Personal phone calls, handwritten letters, and a well-known family history have helped Rep. Tom Cole become a mainstay of Oklahoma Republican politics and one of the most powerful lawmakers in Washington.
Now, he faces a competitive, well-funded primary challenge from a newcomer — to politics and to Oklahoma — who says deep roots are overrated.
Cole, who Oklahoma Republican consultants describe as the consummate builder and maintainer of relationships, rose to one of the most influential positions in Congress this year — chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, the panel that helps steer about $1.7 trillion in annual spending. In ...