Candidate emergence and the power of incumbency in the Oklahoma Legislature

Abstract

This article explores why individuals decide to run for the Oklahoma legislature. Research on candidate emergence stresses the power incumbents have to dissuade the most formidable candidates, those who can raise the necessary funds to be competitive, from becoming candidates. Thus the strongest candidates usually wait for an open seat or a vulnerable incumbent before they choose to nm for office. Challengers who do not consider the status of the incumbents when deciding on their candidacy are typically not the strongest candidates. Are these findings borne out by the Oklahoma experience? The participants fur this study were potential candidates to the Oklahoma legislature for the 2000 election cycle. Also, some incumbents were interviewed to get their perspective on why they first decided to be candidates.