Whatever it takes, Ryan Walters can't be allowed to reach another general election

If that means Dems must briefly change parties to get Gentner Drummond through the next round of primaries, then that's what Dems must do

A picture of Gentner Drummond, from his campaign website.

You know how one party roots for the other’s party’s worst candidate to claim the other party’s nomination because the worst and most outrageous candidate is the easiest candidate to beat?

Like political Hack-a-Shaq.

In basketball, you send the other team’s worst free-throw shooter to the foul line. In politics, you do everything you can to run against the worst candidate.

It makes sense.

Most of the time.

And given that logic, the kookiest, dumbest, most corrupt and most-in-love-with-his-own-messiah-complex candidate should be who Oklahoma Democrats hope to run against when it comes time to replace Kevin Stitt with a real governor who gives a damn about Oklahomans, who doesn’t pick needless fights, who’s not in it for himself.

Of course, Democrats should want nothing more than to run against Ryan Walters, and, good chance, they could make it happen if they really wanted to.

Except it’s a terrible idea.

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It’s a terrible idea because the price is too high to even entertain the possibility of that impossible and dangerous nitwit gaining more power.

That’s why — and a part of me hates myself for writing this — I believe I’ll become a Republican in Democrat’s clothing just long enough to support the gubernatorial bid of the man who just declared his candidacy in Pawhuska on Monday, the once claimed home of pro wrestling legend Chief Jay Strongbow, though Chief Jay — real name Luke Scarpa — was really an Italian American from New Jersey.

The things you learn at this place.

On the off, off, off chance you’re ignorant to the week’s political news, state attorney general Gentner Drummond went back to Osage County this week to announce he’d be running for governor in an election still almost two years away.

Here’s a terrific story from my friend Murray Evans about it.

And though so many of us are waiting for a Democrat to reclaim that chair again, what absolutely can’t happen is the office ever falling into the hands of Walters or anybody like him, who cares not at all about good governance or the advancement of our state, instead favoring only himself and who he might scare into doing his bidding no matter how many might suffer as a result.

I like Drummond.

I appreciate Drummond.

I even revere him for being principled in a party and state the majority of politicians within are happy to forego all principles in the name of winning primaries.

Drummond’s tried to put himself between Richard Glossip and a lethal injection because Glossip’s trial was unjust.

Many times he’s put himself between Walters, Stitt and their worst impulses, which are many.

He’s stood up for the separation of church and state, while other state Republicans and the whole dang Catholic church in Oklahoma has been just fine with tearing up both the U.S. and Oklahoma constitutions.

Better than all of that, he’s done it because the law matters more than winning or scoring points on the other side, and every side loses when the law doesn’t matter.

He’s also a conservative, which I respect, but am not, which is why after helping him win the primary process, I’m almost certain to turn around and vote for his Democratic challenger in the general election, provided my real party doesn’t run its own embarrassment, because character really does count even if Republicans quit believing it when Donald Trump arrived on the scene.

If a good Dem can run an amazing campaign, capture the imagination of the state and turn out enough voters to win, terrific.

But if a Dem can’t, and it hasn’t happened since 2006 when Brad Henry won a second term, Walters would remain out of business and we’ll still have a governor who believes in the rule of law, civility, service and all the good things candidates from both parties should still espouse.

We might regain some trust in each other, too.

I’d been thinking about this for weeks prior to Drummond’s announcement.

In my head, here was my original great idea:

Drummond runs as a Republican, of course, but if he can’t get past Walters in the primary, he would then run independent and put a coalition together of Republicans and Democrats capable of blowing Walters out of the water and, just maybe, usher a little bi-partisanship back into our state.

Yet, a small amount of research reveals that’s very hard to do, if not outright impossible and illegal.

In fact, says Ballotpedia, which I presume to be correct, in only Connecticut, Iowa and New York are there no impediments to reclassifying as an independent after losing a party primary.

Thus, we do what we must do.

Perhaps Walters knows how much everybody beyond his whacko base can’t stand him and won’t run for governor at all, knowing a loss could end his career as an influencer of people who can’t think for themselves.

Maybe he can be a Heritage Foundation talking head and write books with titles like “How Democrats Quit on our Kids” for the rest of his life.

Everybody will know he’s a joke but his gravy train won’t have to end.

Whatever, he can’t be allowed to win another general election because he’s a pathetic excuse for an Oklahoman.

So, hey, Gentner Drummond, I’m with you, for as long as you need me, or perhaps it’s the other way around.

Part of me may hate myself for doing it, but all of me will hate myself if I don’t.

And, yeah, thanks for being the kind of Republican Dems like me can still respect.

If only there were 10 of you.

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