In the general election cycle of 2008, Tom Adelson retained the services of CR+S to aid him in his re-election campaign to the Oklahoma State Senate.

Running a comprehensive phone program, Adelson crushed Gary Casey, his Republican opponent, by a 63-37 margin and reaffirmed his status as a rising star in Oklahoma state politics. His victory was also a bright spot for Oklahoma Senate Democrats who lost seats in the upper chamber during both the 2008 and 2006 general election cycles.

When he first ran for this seat, the former Secretary of Health for the state of Oklahoma put everything, including his rising and bright political future, on the line when he resigned from his post to run for the seat that used to be held by State Senate veteran, Democrat Penny Williams. Oklahoma had enacted term limits for their legislators, and 2004 was the first year those limits took effect.
 
Adelson drew extremely tough opposition from Democrat Tim Gilpin and Republican Dewey Bartlett Jr. when filing was closed. Gilpin, a former Tulsa County Democratic Party chair, relied heavily on the support of labor and engaged an impressive campaign that consisted of grass roots, TV and other media, direct mail and even phones. Adelson, however, countered each and every one of Gilpin’s punches. The campaign became extremely volatile when Gilpin began engaging in negative campaign ploys questioning the costliness of Adelson’s health care program and accused the former health secretary of trying to raise taxes.

After defeating Gilpin in that 2004 primary, Adelson went on to face Bartlett in the general election of 2004. In that election, not only was he attacked by Bartlett but he also fended off attacks by third-party groups who tried to make the argument that Adelson was too liberal for the Tulsa-based Senate District. In that 2004 general election cycle, Adelson also out-performed fellow Democrats who were on the ballot for federal office.