Two groups running new anti-Lankford ads, Coburn speaks out against

Two pro-Shannon groups are now running ads against James Lankford.

First, from the Senate Conservatives Fund:


Next, from Oklahomans for a Conservative Future:


Meanwhile, Senator Coburn, who has said he is staying out of endorsing in this race, came out and slammed the ads in a press release:

MEDIA ADVISORY:  Dr. Coburn Comments on U.S. Senate

 Special Election in Oklahoma

(Washington, DC) — U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) made the following statement today regarding the U.S. Senate special election in Oklahoma:

“As I prepare to leave public office at the end of the current Congress and return to private life, I have the great luxury of being a spectator during this election season by not seeking office or preparing to serve in the new Congress beginning next year.  It is something I have looked forward to for a long time.  The truth is, I don’t much care for political campaigns.  They are dominated by career politicians and their operatives who have created a perverse but lucrative professional political industry.

“As I watch the special election for the U.S. Senate unfold in our state, I see this political economy in its very worst form with misleading advertisements and allegations against candidates.

“I have come to know James Lankford in his short but very productive time in Washington, and I know he is a man of absolute integrity.  We haven’t always agreed but he is one of the most honest, thoughtful and sincere men I have met in my time in Washington.  He has life experience and a perspective outside the career political bubble by which to make good decisions.  He has fought an often lonely battle against the status quo and has dedicated himself to the hard work of oversight of federal agencies.

“The current political advertisements by groups such as Senate Conservatives Fund and Oklahomans for a Conservative Future supporting T.W. Shannon have crossed an important line- they simply aren’t truthful and they mischaracterize James Lankford’s service in Congress.

“Trust is absolutely paramount in our republic.  The great tension in our country today, for Republicans and Democrats, is that voters no longer trust their elected officials to do the right thing.  That bond of trust is born during elections, and it is a powerful responsibility.

“As a voter, I believe the conduct of a campaign is a critical test of how a man or woman values this great trust.  How someone runs a campaign says a lot about how that person would govern.”

Senate Conservatives Fund picks T.W. Shannon

SCF Endorses T.W. Shannon for Senate in Oklahoma

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- Today, the Senate Conservatives Fund (SCF) endorsed T.W. Shannon (R-OK) for U.S. Senate in Oklahoma. Shannon is seeking the Republican nomination to replace retiring U.S. Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK). SCF Executive Director Matt Hoskins made the following statement:

"T.W. Shannon is a constitutional conservative who will fight to stop the massive spending and debt that are bankrupting our country. T.W. Shannon believes in the principles of freedom that make this country great and will stand up to the big spenders in both parties to balance the budget and stop Obamacare. We're supporting T.W. Shannon because he's a principled conservative, he has strong grassroots support in Oklahoma, and he can win if Americans come together to support his campaign."

SCF launched a new website today so its members can donate directly to T.W. Shannon's campaign, and set a goal of raising $50,000 for Shannon before the end of the month.

ABOUT T.W. SHANNON

T. W. Shannon (R-OK)T.W. Shannon is the former Speaker of the House in Oklahoma. Chosen by his Republican colleagues, he was the state's youngest and first African American House Speaker.

T.W. Shannon has fought to shrink the size of state government and reduce the state's debt. He has worked to lower income tax rates and authored legislation to add work requirements for food stamp recipients.

T.W. Shannon believes that government programs create a cycle of dependency that robs people of their dignity and traps them in generational poverty. If elected, he will be a powerful voice for limited government in the Senate.

T.W. Shannon has been endorsed by conservatives such as former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, talk radio host Mark Levin, and RedState.com editor Erick Erickson.

T.W. and his wife, Devon, live in Lawton, Oklahoma and have two children.

The Senate Conservatives Fund is a grassroots organization that helps elect conservative leaders to the U.S. Senate. SCF often backs underdog candidates who are opposed by the Washington establishment. SCF has supported rising Republican stars like Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Marco Rubio (R-FL).

Senate Conservatives Fund picks Bridenstine for first House endorsement

In one of his most invaluable actions as a U.S. Senator, Jim DeMint, now president of the Heritage Foundation, started the Senate Conservatives Fund. While he led SCF, the Fund played extremely crucial roles in electing Senators Ted Cruz (TX), Mike Lee (UT), Rand Paul (KY), and Marco Rubio (FL). SCF is one of the top conservative PACs currently out there, and has had tremendous success at changing the dialogue in Washington through members who would not have been elected without their help.

Today, SCF stepped into new territory by branching out into U.S. House races with an endorsement of Oklahoma's own standout freshman Rep. Jim Bridenstine. Here's what SCF said on their website about Bridenstine:

SCF endorses Jim Bridenstine for U.S. House

"Today, we are endorsing U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-OK) for the U.S. House in the 1st District of Oklahoma. This is our first endorsement for a House candidate and we hope you will help make it a success.

Please take action to promote bold leadership in Washington by making a contribution to Jim Bridenstine's campaign today.

Congressman Bridenstine has a remarkable story that every conservative in America should know.

• Jim Bridenstine is a Navy pilot and combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, and lives with his wife and their three children in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
• Jim Bridenstine defeated an establishment RINO in the Republican primary last year with no name recognition and very little money. He ran a grassroots campaign, meeting with small groups of voters in their homes to build the support he needed to win.
• After the election, Jim Bridenstine cast his first vote against John Boehner for Speaker of the House. He knows the GOP needs stronger leadership and he had the courage to vote his conscience even though it could have cost him an important committee assignment.
• Later, Jim Bridenstine led the fight in the House against the FY2013 "continuing resolution" — a spending bill written by Republican leaders that included funding for the implementation of Obamacare. He circulated a letter among his colleagues to build opposition to the bill and he voted against the procedural rule that brought it to the floor.
• Now Jim Bridenstine is leading the fight against a new Internet tax, which would hurt online consumers by giving states the power to force out-of-state retailers to collect sales taxes for them. It's a grossly unfair law that subjects entrepreneurs to over 9,600 different tax jurisdictions. It's being pushed by the lobbyists of large corporations to eliminate competition from small, online businesses.

Congressman Bridenstine doesn't just talk the talk. He walks the walk.

Please make a contribution to Jim Bridenstine's campaign today. Your support will help him continue to fight for conservative principles in Congress.

Supporting Jim Bridenstine is important for two primary reasons.

• First, we need to protect him from the establishment. The Republican leadership in the House has significant power to hurt the fundraising efforts of members like Bridenstine who buck them. We can't let John Boehner (R-OH), Eric Cantor (R-VA), and Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) punish this principled leader.
• Second, we need to elevate more conservative champions to lead the fight to save this country. Congressman Bridenstine is one of these champions. Not only has he stood strong in the House, but he also has the potential to become an outstanding candidate for the U.S. Senate when Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) retires in 2016.

SCF has fully vetted Congressman Bridenstine and he's the real deal. He supports all of our policy goals and has a record of fulfilling his campaign promises, even when it requires him to stand up to the leaders in his own party.

I recently met with Congressman Bridenstine and was extremely impressed. In many ways, he reminds me of Jim DeMint when he was first elected to the House in 1998. Bridenstine is authentic, sincere, and humble — qualities that are very hard to find in Washington these days.

Please help us reach our goal of raising $50,000 for Jim Bridenstine's campaign by making a contribution of $25, $50, $100, or more today.

When you contribute to Jim Bridenstine's campaign through SCF, he will receive 100% of your donation. That is our guarantee to our supporters and it's one the things that makes SCF unique from other political organizations.

Thank you for your support. We will keep fighting.

Matt Hoskins, SCF Executive Director"