AH Strategies ‘Learning’ From 2014 Losses, DA Investigation
High-profile losses, criminal investigation hit powerful Oklahoma political consulting firm A.H. Strategies
BY NOLAN CLAY, The Oklahoman
In political circles, A.H. Strategies is known as one of the powerhouses in campaign consulting in Oklahoma.
It is widely credited with helping Republicans take over the state House in 2004 and the state Senate in 2008, ending decades of control by Democrats. That success has had its rewards — it and its affiliated companies have been paid millions of dollars by campaigns over the years.
Now, the Oklahoma City-based company is on the ropes, dealing both with a criminal investigation into possible campaign illegalities and losses this year in three of its most high-profile races.
In one of those losses, the A.H. Strategies candidate was shown in front of jail cell doors at the start of her opponent’s TV ad. “Don’t be fooled by false attacks by campaign operatives under criminal investigation by district attorney for violating election laws,” the ad stated.
The firm’s two partners deny any wrongdoing and said they have not lost any clients because of the investigation by Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater.
About the campaign losses, they said defeat can happen if just one thing goes wrong.