美国国家公共电台 NPR--Oklahoma's Democratic candidate for governor uses education policy to build momentum

Oklahoma's Democratic candidate for governor uses education policy to build momentum²

Transcript³

Education has become a major political issue in the U.S. and one that Republicans tend to use to their advantage. But in Oklahoma, a Republican stronghold, things might start to favor Democrats⁴.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Republicans have won elections in recent years by running on education. In Oklahoma, which is one of the reddest states in the nation, the issue of education may be turning out a little differently because the Democrat¹ running for governor is catching⁵ up on the Republican incumbent⁶. Here's StateImpact Oklahoma's Robby Korth.

ROBBY KORTH, BYLINE⁷: Let me take you back to the race for governor in Virginia last year. Republican Glenn Youngkin pulled off an upset by beating Democratic favorite Terry McAuliffe. His blueprint⁸ - parental⁹ rights in education, from where kids go to school to exactly what they learn. In Oklahoma, education has always been important, and Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt is trying to use that Virginia blueprint to get enough votes for a second term.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

KEVIN STITT: We have to allow parents to vote with their feet and say, there's a better option for my kid to go to this trade school or this private school, this charter school or this other specialized¹⁰ school.

KORTH: Governor Stitt's challenger is moderate Democrat Joy Hofmeister. She was the state's Republican superintendent¹¹ of public instruction. She says she switched parties to beat Stitt.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

JOY HOFMEISTER: Let's keep fighting for the future of our state.

KORTH: Hofmeister has a surprising amount of support. Many moderate Republicans oppose Stitt's embrace of school-choice policies like private-school scholarships and charter expansion. A handful of nonpartisan polls released in the last few weeks show a tight race, while practically all other Republicans enjoy double-digit leads.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

HOFMEISTER: As we head into the final weeks of the campaign, this race tightens¹³ to single digits¹⁴.

KORTH: The focus on education policy by the candidates makes sense to observers.

DEVEN CARLSON: Education policy can enter into those gubernatorial races because education is ultimately a state-level issue.

KORTH: That's Deven Carlson, a political scientist at the University of Oklahoma. He says this race is like a lot of others around the country and represents how the education landscape has changed in politics.

CARLSON: Over time, education has become a more partisan¹² issue, where public education and the attendant interests are associated with the Democratic Party, and school choice is more generally associated with the Republican Party.

KORTH: And a Democrat hasn't won statewide office here since 2006. Stitt has gone to the right on education, opposing mask mandates¹⁵ in schools during the height of the pandemic and calling for private-school vouchers¹⁶. Hofmeister is making the race close by striking a moderate tone in throwing support to traditional public schools.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

HOFMEISTER: We are going through extremism, partisanship¹⁷ and ineffective leadership. And I don't think that's good for Oklahoma, and I am going to fight against that.

KORTH: Bill Shapard is the founder¹⁸ of SoonerPoll. He asked more than 400 likely voters about their preferences in the upcoming governors election.

BILL SHAPARD: What we're seeing is that the Republican is not just being able to rely on just his own base because his base has become more moderate in their thinking.

KORTH: While Hofmeister has won many in her new party, Stitt seems to be losing more Republicans to his challenger. Shapard says...

SHAPARD: Why is that? Is it because they kind of see her as a Republican, and they liked her as a Republican, and they're willing to kind of stick with her a little bit? Maybe they have some sort of beef with Governor Stitt over education or something else?

KORTH: That something else could be abortion¹⁹ or inflation. But education is definitely motivating voters here.

For NPR News, I'm Robby Korth in Oklahoma City.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

1 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

2 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

6 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

7 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

8 blueprint   

n.蓝图，设计图，计划；vt.制成蓝图，计划

参考例句：

• All the machine parts on a blueprint must answer each other.设计图上所有的机器部件都应互相配合。
• The documents contain a blueprint for a nuclear device.文件内附有一张核装置的设计蓝图。

9 parental   

adj.父母的；父的；母的

参考例句：

• He encourages parental involvement in the running of school.他鼓励学生家长参与学校的管理。
• Children always revolt against parental disciplines.孩子们总是反抗父母的管束。

10 specialized   

adj.专门的，专业化的

参考例句：

• There are many specialized agencies in the United Nations.联合国有许多专门机构。
• These tools are very specialized.这些是专用工具。

11 superintendent   

n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长

参考例句：

• He was soon promoted to the post of superintendent of Foreign Trade.他很快就被擢升为对外贸易总监。
• He decided to call the superintendent of the building.他决定给楼房管理员打电话。

12 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

13 tightens   

收紧( tighten的第三人称单数 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧

参考例句：

• One set of provisions tightens emission standards. 一套使排放标准更加严格的规定。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Requires no special tools or fittings; hand tightens to relief valve outlet. 不需要专用工具或管件；用手将其紧固到安全阀上即可。

14 digits   

n.数字( digit的名词复数 )；手指，足趾

参考例句：

• The number 1000 contains four digits. 1000是四位数。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The number 410 contains three digits. 数字 410 中包括三个数目字。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

15 mandates   

托管（mandate的第三人称单数形式）

参考例句：

• Individual mandates would require all people to purchase health insurance. 个人托管要求所有人都要购买健康保险。
• While I agree with those benefits, I'm not a supporter of mandates. 我同意上述好处，我不是授权软件的支持者。

16 vouchers   

n.凭证( voucher的名词复数 )；证人；证件；收据

参考例句：

• These vouchers are redeemable against any future purchase. 这些优惠券将来购物均可使用。
• This time we were given free vouchers to spend the night in a nearby hotel. 这一次我们得到了在附近一家旅馆入住的免费券。 来自英语晨读30分（高二）

17 Partisanship   

n. 党派性, 党派偏见

参考例句：

• Her violent partisanship was fighting Soames's battle. 她的激烈偏袒等于替索米斯卖气力。
• There was a link of understanding between them, more important than affection or partisanship. ' 比起人间的感情，比起相同的政见，这一点都来得格外重要。 来自英汉文学

18 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

19 abortion   

n.流产，堕胎

参考例句：

• She had an abortion at the women's health clinic.她在妇女保健医院做了流产手术。
• A number of considerations have led her to have a wilful abortion.多种考虑使她执意堕胎。