Seven eligible incumbents vacate non-metro districts

Seven of the Oklahoma Legislature’s 21 departing eligible incumbents come from districts outside the OKC or Tulsa metro areas, drawing nine Democratic and 12 Republican candidates combined.

Those non-term limited legislators include:

• Rep. John Bennett (R-Sallisaw),
• Rep. Rick West (R-Heavener),
• Rep. Cory Williams (D-Stillwater),
• Rep. Pat Ownbey (R-Ardmore),
• Rep. John Montgomery (R-Lawton),
• Sen. Josh Brecheen (R-Coalgate),
• Sen. AJ Griffin (R-Guthrie).

The rush of departing lawmakers will introduce new blood to the Oklahoma Legislature. For more on that topic, read about the eight central Oklahoma candidates and the six Tulsa-area candidates looking to fill their districts’ vacated seats.

House District 2 at a glance

• Outgoing office holder: John Bennett
• ZIP codes represented: 74931, 74936, 74945, 74946, 74948, 74954, 74955, 74962
• Counties represented: Sequoyah

Jim Olsen (R)

Profession: Realtor/small-business owner
Platform: Olsen’s website advocates for traditional family values, a pro-life society and the right to bear arms, on which he states, “let the criminals be in fear of upright and free men.” He supports a “rotating three year schedule” for audits on state agencies.
Links: Website | Facebook

Tom Stites (D)

Profession: Sporting goods design consultant/small-business owner
Platform: Stites’ website opposes recent cuts to core state services, adding,”We must find a balance plan of repeatable revenue and spending that will allow us to build back our basic state services.” He promotes being pro-Second Amendment, and on abortion his website states, “Tom, as part of his Christian belief, does not personally support abortion.”
Links: Website | Facebook

There will be no primary for HD 2.

House District 3 at a glance

• Outgoing office holder: Rick West
• ZIP codes represented:74901, 74902, 74932, 74937, 74939, 74940, 74951, 74953, 74959, 74966
• Counties represented: LeFlore

Eldon Dugan (R)

Profession: Unclear
Platform: Dugan has no readily accessible online presence.
Links: Ballotpedia

Lundy Kiger (R)

Profession: Small business-owner
Platform: Kiger is a pro-business candidate who says he would fight against overtaxation and regulation. From a personal-Facebook post, he writes he is, “Ready to push for change, government reform, accountability and demanding accountability in all state agencies, including public education.”
Links: Kinger has no readily available online resources devoted directly to his campaign.

Troy Dyer (D)

Profession: Educator/small-business owner
Platform: Dyer states he would focus on education at the Capitol. His site also addresses our “pill/drug problem,” calling for more resources for both prevention and treatment.
Links: Facebook

The Republican primary for HD 3 will be this Tuesday, June 26. The winner will face Dyer in the general election.

House District 34 at a glance

• Outgoing office holder: Cory Williams
• ZIP codes represented: 74074, 74075, 74078
• Counties represented: Payne

Trish Ranson (D)

Profession: Educator
Platform: In the Legislature, Ranson states she would fight for increased education funding and teacher pay to keep quality educators in the state. She advocates for Oklahoma’s acceptance of Medicaid expansion dollars and would work to end Oklahoma’s food insecurity. 
Links: Website | Facebook

Dr. Aaron Means (R)

Profession: Dentist; retired United States Public Health Service officer
Platform: On his website, Means states he would fight for fiscal conservatism, support public education to encourage economic growth, support veterans and “protect ALL life.”
Links: Website | Facebook

There will be no primary for HD 34.

House District 48 at a glance

• Outgoing office holder: Pat Ownbey
• ZIP codes represented: 73030, 73401, 73425, 73433, 73434, 73437, 73438, 73443, 73444, 73456, 73458, 73463, 73481, 73487
• Counties represented: Carter, Garvin, Murray

Jason D. May (R)

Profession: Attorney
Platform: In a Facebook post, May issues support for SQ 788. His bio states increased education funding and teacher pay raises are his top priority. In this post, he describes his refusal of special interest campaign donations.
Links: Facebook

Brent Phelps (R)

Profession: Unclear
Platform: Unclear
Links: Phelps has no readily available online presence

Tammy Townley (R)

Profession: Member of the Southern Workforce Board
Platform: Townley’s website states, “Tammy is a conservative Republican who believes solutions to the state budget crisis first must be through audits and efficiencies in state government.” Townley received an AQ rating from the NRA and aligns herself with Texas Gov. Greg Abbot’s stance on gun violence, which identifies the problem as “hearts without God.”
Links: Facebook | Website

Jordan B. Buck (D)

Profession: Maintenance technician
Platform: Buck’s campaign announcement describes him as a conservative Democrat and states, “education, economic growth, and giving a voice back to the people are his top priorities.” Buck states he is a pro-Second Amendment candidate who advocated for legal immunity for self-defense cases.
Links: Facebook

Cheryl Key (D)

Profession: Business owner
Platform: Her campaign Facebook page says little about her platform, but a post states, “building strong families will be a major focus on my legislative agenda.”
Links: Facebook

The Republican and Democratic primaries for HD 48 will be held this Tuesday, June 26. If no Republican receives more than 50 percent of the popular vote then a runoff-primary will be held August 28 between the top two vote-getters.

House District 62 at a glance

• Outgoing office holder: John Montgomery
• ZIP codes represented: 73501, 73505
• Counties represented: Comanche

Daniel Pae (R)

Profession: Unclear, but his website says Pae has “experience and knowledge with the nuanced governing processes at the local and state levels.”
Platform: On his website, Pae acknowledges that Oklahoma has a revenue problem and states, “any future budget must take into consideration the need for recurring revenues.” He also says he would advocate for a teacher salary increase and is pro-small business.
Links: Website | Facebook

Larry Bush (D)

Profession: Owner of an insurance company
Platform: Bush’s website advocates for decreased dependence on oil and gas, instead advocating for more diverse revenue sources. He is against further cuts to education and advocates for accepting Medicaid expansion funds.
Links: Website

Nanette Hagen (D)

Profession: Retired educator
Platform: Hagen’s Facebook bio identifies “criminal justice reform, education, rural healthcare and job creation” as core issues, saying you can’t talk about one without the other.
Links: Facebook

The Democratic primary for HD 62 will be held this Tuesday, June 26. A runoff-primary is not possible and the winer will face Republican Daniel Pae in the general election.

Senate District 6 at a glance

• Outgoing office holder: Josh Breechen
• ZIP codes represented:73432, 73439, 73440, 73446, 73449, 73450, 73460, 73461, 74525, 74530, 74533, 74534, 74535, 74538, 74555, 74556, 74569, 74572, 74701, 74720, 74723, 74726, 74727, 74729, 74730, 74731, 74733, 74741, 74747, 74748, 74753, 74825, 74871
• Counties represented: Atoka, Bryan, Coal, Johsnton, Marshall

David Bullard (R)

Profession: Educator
Platform: On his website, Bullard states he would fight to abolish abortion in Oklahoma and protect “Oklahoma sovereignty.” He states he would keep education a priority on the budget and would preserve free market capitalism.
Links: Facebook | Website

Erick P. Wyatt (R)

Background: Veteran
Platform: Wyatt is a Second Amendment supporter, stating he would introduce legislation to abolish gun free zones and fight for constitutional carry. He would not support any tax increases until the state identifies and fixes wasteful spending, his site states.
Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Arnold Bourne (D)

Profession: Educator
Platform: Bourne’s website emphasizes his Christian values. He is pro-Second Amendment, pro-life and would fight for more education funding to improve local economies by keeping jobs and quality educators in the state.
Links: Facebook | Website

The Republican primary for SD 6 will be held this Tuesday, June 26. The winner will face Democrat Arnold Bourne in the general election.

Senate District 20 at a glance

• Outgoing office holder: AJ Griffin
• ZIP codes represented: 73007, 73016, 73025, 73027, 73028, 73034, 73044, 73050, 73054, 73056, 73058, 73061, 73063, 73073, 73077, 73734, 73742, 73750, 73756, 73757, 73762, 73763, 73764, 74020, 74032, 74034, 74038, 74044, 74045, 74058, 74059, 74075, 74081, 74085, 74601, 74630, 74644, 74650, 74651, 74653, 74881
• Counties represented: Kingfisher, Logan, Noble, Pawnee

Chuck Hall (R)

Profession: Bank CEO
Platform: Hall’s website states, “Chuck Hall is 100 percent pro-life, a member of the NRA, and is grounded in the traditional values our nation was founded on.” He states he would bring new leadership to the capitol to fix Oklahoma’s budget crisis and education cuts.
Links: Facebook | Website

Aiya Kelley (R)

Profession: Piano/music professor
Platform: Kelley’s website states, “She affirms that this nation was built on Godly principles and a Biblical foundation.” If elected, she would advocate for audits of state agencies, pro-life policies and criminal justice reform with an emphasis on mental health.
Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Heady Coleman (D)

Profession: Educator
Platform: Coleman’s website states a vested support of small business and entrepreneurship. He emphasizes his role as a community member on both his Facebook and website, promising to represent the people of his district.
Links: Facebook | Website | Twitter

The Republican primary for SD 20 will be held this Tuesday, June 26. The winner will face Democrat Heady Coleman in the general election.