Engineer, oilman enter governor race

A Tulsa oilman and a Mustang engineer who is new to politics filed for governor Tuesday at the state Election Board.

Updated filings

Bob Sullivan is a Tulsa Republican and oilman who's been on the campaign trail for some time, and Jim Evanoff is a Republican making his first run for public office.

Also Tuesday, more candidates filed in the 5th District congressional race.

The lieutenant governor's race picked up new candidates Tuesday Sen. Cal Hobson, D-Lexington, the former Senate President Pro Tempore, and House Speaker Todd Hiett, R-Kellyville.

Monday, 415 candidates filed by the end of the day, but the filing pace slowed Tuesday as it usually has in the past.

Just 101 candidates filed for office with the state Election Board Tuesday, bringing the number of filings to 516 so far.

Filing Tuesday for the 5th District congressional seat were Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode, an Oklahoma City Republican, Johnny B. Roy, a Republican and Edmond surgeon, and state Rep. Fred Morgan, R-Oklahoma City.

They are seeking the seat now held by U.S. Rep. Ernest Istook, R-Warr Acres, who is running for governor.

After filing as a candidate for governor, Sullivan made a point of saying he is not a career politician.

"I just have a determination to greatly improve this state and go home," he said.

He is the leader of an initiative petition drive to require 65 cents of every education dollar to go into the classrooms, he said.

The petition was filed with the secretary of state Monday.

Sullivan has said it's possible the personal income tax could be abolished if he becomes governor.

Evanoff, 66, works as an engineer for an Oklahoma City company and also has a consulting business. He said his platform is on a Web site.

Among the issues discussed on that Web site is a proposal for a constitutional amendment to abolish all taxes on earned income within two years of passage of the amendment.

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