Tulsa Today: Anatomy of an Upset: Rogers County Treasurer
Anatomy of an Upset: Rogers County Treasurer
By Theodore J. King, Tulsa Today
Anatomy: a study of the structure or internal workings of something. Upset: an unexpected result or situation.
In the 75 days from the filing deadline of April 11th to the June 24th primary election day, Jason Carini, a 31-year-old Catoosa small business owner, went from having zero chance of being elected to becoming Rogers County treasurer-elect, unseating a likable 23-year incumbent twice his age, Cathy Pinkerton-Baker.
How did this happen? There are these factors in political change: an idea, a personality, and events. In this remarkable election, all came into play.
The idea was that Rogers County (one of the fastest growing counties in the state) should be run efficiently; the personality was the ambition of Jason Carini; the events were the two reports from State Auditor and Inspector Gary Jones that the incumbent treasurer was a part of the problems in county government and what happened during a candidates’ debate.
By Memorial Day, any observer could have written Jason Carini off. He had no signs at all while his popular opponent had her blue and pink signs placed throughout the county with less than a month before voters went to the polls. I asked a knowledgeable friend of Carini’s about this and was told he was busy raising money to mount a decent campaign so that he could put signs and other things out.