Motherhood Generates Talk in Okla. Governor's Race

U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin speaks to the crowd on day four of the Republican National Convention at the...

U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin speaks to the crowd on day four of the Republican National Convention at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota in this September 2008 file photo. At rallies and other appearances, opponent Rep. Mary Fallin, 55, a Republican congressman, regularly mentions her new husband and their combined six children. Fallin, who had two children from a previous marriage, married a divorced father of four in November. She says her family and her experience as a businesswoman and officeholder have made her most qualified to be governor.

(Alex Wong/Getty Images)

But the awkward moment has stirred questions about gender and politics in a race that has been regarded as a feminist milestone here. Would calling attention to a woman's lack of spouse pay off in a conservative state where politicians campaign on family values? Or does no-holds-barred campaigning show how far women have progressed in a male-dominated arena?

Laura Boyd, who was the state's first female gubernatorial nominee when she ran in 1998, said she hopes voters will focus on other issues. "Oklahoma woman are beyond, and should be beyond that, by virtue of the fact we have this opportunity for a female chief executive," said Boyd, a Democrat.

But one voter, Shana Goodman, a Norman salon owner and a single mother, said she thinks it is important to know whether a candidate has raised a family. "Because I think when you are actively involved in raising children, it shows you know how to sacrifice yourself for the well being of others," she said.

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Fallin and Askins are both powerhouses in Oklahoma politics. Askins, the daughter of an abstract company owner from Duncan, worked as an oil and gas attorney before making her way up through the state's political ranks. She became director of the state pardon and parole board before winning election to the legislature. Gregarious and quick with a hug for colleagues and prospective voters, she built a reputation as a consensus builder in a politically divided state House.

Fallin's parents both served terms as mayor of her hometown of Tecumseh. She was manager of a hotel chain when, she said, she grew frustrated with government regulation and ran for the legislature. She was later elected lieutenant governor and U.S. representative. She still favors the formal business suits and firm manner of a business executive.

The two women initially appeared cordial on the campaign trail, and both boasted of their strong conservative credentials. But Askins, trailing in the race, took a more aggressive posture after television ads sponsored by the Republican Governors Association began blasting her as a liberal and associating her with President Barack Obama.