Oklahoman Poll: Trump 29%, Rubio 21%, Cruz 20%, 18% undecided

A new poll by Cole Hargrave Snodgrass & Associates (commissioned by the Daily Oklahoman) finds Donald Trump continuing to hold a lead in Oklahoma, ahead of next week's primary.

Oklahoma Republican Primary Poll (link)

The Oklahoma/Cole Hargrave Snodgrass & Associates

400 likely Republican voters, conducted Feb. 22nd-23rd, MoE +/- 4.9%

Donald Trump - 29%
Marco Rubio - 21%
Ted Cruz - 20%
Ben Carson - 6%
John Kasich - 5%
Undecided - 18%
Other - 2%

18% undecided is a very large amount for this late in the game. For comparison, the most recent Oklahoma poll done by SoonerPoll had 7.7% undecided. Trump, Rubio and Cruz are making stops in Oklahoma between now and Sunday, each hoping to make tip the state into their win column on Super Tuesday.

State Capitol Building in need of repairs

As the state Capitol building ages - it opened for occupancy 93 years ago  - it is increasingly showing wear and tear, to the point that extensive repairs will be needed in the next decade or so.

The Central Services Department, which maintains this and other state buildings, says that the plumbing, electrical, heat and air, and some of the exterior need major renovations.

The projected cost for the repairs is in the ballpark of $150 million. If approved, the project could take between three years, if the entire building was emptied of the current legislative and governmental offices, and six years, if the work was done with the building still occupied, in which case the cost upwards of $250 million.

For more on this story, read this article from the Daily Oklahoman.

Temporarily moving the legislature and other agencies and offices from the Capitol building would be a major, major headache. In the case of the legislature, suitable facilities would be needed for the State House and State Senate to meet in, with access for the public and to offices for the legislators.

As a friend said to me this morning, perhaps they could go to Guthrie (Oklahoma's capital, first as a territory and then as a state, from 1890-1910) during the repairs, and call it a "throwback" session, much like "throwback" games in sports.

NewsOK Data Watch: Maximum Donors

NewsOK Data Watch writers Paul Monies and John Estus have done some fabulous work compiling data on maximum donors (individuals or PACs who gave the maximum allowable contribution of $5000 to a candidate) for this primary election.

The most interesting information came in the Governor's race, where several million dollars have been raised by the candidates

On the Democrat side of the gubernatorial race, Jari Askins had 90 maximum donations (79 from individuals, 6 from PACs, and 5 from tribes) while Drew Edmondson had 129 maximum donors (123 from individuals, 3 from PACs and 3 from tribes). That means Askins raised $450,000 just from these elite donors, and Edmondson raised $645,000.

That pales in comparison to the Republican side of the equation

Roger Jackson received two maximum in-kind contributions from individuals, and Randy Brogdon got 11 max donations ($55,000).  

Mary Fallin blew away the field, with 206 maximum donations from individuals, and 17 from PACs. That makes for a total of $1,115,000 just from these donors! To put that in perspective, Fallin has raised a grand total of $2,446,503.47 through the entire campaign, meaning just over 47% of her campaign contributions came from maximum donors.

Read Monies' and Estus' work here.

*All of the figures in this post did not include contributions after July 12th, which are considered "last minute".