In a strange twist of political events, incumbents now fell to primary challengers. At the time, Oklahoma Democrats could scarcely conceive an outcome more dismal than in 1994. The most stunning defeat that year was when the Second District’s Mike Synar, a sixteen-year veteran, lost in the primary to a retired schoolteacher. Four brand-new Republican congressmen—Steve Largent in the First District, Tom Coburn in the Second, J. C. Watts in the Fourth, and Frank Lucas in the Sixth—joined the Fifth District’s one-term incumbent Ernest Istook and left the Third District’s Bill Brewster as Oklahoma’s sole Democrat. Istook had won election in 1992 following incumbent Mickey Edwards’s sound defeat in the primary. When Wes Watkins announced that he planned to leave Congress to run for governor in 1990, Brewster launched a successful campaign for his first of three House wins. Interestingly, when Brewster decided not to seek a fourth term, Watkins regained the seat only this time as a Republican! Never before had the GOP enjoyed such an advantage, but even worse times lay ahead for state Democrats. In both 1996 and 1998 Oklahoma put all-Republican delegations in Congress, including both U.S. senators, Don Nickles and James Inhofe. In addition, in 1998, Watts was elected GOP Conference chair—the fourth-ranking spot in the House leadership.