Tom Guild, Democratic nominee in Fifth Congressional District, pegs incumbent as “wrong for Oklahoma, wrong for America”

Tom Guild, the Democratic nominee in the Fifth Congressional District (central Oklahoma, including Oklahoma City) says he will “win on the issues.” He contends the incumbent, Republican U.S. Rep. James Lankford “is wrong for Oklahoma, and wrong for America.” 

Guild asserts Lankford’s votes in the U.S. House show he “wants to privatize Social Security” and “kill Medicare.” The Democratic hopeful, who secured the party nomination after no one filed against him, also criticized Lankford for co-sponsoring a “life-begins-at-conception bill” that Guild characterized as “a radical personhood bill.”

Lankford will likely be able to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to retain the seat. Guild told CapitolBeatOK he believes, for his part, an effective campaign can be run for $250,000. If he can raise that — now that there is no primary opposition — Guild will be able to save some resources for late advertising.

In an earlier interview, he reflected, “If we only get outspent about 6-1, we can win.” 

True to his own predictions, Guild is running a low-cost campaign. He has knocked on hundreds of doors in the congressional district, and will visit many more front porches before November. Earlier this week, supporters gathered at his new campaign headquarters off Interstate-44 in northwest Oklahoma City, to celebrate the retired University of Central Oklahoma professor’s birthday. 

Attendees at the birthday fete included former state Rep. (and former state party chairman) Al Lindley, Debbie Hogue-Downing (Fifth District party chairman), progressive activist Susan McCann and Robert Floyd, among many other supporters. Current state party chairman Wallace Collins, also a former legislator, is another backer. 

This weekend, Guild attended the annual Carl Albert Dinner, a major event for state Democrats. 

Undaunted by the Republican voting patterns of the Fifth District in recent decades, Guild and his allies promise “a bold, progressive, grass roots campaign to win.” He has told CapitolBeatOK that after protection for Social Security and Medicare, the next three key campaign issues in his estimation will be “public education, transparency in elections and campaign finance reform.”

Guild contends America’s middle class and the working poor are finding it more and more difficult to achieve the American dream.He believes the federal government does some things well, including curbing foreign aggression, providing an essential safety net an health care for seniors, advancing and protecting civil rights for all, and assuring equality of opportunity.

Guild has told CapitolBeatOK he believes government should “work for all the people.” Summarizing his objectives, Guild said he aims to bring to public office a vision for “competence, compassion and community-centered government.”