Oklahoma's Mike Synar Dies at 45; Served Eight Terms in U.S. House
Mike Synar, 45, the brash, bright and buoyant Oklahoman who represented the people of his state's 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives for eight terms before losing the Democratic primary for renomination in 1994, died of brain cancer Jan. 9 at his home in Washington. The cancer had been diagnosed in July 1995.</br></br>Mr. Synar, a lawyer, rancher and real estate broker from a prominent ranching family in conservative northeast Oklahoma, was first elected to the House in 1978.</br></br>During his years in Congress, he vigorously supported campaign finance reform, stricter gun control and environmental legislation. He also voted for higher grazing fees for cattle on public lands, and he seemed to find himself in opposition to the tobacco industry, ranchers and the gun lobbies.</br></br>In the 99th Congress, Mr. Synar led the House opposition to the Gramm-Rudman plan to reduce the budget deficit, a measure favored by conservatives and thought to be immensely popular in a district such as his. After losing the fight in Congress, Mr. Synar helped start legal challenges to the plan, which helped lead to a portion of the law being declared unconstitutional.</br></br>His stands were thought to be anathema to his conservative constituents, but they continued to back Mr. Synar until 1994. That year, he was upset in a primary runoff by a retired teacher, who went on to lose to Republican Tom Coburn, an obstetrician, in the general election.