By Constitution Staff

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission regulates oil and gas drilling, electric and gas utilities, trucking, pipelines, and telecommunications in Oklahoma. There are three Corporation Commission seats with six-year staggered terms. Dana Murphy was reelected in 2010 and Bob Anthony in 2012. Patrice Douglas was appointed by Governor Mary Fallin as an interim replacement for Commissioner Jeff Cloud who resigned before the end of his term. Since Cloud's term was not up until 2014, there was an election scheduled in 2012 to fill the remaining two years of his term. Douglas was the only candidate to file so she was automatically elected. Instead of running for reelection to a full six-year term this year, Douglas is instead running for the open Fifth District in Congress.

Voters are offered a clear choice in the Republican primary battle between Todd Hiett, former Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and State Senator Cliff Branan.

Hiett, 46, was the first Republican House Speaker in Oklahoma since 1921. Hiett, a rancher from Kellyville, earned a 73% cumulative rating on the Oklahoma Constitution's Conservative Index during his tenure in the Legislature. Hiett's supporters contend that he was greatly responsible for reform of the process in the House, large tax cuts, significant gun rights and pro-life legislation, workers' comp reform, and point to his past inclusion on the Top Conservatives list.

Indeed, Hiett's campaign is chaired by longtime conservative Republican activist, Rodd Moesel, a small business owner. In contrast, Branan's effort is co-chaired by Larry Nichols, of Devon Energy.

Other contrasts abound. Hiett voted against a diversion of the fuel tax's extra revenues in 2002. During his years in the Legislature, Hiett opposed the creation of the state-run lottery, he opposed an increase in the tag fees, and he opposed the Human Rights Commission. In contrast, Branan favored the continuation of the racially-based affirmative action Human Rights Commission. Heitt voted to make it easier for property owners to appeal city condemnation.

Perhaps the starkest difference between the two candidates comes in the area of using tax dollars to subsidize big business, through tax credits, and other methods. Hiett, for example, voted in opposition to a Space Vehicle Tax Credit, while Branan voted to use taxpayer dollars for that credit. Branan voted for a subsidy for a tire plant. He repeatedly voted for bonded indebtedness for the state, which makes a tremendous amount of money for holders of that public debt.

While both men voted for tax cuts during their tenure, Branan voted for a tax increase on tobacco, while Hiett voted in opposition. Both Branan and Hiett voted for the Stand Your Ground Law.

Branan, 52, of Oklahoma City was the center of controversy last year. Branan refused to hear a bill to prohibit any local government in the state from adopting or implementing policy recommendations established by the United Nation's Agenda 21 sustainable development action plan. The bill had passed the House of Representatives by a veto-proof margin, but Branan refused to even allow the bill a hearing in his Senate committee.

This caused Al Gerhart of the Sooner Tea Party to send Branan an e-mail: "Get that bill heard or I will make sure your regret not doing it . . . I will dig into your past, your family, your associates, and once we start there will be no end to it."

Tough words, no doubt. While many legislators would have simply ignored the e-mail, Branan expressed concern at what he called a threat. This led to Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater to file criminal charges against Gerhart! According to Prater, Gerhart's threat to Branan constituted blackmail! If found guilty, Gerhart could go to prison.

The entire episode tended to overshadow Branan's refusal to hear a bill that would have halted the nefarious Agenda 21 in Oklahoma.

Branan's tendency to support the interests of big business in his legislative voting record perhaps explains the decision of the Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee (OCPAC) to endorse Todd Hiett in the race for Corporation Commissioner. In contrast to Branan's support of, and support by, the very big business interests that he would regulate if he were to win, Hiett is an independent rancher, and his campaign is chaired by a small business owner.

During the 2014 legislative session, Branan was one of 28 state senators who voted to give our state's 7 electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote, instead of the candidate who wins Oklahoma's popular vote. Had this proposal, which Branan favored, been in effect in 2012, Barack Obama would have taken Oklahoma's 7 electoral votes, despite his failure to carry a single county in the state. Fortunately, the House of Representatives refused to even consider this legislation, which would increase the clout of cities like Chicago and Philadelphia, at the expense of Sapulpa and Duncan.

The question for the Republican primary voters is clear. Should Oklahoma have a Corporation Commissioner who is strongly supported by businesses he will regulate (Branan) or an Oklahoma rancher, who is clearly not their choice?

Since no Democrat and no Independent filed for this office, the winner of the Republican primary will be elected.