WINNING THE SENATE: Andrew Rice, Compassion in Oklahoma

I have blogged about how Dems have really great candidates in Alaska and Nebraska in 2008. How about Oklahoma? In Oklahoma we have a real chance to defeat the insane bastard Inhofe. This is a Republican who can't even musted the compassion to support America's Veterans. Here is his record on Veterans' issues:

2006 Senator Inhofe supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 40 percent in 2006.

2006 In 2006 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave Senator Inhofe a grade of D-.

2006 Senator Inhofe sponsored or co-sponsored 6 percent of the legislation favored by the The Retired Enlisted Association in 2006.

2005 Senator Inhofe supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 33 percent in 2005.

2004 Senator Inhofe supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 0 percent in 2004.

2004 Senator Inhofe supported the interests of the The Retired Enlisted Association 0 percent in 2004.

So who are Dems running against this bastard? Andrew Rice:



I first became aware of Andrew Rice through his efforts trying to fight hunger in Oklahoma. But there is more to Andrew than just compassion. Here is an excerpt from his website:

Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Rice saw his life take a dramatic turn on September 11, 2001, when his older brother, David, was killed in the terrorist attack on New York’s World Trade Center. A graduate of Bishop McGuiness High School in Oklahoma City and a Fulbright Scholar in South Africa, David was working at the investment firm, Sandler O’Neill at the time of his death.

As a result of his family’s tragic loss, Andrew Rice re-dedicated his life to social justice work and common-sense public policy. He has been involved since 2002 with other families who lost loved ones in the 9/11 terrorist attacks to oppose the War in Iraq and attempt to refocus America’s leaders on the terrorist network that attacked us. He was also a strong advocate for creation of the 9/11 Commission to examine events that led to the attack.

After graduating from Colby College in Maine with a Bachelor’s Degree in Religious Studies, Rice worked in Sri Lanka and Thailand on rural development projects in impoverished villages. He returned to the United States one year later to attend Harvard Divinity School, where he graduated in 1999 with a Masters in Theological Studies. While in graduate school, he collaborated with his sister, Amy Rice, to produce the documentary film, “From Ashes”, about an ex-convict who runs a hospice for rejected HIV-positive people in Bangalore, India. At the time of his brother’s death, Rice was working in New York as a documentary film producer.

Shortly after 9/11, Rice worked at the Texas Faith Network (TFN) in Austin, Texas, where he organized Texas religious leaders to advocate for moderate and progressive public policy ideas. He also organized education programs about religious intolerance at places of worship all over Texas. He returned to Oklahoma in 2003 to establish the Progressive Alliance Foundation, which advocates fairness and equity in public policies. In 2005, Rice launched a bid for State Senate District 46, a diverse inner-city district that includes small business owners, ethnic neighborhoods and Oklahoma City University. He defeated two Democratic opponents in the primary and won the general election with 70 percent of the vote after personally walking the entire district and meeting or contacting every voter.

Rice is married to Dr. Apple Newman Rice, an Oklahoma City pathologist and native Oklahoman. They live in the heart of Rice’s OKC Senate district with their two sons, Noah, 3, and Parker, 1.

Here is a video of Andrew for those who want to get to know him better.



And here is Andrew Rice on the issues.

Seems to me we have a real shot at winning Oklahoma this year!