“The message we as Democrats are going to be sending is that (Dossett’s victory) puts in play every district in the state,” Bledsoe said. “In our opinion, attractive candidates who talk about education have a chance.”

As long as they don’t flash the “D” after their names.

None of Dossett’s campaign materials revealed his political party. Most of the rookie Democratic candidates getting into this year’s legislative races are saying little if anything about their affiliation.

“That’s true, and that’s for a reason,” said Bledsoe. “We believe people should look at the candidate and not their party.”

A year from now, though, the political balance in the Oklahoma Legislature is almost certain to depend much less on the number of Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate than on the makeup of the Republican caucuses, and whether the special-election defeats cause them to moderate.

“I hope leadership uses ... the decision by the people in Owasso as an example of what happens when you continue to overreach and rely on partisan rhetoric instead of good policy,” said Senate Democratic Leader John Sparks.

“I suspect what will happen is the growing number of Republican extremists will reject that and decide they need to push harder. I don’t know if the moderates will be able to convince them otherwise. They seem to have had a difficult time in the last few years doing so.”

Randy Krehbiel 918-581-8365 randy.krehbiel@tulsaworld.com

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