2010 Oklahoma Senate - Coburn vs. Rogers

In 2004, former Senate Majority Whip Don Nickles, a Republican, decided to retire. The Republican Party had a divisive primary battle between Oklahoma City Mayor Kirk Humprheys and former Congressman Tom Coburn. Humprheys was the establishment candidate, while Coburn, a former congressman from the northeastern portion of the state, was seen as a rabble-rouser with a penchant for missteps (such as declaring that schools in southeastern Oklahoma would only let one girl at a time go to the bathroom because of rampant lesbianism).  Coburn won the primary, and Republicans held their breath as he faced off against conservative Democrat Brad Carson. In the end, the race wasn’t close; Coburn won by 10 points.

Coburn’s tenure in Congress has been less focused on social issues than you might have expected from the campaign. He has been known to do everything he can to slow down the legislative process on spending bills he opposes. He has become quite popular in Oklahoma, and there is little indication that he is in any danger in this race.