Dan Boren won't run for Governor in 2018

In an announcement today, former Democrat congressman Dan Boren has decided against running for governor in 2018. This is essentially the Oklahoma Democratic Party conceding the race to the GOP, as Boren was their best (and perhaps only) shot at taking the governor's mansion back.

From reporter Sean Murphy with the Associated Press:

Dan Boren decides not to run for Oklahoma governor in 2018

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Dan Boren, a former four-term Democratic congressman from one of Oklahoma's most well-known political families, has decided not to run for the state's open governor seat in 2018.

Boren told The Associated Press that he opted against entering the campaign after spending the past year visiting with civic and business leaders across the state about a potential run.

"At this moment, it is important for me to spend time with my kids," Boren said late Monday. "My desire for public service has not diminished and I believe some day in the future I will enter public life again."

The 43-year-old Boren said he intends to continue working on business development for the Chickasaw Nation and spend time with his two children, ages 6 and 9.

In an interview with the AP earlier this year, Boren had said he was actively exploring a run to replace Republican Gov. Mary Fallin, who is prohibited by term limits from seeking a third four-year term in office.

Boren served one term as a state representative before running successfully for Congress in 2004 in the 2nd Congressional District in eastern Oklahoma, a seat he held for eight years before stepping down.

His grandfather, Lyle Boren, was a congressman and his father, University of Oklahoma President David Boren, is a former Oklahoma governor and U.S. senator. Dan Boren's first cousin, Janna Little, is married to current House Speaker Paul Ryan, the 2012 Republican vice-presidential nominee.

The Oklahoma governor's seat in 2018 is expected to draw interest from strong candidates on both sides of the aisle. Potential Republican candidates include U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine, Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb, Treasurer Ken Miller and Attorney General Scott Pruitt. Lamb, Miller and Pruitt all are term-limited from their current offices, and Bridenstine has said he wouldn't seek a fourth term in Congress in 2018.

Prominent Tulsa attorney Gary Richardson, who ran as an independent for governor in 2002, said Tuesday he is taking a "very serious look" at running as a Republican in 2018.

Possible Democratic candidates include ex-state Rep. Joe Dorman, who won 41 percent of the vote against Fallin in 2014 despite being heavily outspent, and Oklahoma House Minority Leader Scott Inman of Del City.

Fallin, Doerflinger still working on special session proposals

Budget chief eyes teacher raise plan without using surplus

by Sean Murphy, AP

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Gov. Mary Fallin's top budget negotiator said Friday he is working to develop several proposals for a teacher pay raise, including some plans that would not use a $140 million surplus that was left over at the end of the fiscal year.

Fallin's Secretary of Finance Preston Doerflinger said he's looking at several options for a teacher pay raise at or above $5,000 a year. Doerflinger said some of those proposals will use all or some of the $140.8 million surplus, but others will use none of it.

"If we agreed with the Legislature on a teacher pay package not using the $140 million, that money could then be redirected in special session to the agencies that need it the most," Doerflinger said. "Under that scenario, you could see agencies like (the departments of Human Services) and Corrections and others with big needs get more funds returned than they would under the pro rata distribution.

"The ideal scenario is to address teacher pay and critical agencies needs simultaneously, but that's obviously dependent on agreement with the Legislature."

The state ended up with a $140.8 million surplus after mid-year cuts were ordered to state agency budgets amid dwindling tax collections. It turned out those cuts were deeper than necessary.

Fallin has suggested lawmakers return for a special session before November's election to consider a teacher pay hike as an alternative to a proposed one-cent sales tax on the ballot that will fund a $5,000 teacher pay raise and additional funding for state colleges, universities and career-technology system. But no agreement has been reached with Republican legislative leaders, and most lawmakers have suggested the surplus revenue be returned to state agencies.

Among the possible revenue sources Fallin encouraged lawmakers to consider this session were a tax on cigarettes and the expansion of the state sales tax to certain services and products that are currently exempt.

Both House Speaker Jeff Hickman, R-Fairview, and Senate President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, said this week most of their members favor returning the money to agencies, but both left the door open to the idea of a special session.

"If we can come up with a plan that would make sense, we might have more serious discussion about a special session," Bingman said.

Hickman said his members want to approve a teacher pay plan, but couldn't reach an agreement on how such a proposal would be funded. He said any plan funded with a tax increase would need a three-fourths vote, which would require the support of Democrats. Approving any tax increase also would be difficult for Republicans, especially before an election.

"I can't imagine we haven't already looked at every angle (for a teacher pay raise)," Hickman said. "But if they come up with an angle we haven't considered, we'll be happy to look at it.

"Right now the governor doesn't have a plan on the table, so returning those dollars proportionally to the agencies is really the only option at this point."