Crawford, Doak in Oklahoma GOP Insurance Commissioner Runoff

Former Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John P. Crawford and insurance executive John Doak are headed for an Aug. 24 runoff election for the spot on the GOP ticket for state insurance commissioner.

The winner of the runoff election will face incumbent Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland.

Crawford served as Oklahoma’s 12th insurance commissioner and was the first Republican elected to the post, according to his Web site.

Doak, an insurance professional, began his career as owner of a Farmers Insurance agency. He also has served as an executive at Marsh, Aon Risk Services, HNI Risk Services, and Ascension Insurance, where he was senior vice president of acquisitions.

Mark Croucher, a Jenks insurance agent who came in third in the Republican primary for commissioner, said he would likely endorse Crawford, according to The Oklahoman.

Gov. Brad Henry appointed Holland, also a former insurance executive, as commissioner in 2005 after former commissioner Carroll Fisher resigned under fire amid criminal charges and legislative impeachment proceedings. Holland was elected to the post in 2006.

Fisher was convicted on embezzlement and perjury charges in 2006 and sentenced to three years in jail and fined $20,000.