By Constitution Staff

With the Runoff Primary elections held on August 28, the stage is now set from the November 6 General Election. The Democrats and Republicans now have their nominees, and along with a few independent candidates, the ballots are ready for voters to make their final selections.

Thus far, most incumbents have won their races. Only State Rep. Guy Liebmann (R-Oklahoma City) lost in the Primary. Liebmann served 10 years on the Oklahoma City Council before being elected to the House in 2004. He had a disappointing 61% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index. He was upset by fellow Republican Mike Turner, 25, who received 56 percent of the vote. Turner, an investor, was elected to the seat since only Republicans filed.

On August 28, there were Runoff Primary elections in eight legislative districts in which no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote in the Primary.

There were Republican Runoff Elections in four state senate districts:

Rob Standridge won the Republican nomination for Senate District 15 which includes parts of Cleveland and Oklahoma counties. Standridge, 45, of Norman is a pharmacist. He won with 66 percent of the vote over orthopedic surgeon Jack Beller, also of Norman. Standridge advances to the general election where he will face Democrat Claudia Griffith, 61, of Norman who is a nurse. The seat is currently held by Sen. Jonathan Nichols (R-Norman) who could not run again because of the 12-year legislative term-limits.

Ron Sharp, 59, of Shawnee was the winner of the GOP Runoff in Senate District 17, which includes parts of Oklahoma and Pottawatomie counties. Shap edged out Shawnee pastor Ed Moore, 59, winning with 51.5 percent of the vote. Moore formerly served in the State Senate in the 1980s when he lived in south Oklahoma City. Sharp is a High School teacher. Since only Republicans filed for the seat, Sharp will be the new Senator. The seat is currently held by Sen. Charlie Laster (D-Shawnee) who chose not to seek reelection.

Republicans also gained a seat in Senate District 33 located in Tulsa County where incumbent Sen. Tom Adelson (D-Tulsa) did not seek reelection and no Democrats nor independents filed for the seat. Nathan Dahm, 29, of Broken Arrow won the Runoff with 54 percent of the vote over Tim Wright, 61, also of Broken Arrow. Dahm ran for Congress in the First District in 2010 election.

In Senate District 43, which includes parts of Garvin, Grady, McClain, and Stephens counties in south-central Oklahoma, Corey Brooks, 32 , of Washington won with 67.5 percent of the vote over Peggy Davenport, 63, of Duncan. Brooks worked a number of years in Washington D.C., serving as a naval officer in the Pentagon before returning to Oklahoma. He will face Democrat Mike Fullerton, 46, of Newcastle. The seat is currently held by Sen. Greg Childers (R-Del City) who was unable to seek reelection because he no longer lives in the redrawn district. Childers won the seat last year in a special election before the boundaries where changed in redistricting following the 2010 U.S. Census.

Republicans had Runoff Primary elections in two state house districts and Democrats competed in two districts:

In state House District 14, which includes parts of Cherokee and Muskogee counties, Jerry Rains, 60, of Muskogee won the Democrat Runoff with 58.5 percent of the vote. He defeated Bobby Jefferson, 55, also of Muskogee. Rains will face Republican Arthur Hulbert, 40, of Fort Gibson. The winner will succeed Rep. George Faught (R-Muskogee), who chose to run for Congress in the Second District rather than reelection this year.

In state House District 53 in Cleveland County, Republican Mark McBride, 51, of Moore defeated Paula Sullivan, 50, of Norman in the Republican Runoff with 59 percent of the vote. McBride, the owner of a construction and roofing business, will be the new state representative since only Republicans filed for the seat. The post is currently held by Rep. Randy Terrill (R-Moore) who unsuccessfully ran for a County Commissioner post in Cleveland County.

In state House District 70 in Tulsa County, Ken Walker, 40, of Tulsa was the winner of the GOP Runoff with 53.5 percent of the vote over Shane Saunders, 40, also of Tulsa. Since only Republicans filed for the seat, Walker will succeed Rep. Ron Peters (R-Tulsa) who could not seek re-election because he was term-limited.

In state House District 88 located in Oklahoma County, Kay Floyd, 53, of Oklahoma City won the Democrat Runoff with 63 percent of the vote over Mike Dover, 63, also of Oklahoma City. Floyd will face Oklahoma City Republican Aaron Kaspereit, 28, a drama teacher who won the GOP Primary. The seat was previously held by Al McAffrey (D-Oklahoma City) who won the Special Election earlier this year in Senate District 46.

Republicans are assured of maintaining control of one chamber of the Legislature and are only a few seats away from control in the other chamber. Not only is continued Republican control almost certain, most observers expect the GOP to reinforce their numbers as a result of redistricting based the 2010 U.S. Census.

It is mathematically impossible for Democrats to regain control of the state Senate. Republicans ended the last legislative session with a 32-16 majority in the 48 member chamber. Senators serve four-year terms, with half of the seats up for election each election cycle. The even numbered districts will not be on the ballot until 2014. Republicans hold 17 of those seats, with Democrats holding the other seven. The twenty-four odd numbered districts are up for election this year. Fifteen of those are currently held by Republicans, and nine by Democrats. Seven Republicans were automatically elected at the end of the office filing period because they had no opposition. Four more Republicans were elected in the Primary Elections, because no Democrats nor independents are running. When added to the 17 Republican seats not up for election this year, the GOP is guaranteed to have at least 28 seats. Two additional seats are likely to remain Republican because the Republican candidates are only being challenged by independents. Meanwhile, only one Democrat was elected without opposition. In July, the lone Republican, Michael Romero, withdrew from the General Election leaving the seat to the current senator, Sen. Charles Wyrick (D-Fairland).

Democrats will go into the General Election guaranteed to have only eight seats. Even if Democrats won all of the other ten seats that they are running a candidate in the General Election, the GOP Senate would have a 28-18 majority with possibly two Independents. Republicans are expected to win at least enough of the contested seats to maintain their current edge, and picking up several additional seats is considered likely.

In the 101 member House, the GOP held a 67-31 majority at the end of the last session (Note: The Special Election in District 71 was invalidated by the Oklahoma Supreme Court and remained vacant, also two other seats were vacated too late to call for a special election).

Because they drew no opponents, 52 members of the House -- 33 Republicans and 19 Democrats -- were automatically elected at the end of filing. Thirteen Republicans and two Democrat were elected as a result of the Primary Elections, since they have no opposition in the General Election. Therefore, the GOP goes into the General Election guaranteed to have at least 46 seats, just five short of a majority, compared to just 21 for the Democrats. There are 34 seats at stake in the November 6 General Election.

It is expected that Republicans will finish at least near their current level and could make further gains due to redistricting. Also, since the GOP nominee for President is likely to carry Oklahoma, he will provide "coattails" that could pull in some borderline districts for the Republicans.