The recent midterm elections involved many OCU students and alumni.
The elections took place on Nov. 7. Republican Kevin Stitt was elected governor of Oklahoma and will replace republican Mary Fallin in office. According to stittforgovernor.com, Stitt intends to reform Oklahoma education, improve government efficiency, expand economic prosperity, and promote local agriculture. Stitt also wants to further the pro-life movement, protect the second amendment, improve infrastructure, and monitor medicare more closely.
OCU ALUMNI
The Oklahoma election results brought six OCU alumni into judgeship and senate. They include:
– Carri Hicks, broadcasting and political science alumna, won the District 40 state Senate seat for Oklahoma City.
– Paul Woodward, juris doctor alumnus, retained his judgeship for District 4 Office 2 in Garfield, Blaine, Grant, and Kingfisher Counties.
– Natalie Mai, juris doctor alumna, won the District 7 Office 5 judge seat for Oklahoma County.
– Kassie McCoy, juris doctor alumna, won the position of associate district judge in Rogers County.
– Brett Butner, juris doctor alumnus, won the position of associate district judge in Seminole County.
– Scott Rowland, juris doctor alumnus, retained his judgeship on the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals.
OCU STUDENTS
Three OCU students got involved in the recent election through campaigning for a candidate for congress.
Randy Gipson-Black, religion philosophy/political science senior; Austin Gipson-Black, religion philosophy/political science senior, and Lucas Freeman, history junior, were involved in the campaign for democrat Kendra Horn, who won a spot in Congress.
According to kendrahornforcongress.com, Horn values education, healthcare, women’s rights, and restricted gun laws. She also emphasizes comprehensive infrastructure, rural economic development, the economy, and tax reform.
“We knew that our race wasn’t likely to get national coverage because the seat wasn’t likely to flip at all,” Randy Gipson-Black said. “It was a very red seat and has been since 1974. The odds going into it were slim.”
Horn took the position of republican Steve Russell for the 5th District Congressional seat representing Oklahoma City. Preceding Russell was republican James Lankford, republican Mary Fallin, republican Ernest Istook, republican Mickey Edwards, and republican John Jarman.
Gipson-Black said he got the opportunity to network with people his age, as well as other government officials.
“I was a part of a fellowship program that focused on collegiate and high school youth who were involved in the campaign,” he said. “We got to tour the capital, run a mock campaign simulation, speak with the former governor, and got a lot of face time with Kendra.”
Gipson-Black said the experience was positive and that he got to connect with those who share his political interests.
“No one was ever like, ‘what if we don’t win?’” Gipson-Black said. “It was exciting to see the variety of people that were actually in the room working towards a common goal, and who believed this woman could actually flip this district.”
OCU RESPONSE
Students were encouraged to vote by faculty, especially at the voter registration picnic on Sept. 25 where 45 students registered to vote.
Rilee Sloan, political science freshman, said he hopes the new government officials will benefit Oklahoma educators, children and minorities.
“Arguably, the most notable turnout in the election was the fact that Oklahoma elected 16 educators to the Oklahoma State Legislature,” Sloan said. “Considering the teacher union has announced publicly that it is excited to work with Governor Kevin Stitt, I hope our new legislators can help bring an end to the budget crisis in Oklahoma.”
Lyndsey Speer, PPE sophomore, said she has high expectations for the next legislation.
“I believe that this state has a very long way to go before things start to look okay again,” she said. “Major issues such as education, mass incarceration, the oil industry, and even the imbalance of the state budget have all been overlooked for far too long. It is time for state leadership to take action and to create real solutions to the issues ailing Oklahoma.”
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