Oklahoma Election Results: Rep. Tom Cole defeats Paul Bondar for 4th Congressional District
The most hotly contested races in Oklahoma's primary election came to an end Tuesday, as the state's 4th Congressional District was decided.
The most hotly contested races in Oklahoma's primary election came to an end Tuesday, as the state's 4th Congressional District was decided.
The most hotly contested races in Oklahoma's primary election came to an end Tuesday, as the state's 4th Congressional District was decided.
The most hotly contested races in Oklahoma's primary election came to an end Tuesday, as the state's 4th Congressional District was decided.
Incumbent and longtime Oklahoma lawmaker Tom Cole won the primary election against political newcomer and businessman Paul Bondar for the Republican nomination. The race was called by the Associated Press at 7:33 p.m.
Oklahoma's 4th Congressional District covers the southern part of the state and extends into Oklahoma County.
While Cole's and Bondar's names are the best-known ones running for Oklahoma's Fourth Congressional District, three other candidates — Nick Hankins, Andrew Hayes and Rick Whitebear Harris — also were on the ballot.
Those three candidates, however, recently appeared on a Bondar campaign ad showing their support for the challenger. Along with those endorsements, Bondar was endorsed by State Superintendent Ryan Walters and the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association.
Campaign ads from Bondar's and Cole's teams started flooding Oklahoma's airwaves in mid-May.
Bondar's attack ads against the incumbent Republican call out Cole's more than 20-year record in Congress. The ads include claims that Cole has worked too closely with Democrats on Capitol Hill and that he doesn't spend enough time in Oklahoma.
Cole has responded with claims that Bondar isn't a real Oklahoman and that the incumbent has actually been endorsed by presidential candidate Donald Trump in the past despite Bondar claiming to be the pro-Trump candidate.
KOCO 5 has conducted truth tests on many of Cole's and Bondar's claims, finding that many of the claims either aren't true or lack context.