Oklahoma Pillar Challenged by Newcomer in Pricey Primary
Rep. Tom Cole, a mainstay in Oklahoma Republican politics and one of the most powerful lawmakers in Washington, faces a competitive primary challenge from a newcomer—both to politics and to Oklahoma—who says deep roots are overrated.
Paul Bondar, Cole’s opponent, is a wealthy former Illinois businessman who registered to vote in Texas as recently as March, loaned his campaign $5.1 million and has spent about $4.9 million. The main thrust of his campaign is that Cole is not really a conservative, and that neither personal connections nor long-term residency can trump ideology. ...