Teacher with a Broom

With a broom sticking out of the rear window of his green Ford, David L. Boren drove across Oklahoma, promising to reform the government and "sweep the Old Guard" out of office if he were elected Governor. At the start of his campaign, Boren, 33, was scarcely known outside Oklahoma Baptist University, where he teaches government, and the state capitol, where he is a four-term representative. But his message caught on, and "Boren Broom Brigades" sprang up all over the state. Last week they swept the chubby, soft-spoken Rhodes scholar to a decisive win over Congressman Clem R. McSpadden, 48, in the Democratic primary runoff.

The victory was all the more remarkable because of Boren's unorthodox campaign tactics. He made little effort to court the bloc votes of teachers, ranchers and labor that are traditionally a determining factor in Oklahoma elections, and spurned all contributions from groups and organizations. Said he: "I just want to be indebted to the individual voters." Boren's reformist rhetoric clearly appealed to Oklahoma voters, weary of scandal not only in Washington but also in Oklahoma City, where incumbent Governor David Hall (who was eliminated in the primary) faces probable indictment by a federal grand jury investigating kickbacks in the awarding of state contracts.

Boren is the favorite to win in November, when he will face Republican State Senator James Inhofe, 39, a conservative insurance executive. Before the August primary, when his close friend Boren was considered a distant dark horse, Inhofe praised him as the best Democratic candidate.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.