Proof in the A.M. Pudding

Every now and again we like to pat ourselves on the back. Not so much because we need self-acclamation, rather it is imperative to shine a spotlight on how critical it is that we, the Tea Party, remain diligent as ever in our quest to identify constitutionally-minded leaders at the state and local levels who will run for office, win, and then move to reclaim our communities and states for accountable and transparent governance.

Enter American Majority alumnus Josh Brecheen. Brecheen is a twenty-something family-man and former field staffer for constitutional champion Sen. Tom Coburn. Early last year, Brecheen prayerfully took a leap of faith from a safe career by deciding instead to challenge a two-term incumbent state senator in what is pejoratively referred to in Oklahoma as “Little Dixie.” Given Oklahoma’s postbellum statehood in 1907, most of this rim-South state has been dominated by the Democrat Party for its entire history. And while post-WWII voters have increasingly trended to the GOP (especially in federal elections), the southeastern region of the state has remained a stronghold for the Democrats. It has been so dominated by one-party rule that several notorious political scandals and scoundrels have been birthed from the area without much ado from its electorate. Then in November, Josh Brecheen happened.

Josh came to one of our candidate training events in Oklahoma City last Spring declaring his novice at running for office but equally with a commitment to do whatever it takes. And so he did. As the general election churned on, polls continually reported the race to be a very close one. In a Tea Party wave that was sure to give Republicans a decent bump, this race in Little Dixie could have proved the exception. But before midnight on election day it was clear Brecheen would win in what must be considered a landslide for Southeast Oklahoma, easily by double-digits.

Now comes Senator Brecheen on the eve of his first session in the state’s legislature full of steam and ready to do good on his promise of principled leadership. Brecheen recently opined in Little Dixie’s Durant Daily Democrat:

“I will also be offering another bill concerning Medicaid fraud. During my years spent interviewing thousands of Oklahomans concerning ways to tackle welfare related fraud, I found a recurring theme. Many times I was told how DHS employees have encouraged prospective clients to quit a job or to not declare cash income in order to qualify for state aid (if the prospective client’s income surpassed the eligibility threshold). This is not just an isolated event. It occurs often. Many DHS employees do not engage in this but some do, and it must be addressed.”

This is precisely the effect we can have in the goings-on at state capitols around the nation. And on the heels of our historic November elections, it’s time to turn our attention to electing more Josh Brecheens to city councils and school boards in 2011. These folks will one day be our state legislators or perhaps our congressman…maybe even president. But we must find them now.