Fish fry lures Republicans to Stephens County

By KRISTI EATON - Associated Press - Thursday, May 15, 2014

DUNCAN, Okla. (AP) - For Oklahoma Republicans looking to connect with voters, a Democratic-leaning county’s annual fish fry has grown to become an obligatory yearly event.

Over the last 10 years, the Stephens County GOP Fish Fry in Duncan has become the must-attend event for Republican lawmakers and candidates trying to make a name for themselves with conservative voters.

As many as 1,000 people are expected to descend Saturday on the Stephens County Fairgrounds to pay $25 for a plate of fried catfish, beans and coleslaw, plus the chance to meet and shake hands with some of the state’s most prominent Republicans. Gov. Mary Fallin, Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb, Attorney General Scott Pruitt, U.S. Rep. Tom Cole and U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe were among the current officeholders expected to attend. State Rep. T.W. Shannon and U.S. Rep. James Lankford, who are fighting for Sen. Tom Coburn’s seat, also were expected to attend as were several state and local officeholders and candidates.

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“It’s obvious these candidates realize that this is as large a pool of voters that they will get to be with at one time before the election,” said Leon Farris, chairman of the Stephens County Republican Party.

The only larger Republican event is the state convention, which draws 1,500 people, Farris said.

Stephens County, with just 45,000 people - a majority of whom are registered Democrats - seems an unlikely place to host a once-a-year conservative confab. But Farris said the event has “snowballed” from a few hundred attendees its first year to 850 last year. He credits J.C. Watts, a former Republican U.S. Representative who was one of the first big names to speak at the event, and a dedicated team of volunteers for making the fish fry a big draw.

The quality of the food doesn’t hurt either. Volunteers use large portable deep fryers to prepare the fish and serve it in a span of 30 to 45 minutes to ensure it’s hot and fresh, Farris said. He estimated that 500 to 600 pounds of fish will be served.

“These guys amaze me. I mean, I would challenge any caterer to match what these guys put out,” he added.

As for Democrats, a talent show in Pottawatomie County and a chili cook off in Cleveland County are big draws for candidates and officeholders, said Aaron Wilder, development director for the Oklahoma Democratic Party.