Tom Guild is running for Congress in Oklahoma City and he was one of the very first Democratic candidates to have endorsed Bernie Sanders for president. We asked him to give us the run down of the Bernie win in his state Tuesday night. After to read his report, please consider contributing to both campaigns-- Bernie for president, Tom for Congress-- both on the same page.On March 1, 2016 the face of politics in Oklahoma changed for good. A Democratic Socialist Senator named Bernie Sanders ran roughshod over the Democratic Party Establishment that includes former governors, current legislators, a longtime national committeewoman and nearly everyone in Oklahoma Democratic politics with a title. Sanders beat the Clinton Machine in the Sooner State Democratic Primary by more than ten percent. He received a majority of the votes cast with six other candidates on the ballot.Bernie carried 75 out of 77 counties in Oklahoma and barely missed a clean sweep. He lost two counties, Osage and Oklahoma, each one by an eyelash. Sanders received 174,054 votes, which was more than Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) received (157,941 votes) in winning the Oklahoma Republican Primary on the same day.The fact that a Jewish man, originally from New York City, who proudly proclaims himself as a Democratic Socialist, won in Deep Red Oklahoma, is a veritable miracle. The fact that he beat Hillary Clinton and the Clinton Machine in Oklahoma is a manmade political earthquake.It was a great team effort by the old and the young and the in between; people of all faiths and no faith tradition; Democrats, Independents, Libertarians, Vegetarians, and Republicans; people of all races and ethnic backgrounds; people of varying sexual orientations; women and men; a true coalition of what LBJ would call disaffected people outside the tent pissing in. Lyndon Johnson always said he would rather have people inside the tent pissing out. Ain’t it the truth!Two Saturdays before the vote, I was part of one team of volunteers knocking doors for Bernie in Oklahoma County. More than 100 volunteers showed up to help Bernie carry the state. Clearly, Bernie’s message decrying a rigged economy, urging a big increase in the poverty level minimum wage, his call for radical reform of the corrupt campaign finance system, and even his opposition to fracking-- the cause for an avalanche of manmade earthquakes in Oklahoma-- recently making Oklahoma the new Earthquake Capital of the World, was resonating big time in the Sooner State.The Sunday before the March 1 primary, Bernie spoke to a raucous rally in Oklahoma City. The excitement and connection between candidate and supporters was palpable. The “official” estimate of 6,200 seemed in the eyes of many seasoned observers too low. Many felt the true size of the crowd was 8,000-10,000 or more. Thousands stood in line waiting for Bernie to arrive at the Cox Convention Center for 3-4 hours. They stood another hour and fifteen minutes to hear every word Bernie had to share. As someone who has lived in Oklahoma since the age of six, I have never seen anything comparable to Bernie’s event.A few members of the establishment strained to explain the Clinton Machine’s failure in Oklahoma on March 1. Bernie sent out more postcards… Bernie had more television ads… etc. The truth is Bernie lit a fuse that will burn hot for decades to come. He pulled progressives out of a rut and gave them someone and something to believe in. Earthquake, tsunami, tidal wave…pick your favorite word for the miracle that hit the Sooner State. Thousands of millennials and others knocked doors, made phone calls, talked to their friends on Twitter, Facebook, and face to face to spread the word.Underestimate Bernie Sanders and the power of his message at your own peril!Let this hit you slowly… A 74 year old Jewish Man from New York City (or Vermont if you prefer) who describes himself as a Democratic Socialist beat Hillary Clinton in Oklahoma! He beat her in one of the most conservative states in the country. That was before a wave of Bernie thunder rolled across the Oklahoma plains. “You’re doing fine (now) Oklahoma! O-K-L-A-H-O-M-A! OKLAHOMA! OK!!”
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