Barresi, Hofmeister Ratchet Up Aggressive Campaigns
This email was sent by the Barresi campaign last night…
June 11, 2014
Is Hofmeister running in the wrong primary?
Contributions and comments show Democrat allegiance
OKLAHOMA CITY (June 11, 2014) – Joy Hofmeister claims to be a conservative Republican, but she has proclaimed that liberal Democrats are the real “champions of education,” a substantial amount of her campaign contributions come from donors with a history of supporting Democrats, and she has even encouraged partisan Democrats to switch parties to negate the votes of conservatives in the Republican primary, according to public records and reports.
“Joy Hofmeister may claim to be conservative when she appears before Oklahoma Republicans, but she tells a different story elsewhere,” said Robyn Matthews, campaign manager for Janet Barresi. “We think Oklahomans should get to vote for a Republican in the Republican primary. Janet Barresi is the only proven conservative candidate in this race. In contrast, public records and reports show Joy Hofmeister has actively colluded with liberal Democrats in ways that should cause all Republicans to question her integrity.”
“Many of us have fought for years for accountability, parental choice, and other conservative Republican reforms,” said Bill Price, former Republican candidate for Governor. “For the first time in our state history, we have elected a Republican to this important office who shares these conservative Republican beliefs. It is clear, those same liberals, union members and education bureaucrats who put up roadblocks to reform for a generation are now supporting Joy Hofmeister. Janet Barresi has had the courage to stand up against these powerful forces for conservative Republican reforms. We, conservative Republicans, now need to have the courage to stand up for Janet Barresi. Our children deserve no less.”
In a May 8, 2013 email obtained through a public information request, Jenks Superintendent Kirby Lehman informs Hofmeister that he had invited three Democratic lawmakers to a Hofmeister campaign event: state Reps. Jerry McPeak, D-Warner; Jeannie McDaniel, D-Tulsa; and Seneca Scott, D-Tulsa.
“I would be honored if McDaniel, McPeak, Scott would attend too,” Hofmeister replied. “They are champions for education in my book!”
McPeak is the House Democratic Caucus Chair and known as one of the most partisan Democrats in the Oklahoma Legislature. McDaniel is an assistant floor leader for the House Democratic caucus.
The Research Institute for Economic Development, which rates lawmakers on their support for pro-business legislation, gave all three Democrats failing scores in 2013. On the 2013 Conservative Index, McPeak earned a cumulative score of only 33. McDaniel had a cumulative score of just 18. Scott had a cumulative score of 31. The three Democrats ranked among the 10 most liberal members of the 101-member Oklahoma House of Representatives.
“The fact that Joy Hofmeister sought the input of liberal Democratic leaders to plot her campaign for the Republican nomination should set off alarm bells for true Republicans across Oklahoma,” Matthews said.
Further evidence of Hofmeister’s collusion with Democrats can be found in the Nov. 13, 2013 edition of the Mustang Times. Former Oklahoma Democratic Party Chairman Ivan Holmes, now a Democratic candidate for state superintendent, indicated that Hofmeister was asking partisan Democrats to change their registration to offset the votes of conservative Republicans in the primary election.
“The reason I got in the race is because Hofmeister was going to our superintendents and teachers and asking them to vote Republican because a Democrat didn’t have a chance to win this race,” Holmes said. “I know the Democrats can win this, and I don’t want our registered Democrats changing parties just to vote Barresi out.” (Emphasis added.)
A review of Hofmeister’s campaign finances shows that 320 of her contributions came from individuals who previously supported Democratic candidates. In fact, 104 of her contributors gave money to the 2010 Democratic candidate for state superintendent, and at least 171 reportable contributions came from union members.
“From the very beginning, it’s clear that Joy Hofmeister’s campaign strategy has been devised by liberal Democrats, her campaign has been significantly funded by liberal Democrats, and she has encouraged liberal Democrats to switch parties to hijack the Republican primary process and deprive true conservatives of a voice,” Matthews said. “Oklahoma Republicans deserve a candidate like Janet Barresi, who is proud to be a Republican working to advance conservative policy, not a Democrat who happened to register as a Republican like Joy Hofmeister.”
The Hofmeister email may be viewed in their entirety here.
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This email probably most personifies the reason why I would not vote for Dr. Barresi again…Oklahoma doesn’t educate only the children of Republicans – or Democrats. Children, are children. They are not miniature adults. They are not voters. They are not pawns in a political game. I would think it almost tantamount to a form of child abuse to use them as such.
And PS: Though I like Joel Robison, it should be noted that Joel was a lobbyist for OEA, and apparently a Democrat, when she hired him as her Chief of Staff. So, this yet another example of the pot calling the kettle black. Janet can hire a Democrat as her Chief of Staff, but spray napalm at challenger Hoffmeister for being open enough to include (HORRORS!) on her steering committee.