By Constitution Staff

This issue of the Oklahoma Constitution presents the 32nd annual Oklahoma Conservative Index, rating our state legislators. Members of each house of the Oklahoma Legislature were rated on ten key votes. A favorable vote on these issues represents a belief in limited government, individual liberty, traditional standards, free enterprise, and constitutional government.

After taking suggestions from many conservative leaders, the staff of the Oklahoma Constitution submitted bills to a vote of the members of the Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee (OCPAC) for recommendation of the ten key votes.

The pull-out in the center of this issue describes the votes used to calculate the conservative ratings, the scores of all legislators, and the specific votes cast by each legislator.

The Top Conservatives and the Top Liberals were selected by their scores on the Index. Making the Top Conservatives list were those lawmakers who scored 80%, or better. On the Top Liberals list were those who made 20%, or less.

THE TOP CONSERVATIVES

Seven legislators, six in the House, and one in the Senate, scored a perfect 100% conservative rating this year. They were Sally Kern, Charles Key, and Mike Reynolds of Oklahoma City; Jason Murphey (Guthrie); Mike Ritze (Broken Arrow); and Paul Wesselhoft of Moore, in the House. The lone senator to score 100% was Anthony Sykes of Moore.

Eleven legislators, seven in the House, and four in the Senate, scored 90% conservative. They included Mike Christian, David Dank, Randy McDaniel, and Mike Thompson of Oklahoma City; David Derby (Owasso); Corey Holland (Marlow); and Dennis Johnson of Duncan, in the House. In the Senate, the 90% scores were by Randy Brogdon (Owasso); Cliff Branan (OKC); and two from Tulsa, Dan Newberry and Gary Stanislawski.

Several other legislators made scores of 80%, or better, and they are all part of the Top Conservatives class of 2010.

THE TOP LIBERALS

Four legislators, two from the House and two from the Senate scored a dismal zero percent conservative this year, and lead the list of Top Liberals. They included Ryan Kiesel of Seminole and Al McAffrey of Oklahoma City, in the House. The two senators were Richard Lerblance of Hartshorne and Jim Wilson of Tahlequah.

Wallace Collins of Norman was the only House member who had a 10% conservative score, while Johnny Crutchfield of Ardmore and Andrew Rice of Oklahoma City were senators who had a conservative score of 10%.

Several more legislators scored 20% conservative, or less, and are also part of the list of Top Liberals.

To see the scores of all legislators and a detailed description of the bills used for this year's ratings, click on the box in the upper right corner of the webpage labeled: "How Conservative is your Legislator?"