Democrat Amy Hossain and Republican Kevin Norwood are campaigning in an HD 74 special election to represent the Owasso area after former Rep. Mark Vancuren resigned to serve as a deputy county commissioner in Tulsa County.
A Republican-leaning district, HD 74 voters last elected a Democrat to the Oklahoma Legislature in 1998. Despite the district’s partisan lean, however, Hossain is confident the June 10 special election will be closer than expected.
“With specials being special as they are, I feel the results could be either way,” Hossain said. “And I’m OK with that. Either way. Because I know that if it goes red, which most people say is what is going to happen, I’ll know that I’ve engaged people that haven’t been in a long time, and I know that I will have made people think about democracy and politics in a different way than they ever have before.”
Asked the top issues facing Owasso residents, Hossain said the top issue for all Oklahomans is education.
“I think that no matter where you live in Oklahoma, education has to be No. 1,” Hossain said. “Companies are not going to want to bring employees to a state that is 49th in education. That’s it. Period.”
She also highlighted that growing the health care industry in the state should be a priority, adding that the Legislature should increase the state’s minimum wage to at least $20-per-hour, if not $25.
“I really feel that health care can be one of those (industries to focus on),” Hossain said. “Not only are we in the middle of the country, we could attract people from everywhere. We also have existing technologies and industries here that manufacture things that could put us in a very good place innovatively for health care.”
Norwood, a pastor, did not respond to a request for an interview after the Republican runoff election. In a May interview before the runoff, he expressed support for putting “students first,” creating “strong neighborhood initiatives,” and sustaining the development of Owasso.
In his May interview, Norwood said he wants to see more neighborhood initiatives and programs supported by state law. He cited the need for public-private partnerships in developing neighborhoods and cities as key to making sure “everybody (is) heading in the same direction.”
Norwood’s website lists decreasing taxes, funding infrastructure and education, supporting local development, fighting for “conservative policies,” and stopping “the green energy grift” as his priorities.
HR head from Seoul and Oswego faces pastor from Muskogee
Hossain, a human resources specialist, was born in Seoul, South Korea. She was adopted at age 3. She grew up on a farm in southeastern Kansas and graduated from Oswego High School in Oswego, Kansas. She attended Pittsburg State University, but she left before graduating to start a family. She then finished an associate’s degree from Tulsa Community College and a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State University after moving to Oklahoma.
After graduating, she worked for Bank of Oklahoma, and she is currently the chief human resources officer for DVIS (Domestic Violence Intervention Services).
Norwood was born and raised in Muskogee. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Southwestern Christian University, a master’s degree from Oral Roberts University and a doctorate in leadership from George Fox University. He got involved with youth ministry in 1987 and has stuck with it since. He moved to Owasso in the 1990s, where he has continued his work in ministry.
Early voting at the Tulsa County Election Board concludes at 6 p.m. today, with polls in HD 74, Tulsa’s HD 71 and northeast OKC’s HD 97 open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the Tuesday, June 10, Election Day.
