{"id":2267587,"date":"2024-06-14T05:33:02","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T09:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oklahoma-primary-election-puts-powerful-rep-tom-cole-on-defense\/"},"modified":"2024-06-14T05:38:17","modified_gmt":"2024-06-14T09:38:17","slug":"oklahoma-primary-election-puts-powerful-rep-tom-cole-on-defense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oklahoma-primary-election-puts-powerful-rep-tom-cole-on-defense\/","title":{"rendered":"Oklahoma primary challenges influential Rep. Tom Cole"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Foklahoma-primary-election-puts-powerful-rep-tom-cole-on-defense%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2267587&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Oklahoma, a known\u2064 Republican\u200d stronghold, is \u200cgearing up for a competitive\u200b primary\u200d election next Tuesday, with \u2062notable races including that of House Appropriations Committee\u200c Chairman Tom Cole in the 4th Congressional District. Cole, \u2062who has \u200bbeen in office since 2002, faces a challenging fight from four\u2064 GOP\u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mich-ariz-gop-censures-several-lawmakers-over-support-for-impeachment-failure-to-keep-states-red\/\" title=\"Mich., Ariz. GOP censures several lawmakers over support for impeachment, failure to keep states red\">primary challengers<\/a>, including the \u200cformidable Paul Bondar, \u2062a wealthy Texas-based insurance broker who recently registered to vote in \u200cOklahoma. Bondar has poured $5 million of his own \u200cmoney into the\u200c race, prompting Cole and his\u200b supporters\u200c to also ramp up their campaign spending.<\/p>\n<p>Cole, recognized for his deep ties within the\u2064 Republican \u200bestablishment and \u2062his recent \u2064role as chairman \u2062of the powerful\u2064 Appropriations Committee, \u200dis favored to \u200bwin despite the stiff competition. His campaign and supporting \u200bPACs have \u200balready exceeded $3 million in expenditures,\u2064 with outside groups injecting even more funding \u200binto supporting him.\u2064 While Cole is backed firmly by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-israels-iron-dome-strikes-down-scores-of-rockets-fired-by-hamas\/\" title=\"WATCH: Israel\u2019s Iron Dome Strikes Down Scores Of Rockets Fired By Hamas\">key figures<\/a>, including former President Donald Trump, the primary could still push him into \u200ca runoff\u2063 if he doesn&#8217;t \u2064secure an outright win, leading to potentially \u200ceven higher campaign expenses.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the \u200bfierce\u2063 competition, Cole remains confident, likening the \u200ccampaign to &#8220;an old-fashioned bar\u200d fight&#8221; where personal\u200c connections\u2063 matter more than financial clout. However, the\u2063 outcome\u2064 of this\u2062 primary is critical\u200c as it could set the stage\u2062 for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-diverting-more-donations-from-pac-to-pay-for-mounting-legal-fees\/\" title=\"Trump using more PAC donations to cover increasing legal expenses.\">future political endeavors<\/a> for\u200c both Cole and Bondar, who has expressed intentions to continue his political career \u200bregardless of the primary result. The primary&#8217;s \u2063outcome\u200b could be a decisive factor in \u2064shaping Oklahoma&#8217;s political \u200blandscape and could significantly \u200cimpact\u2062 the GOP&#8217;s efforts to \u2062maintain control in the House.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/oklahoma\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Oklahoma<\/a> is one of three states holding key <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/primaries\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>primary<\/a> races next Tuesday, with newly appointed House <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/appropriations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Appropriations<\/a> Committee Chairman <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/tom-cole\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Tom Cole<\/a>\u2018s (R-OK) contest drawing more fireworks than the district has seen in years.<\/p>\n<p>Oklahoma is one of several <a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/republicans\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Republican<\/a> strongholds with competitive primaries for House seats in 2024 as Democrats look to flip the lower chamber back to their side and the GOP seeks to expand its razor-thin majority.<\/p>\n<p>Notable House races next week include Cole\u2019s in the 4th Congressional District and Rep. Frank Lucas\u2019s (R-OK) race in the 3rd District. Eyes are on the 4th District in particular, as Cole recently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/2960100\/tom-cole-elected-house-appropriations-chairman\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>took the helm<\/a> of one of the most powerful House committees.<\/p>\n<h2>Cole prepares for competitive primary fight<\/h2>\n<p>Cole, who has held his seat since the 2002 election, is one of the last remaining members of the Republican Party\u2019s establishment wing. He took on the powerful role as the new chairman of the Appropriations Committee in April after outgoing Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) stepped down from the position, hours after the House passed the final set of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mcconnell-warns-democrats-what-republicans-will-do-if-democrats-end-filibuster-would-be-childs-play\/\" title=\"McConnell Warns Democrats What Republicans Will Do If Democrats End Filibuster: \u2018Would Be Child\u2019s Play\u2019\">appropriations bills<\/a> for fiscal 2024.<\/p>\n<p>The Oklahoma Republican has faced several primary challengers, some of them competitive, over the last two decades, but the congressman has always won by comfortable margins. Last election cycle, he defeated his opponent by over 40 points.<\/p>\n<p>This year, Cole faces four GOP primary challengers, with the top opponent emerging as Paul Bondar. Bondar is a wealthy insurance broker who used to live primarily in Texas before registering to vote in Oklahoma in April, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cookpolitical.com\/analysis\/house\/oklahoma-house\/oklahoma-house-primary-preview-tom-coles-race-heats\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>one day before<\/a> he filed to challenge Cole in the primary, per the <em>Cook Political Report.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The 4th District is drawing a flood of fundraising, as Bondar\u2019s investment of $5 million of his own money into the contest has forced Cole and his allies to also spend heavily. <\/p>\n<p>Americans 4 Security PAC, an outside group supporting Cole, is planning to spend nearly $4 million on the race as it prepares for Bondar to drop <a href=\"https:\/\/rollcall.com\/2024\/05\/31\/cole-taking-no-chances-readies-for-primary-bar-fight\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>as much as $6 million,<\/a> per <em>Roll Call.<\/em> Cole\u2019s campaign has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/candidate\/H2OK04055\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>spent over $3 million on the race<\/a>, and both American Action Network and Defending Main Street Super PAC have funneled money into the contest, as well.<\/p>\n<p>Though Cole is highly favored to win the primary, it is shaping up to be one of the most expensive congressional races in Oklahoma\u2019s history.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s like an old-fashioned bar fight,\u201d Cole told <em>Roll Call<\/em>. \u201cThe guy who wins a bar fight isn\u2019t the guy with the most money, it\u2019s the guy with the most friends. And I have a lot of friends in that district.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) appears before the House Rules Committee as they prepare an emergency foreign aid package for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Thursday, April 18, 2024. (AP Photo\/J. Scott Applewhite)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>However, whether Cole wins the primary outright remains to be seen. With three other GOP competitors up against Bondar and Cole, the congressman could see himself forced into a runoff. A runoff election would not take place until Aug. 27, meaning Cole and supporting PACs would likely spend even more money on the race. <\/p>\n<p>Despite being a strong ally of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Cole has also maintained good working relationships with the Republican conference\u2019s most hard-line conservative members \u2014 so much so that none of the House Freedom Caucus members have endorsed Bondar. Cole also has the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, who called the congressman a \u201cfantastic Representative\u201d in a <a href=\"https:\/\/tomcoleforcongress.com\/president-trump-endorses-congressman-tom-cole\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>statement<\/a> in May.<\/p>\n<p>Bondar told <em>Roll Call <\/em>that he already has future plans for politics even if he does not win the 2024 primary.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRegardless of this outcome, I am going to run a reelection campaign in 2026,\u201d Bondar said. \u201cTom is 75 years old. I think people are going to quickly understand that, at some point, either really soon or not too far off, I will be the next congressman of this district, based on my level of commitment to this state.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Another longtime congressman faces GOP challengers<\/h2>\n<p>Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) also drew primary challengers this year despite <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cookpolitical.com\/house\/race\/310026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>speculation<\/a> that he might join the mass exodus of House members choosing to retire instead of seeking reelection in 2024. Lucas is currently chairman of the House Science Committee and the longest-serving Republican member on the House Agriculture and Financial Services committees.<\/p>\n<p>Lucas has been in Congress since 1994 when he flipped the 6th District in a special election. He now represents Oklahoma\u2019s 3rd District, as he has since 2003. 2022 marked the first time in decades that Lucas gained a strong primary competitor, but he still defeated Wade Burleson with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.enidnews.com\/news\/lucas-wins-gop-primary-vote-defeating-enids-burleson\/article_4312b5ea-f75b-11ec-9314-5bb96c847129.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>over 60%<\/a> of the vote.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>This year, Lucas is facing Robin Carder and Darren Hamilton in the primary. Compared to Cole\u2019s race, the 3rd District primary is not drawing as much of a spending battle. Lucas has raised almost <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/candidate\/H4OK06056\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>$1.2 million<\/a> and spent nearly $638,000, while Carder\u2019s and Hamilton\u2019s campaigns have not broken $100,000.<\/p>\n<p>The 3rd District is the only House seat this cycle that drew Republican challengers only. The solid red seat is listed as Republican +24 by the <em>Cook Political Report.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Next Tuesday, Oklahoma, a GOP stronghold, hosts crucial primary races. The contest for newly appointed House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) is notably contentious, marking the district&#8217;s most heated race in years. This is part of a broader trend of competitive GOP primaries for House seats in 2024, with Democrats aiming to gain control<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2648,"featured_media":2267588,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP24016801631564-1024x683.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2267587","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP24016801631564-1024x683.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2267587","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2648"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2267587"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2267587\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2267588"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2267587"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2267587"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2267587"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}