahomans want a change.

3) Speaking of “change,” did you see this video of Sam Donaldson and George Will on climate change? http://thinkprogress.org/2007/10/14/sam-donaldson-blasts-george-wills-climate-denial/

4) Last but not least, for those of you in the Oklahoma City area, make sure you pick up a copy of this week’s Oklahoma Gazette – they feature Sen. Rice on the cover, with an in-depth story about him. Unfortunately, the Gazette only has a snippet of the story on their website. But if you can find a copy, pick it up and blog about it!

Oklahoma Gazette website: http://okgnews.com

Best,
Karina Henderson
Rice for U.S. Senate
karinaATandrewforoklahoma DOTcom

I know candidates try to spin things positively, and I think Rice did do pretty good with fundraising in the length of time he had (he formally announced on Sept. 5). However, with $41,516 difference between Inhofe and Rice, I don’t see how they can really call it “neck and neck.”

That being said, I think everyone knows that Inhofe is going to significantly blow Rice away in fundraising. First, he’s an incumbent, which always brings a big advantage, in money among other considerations. But also, Big Oil and other corporate donors will make sure Jim has more than he needs to conflate the issues even more irrationally than ever before.

No, Inhofe cannot be matched for money. Andrew is just going to have to make up the difference in virtue and charm. Fortunately, this will not be difficult.

Full disclosure: I am registered Independent, but identify as Green, and have donated $25 to Rice’s campaign, and have even set up an ActBlue page to encourage other Independents (or anyone, really) to donate.

I haven’t agreed with all of Rice’s votes in the Oklahoma Senate (specifically 1804 – Immigration), but he’s light years better than Inhofe, and in politics there’s no perfect candidate. I intend to support his campaign, with time and money, in the very small amounts that I can.

And here’s the press release that was also in the email:

Press Release: Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Contact: Karina Henderson (405) 606-2288

OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct. 17, 2007) – State Senator Andrew Rice, D-OKC, today urged all of Oklahoma’s five U.S. Representatives to vote Thursday to override President Bush’s veto of critical funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

In a letter faxed to each Oklahoma House Member, Rice asked the Representatives to separate fact from fiction to vote for funding that will help 127,000 Oklahoma children afford health insurance.

“If you don’t believe that health insurance for our children is a moral obligation, I encourage you to think of children’s health insurance as an economic investment,” Rice said. “Health industry experts from across the political spectrum agree that reducing the number of uninsured Americans will lower premiums and costs for all Americans. And furthermore, healthy children perform better in school and become healthy, better-educated adults competing for American enterprise in the global marketplace.”

Rice cited three myths used by opponents to degrade the compromise legislation vetoed by the President. He said that claims by President Bush and others that the bill would extend health insurance to illegal immigrants, upper middle income families and families already covered by private health plans are false.

“I think that when it comes to the well-being of 127,000 Oklahoma children, we should avoid the Washington spin and just consider the facts,” Rice said.