You may remember our old Oklahoma friend, Tom Guild, from the yeoman’s work he did in the past to flip the Oklahoma City congressional district blue. He tilled that field assiduously for years, while the DCCC laughed and ignored him. Then, suddenly when it looked possible, the status quo Democratic Party establishment stepped in and handed the blue wave nomination to one of their own, Kendra Horn. Horn immediately joined the Blue Dogs and New Dems– the congressional manifestations of the Republican wing of the Democratic Party. And her voting record has been excruciating. Only 2 House Democrats have worse voting records, Anthony Brindisi (Blue Dog-NY) and Joe Cunningham (Blue Dog-OK).
In fact, 231 Democrats + Independent Justin Amash have been voting more consistently Democratic than Horn! She’s been a waste-of-a-seat conservative backbencher and doesn’t deserve reelection. The DC Democratic establishment freaks out if anyone challenges any of their coddled Blue Dog/New Dem freshmen. But Tom Guild just did exactly that. I asked him how he came to the decision to primary Horn. Here’s his response. Please consider contributing to his campaign by clicking on the thermometer below.
A Bridge Too Far
by Tom Guild
To run or not to run for Congress, that is the question. These are the times that try men’s souls. I wish I could support Kendra Horn’s (D-OK) re-election, but there is a bridge too far between her conservative corporate voting record and my own progressive leanings. There is a gulf wider than the Gulf of Mexico between the way she finances her campaigns and the way I finance mine in an effort to rid the current system of big corporate and PAC money and massive out of control campaign spending for a job that pays $285,000 in salary and benefits Horn’s conservative corporate record.
- Horn opposes Medicare for All and the gradual elimination of the private profit-driven health care insurance industry. I favor MFA and am deeply concerned about the many millions of Americans who have no health care coverage or are grossly underinsured. The overhead of the private insurance industry too often supports a bureaucracy that is rewarded for denying claims and leaving often desperate policy holders in severe economic and physical distress. Reducing administrative red tape and going to a single payer universal health care system is the right thing to do. It will save trillions of dollars in short order and prevent the heinous prospect of millions of Americans going bankrupt if they face a costly medical emergency. Since the United States pays more than twice as much per capita for health care than any other leading developed country in the world, the savings in treasure, lives, and the increased peace of mind MFA brings is literally priceless for millions of ordinary Americans.
- Horn opposes the Green New Deal. I favor the principles of the GND which in short order will reduce carbon emissions by transitioning to renewable energy and literally save Planet Earth from becoming a dead and uninhabitable planet where life can no longer exist. The scientific community has by consensus determined that if we don’t act quickly the damage to our planet will soon be irreversible. To think that all life on earth will become extinct like the Dodo bird and the dinosaurs is chilling. We must forsake big contributions from the fossil fuels industry and not embrace short term political advantage that will ultimately destroy all life on earth.
- Horn voted against raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. I support a $15 minimum wage and more importantly will work to ensure that wages for all Americans keep pace and will always be at or above the level necessary to constitute a living wage. It’s easy to be hard when you make $285,000 a year on the backs of hard-working American taxpayers, but a living wage is the compassionate and reasonable path to follow. Americans shouldn’t work full time and still fall below the poverty level. A living wage is the right course of action and will strengthen American families and add rocket fuel to the U.S. economy.
- Horn and I disagree on many other important issues such as her recent vote against labor when she voted no on the PRO Act (Protecting the Right to Organize Act). The Act that passed the U.S. House in early February of 2020 gives workers more power during disputes at work, adds penalties for companies that retaliate against workers who organize and grants hundreds of thousands of workers collective bargaining rights they don’t currently have. It would also weaken right-to-work laws that in 27 states allow employees to benefit by union representation but forgo paying union dues.
- Horn solicits PAC contributions and benefits by “Leadership” PAC money, and Super PAC assistance, including from Dark Money sources. I refuse all PAC contributions and accept only individual contributions from Americans investing in our country’s future. I favor outlawing PAC contributions and transitioning to publicly financed campaigns for Congress. Horn took $422,000 from a single Super PAC in her last general election campaign. Her campaign kitty is chock full of millions of dollars in PAC and special interest money. She is milking the current corrupt campaign finance system for all its worth.
Because of her very conservative corporate positions on major issues and her dependence on PAC, Leadership PAC, Super PAC, including from dark money sources, and big special interest money, I cannot in good conscience fail to give the voters in the Fifth Congressional District of Oklahoma another option in the June 2020 primary.
Sometimes duty calls and an obligation to serve your state and nation seeks you. Life does not always conform itself to our convenience.
Because I love my state and nation, I have decided to challenge a very conservative corporate incumbent. If not me, who? If not now, when? Your support is not only welcomed but is essential to support this important mutual undertaking. Join us!
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