John Sullivan, by most accounts, was a good representative. He represented Oklahoma’s 1st District, my district. He was a solid conservative that voted as his constituents wanted. He wasn’t flashy. He wasn’t a TV camera seeker like house colleagues Anthony Weiner, Barney Frank, Joe Walsh, Steve King, or Peter King. He kept his head down and did his work, he was described as a “moderate” (yeah, a moderate with a lifetime ACU rating of 94.83%). A vote you could count on if you were a Republican. After he was voted out, he was a “good boy” and voted how John Boehner told him to on the “Fiscal Cliff” compromise bill, not how his conservative constituents wanted. 85 Republicans voted yes, 151 voted no. Perhaps this was his “eff you” to the far-right teabaggers that kicked him to the curb?
There was a controversy that came out in 2009 about his alcohol addiction and some constituents wanted him to quit. Mostly though there was support. A few years later some were upset that he was “wasting resources” by sleeping in his office in DC. Living high on the hog, but again, mostly the spin was positive. I mean really, what’s so bad about saving money by sleeping in your office?
In 2012 he should have easily won reelection. But he was primaried by unknown Jim Bridenstine. See, “moderate” Republican might as well be Left-wing commie. The Teaparty 2.0 swept through anti-Obama districts. Oklahoma certainly is anti-Obama. Sullivan “didn’t take the challenge seriously” and lost.
Where did Bridenstine come from? He was a 37-year-old Navy Reserve Pilot that ran the Tulsa Air and Space Museum. I have been to the Air and Space Museum. It’s okay. Seems like it probably loses money and is likely propped up by American Airlines. Their success under Bridenstine was certainly a point of contentions during the campaign/).
Doesn’t exactly sound like a guy that should come out of nowhere to become a US Rep. But at least one important guy felt he was the one to take down Sullivan. Dr. Robert Zoellner. Sullivan seriously irked Oklahoma Optometrists and Chiropractors. H.R. 451. The Healthcare Truth and Transparency Act of 2011” .
But it turns out optometrists were a drivingforce behind Oklahoma GOP Rep. John Sullivan’s primary election loss Tuesday toJim Bridenstine, an unheralded tea party-affiliated challenger who won by aconvincing 54 percent to 46 percent margin.
https://www.politico.com/blogs/charlie-mahtesian/2012/06/the-revenge-of-the-optometrists-127533
But why? See, that aforementioned bill
took sides in the health care licensure and scope of practice wars. He was a top recipient of cash from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, which went so far as to launch a $57,000 IE campaign on his behalf this year.
https://www.politico.com/blogs/charlie-mahtesian/2012/06/the-revenge-of-the-optometrists-127533
Bridenstine got serious funding from scorned optometrists. Zoellner has serious clout in that arena. He has multiple practices and has TV spots on local stations. His brother Charles is a chiropractor (also with a large practice) is married to a local tv anchor.
It was a real stretch, but Bridenstine’s camp somewhow with a straight face tied John Sullivan to Obama/Pelosi
wapo.st/… <<link to a video campaign ad. I don’t know how to embed.
Of course Sullivan’s alcoholism and thrifty sleeping habits became fodder during the campaign as well. Weird how people pick and choose when stuff matters.
Bridenstine swore he would only serve three terms. And it appears he’s a man of his word. Of course, it’s easy to stick to it if you know you will head up NASA. He on more than one occasion refused to vote for Boehner as speaker. He demanded Obama aplogize on the house floor over global warming.
And now he is doing what his constituents want him to do. I was pleased when I saw he was honoring his 3 term pledge and he would no longer represent me. But at what cost?