Conservative Republican Clay Staires, a former school teacher and coach who switched to a career in business, is running for State Representative District 66.

That seat is open due to term limits.

“God is the answer to the issues in our society, not the government,” Staires said. “Our Constitution is the answer to the issues in our government, not reform and reset. It’s time for conservatives to take the ball back from the government and start playing some offense.

“Over these past couple years, we have seen how important it is to be involved in all levels of government that represent us. We have seen government overreach and un- American attacks on our families, schools, places of worship, and our God-given freedoms—all institutions that our great country was founded upon. I am running to keep Oklahoma RED by defending these bedrock institutions and constitutionally guaranteed rights, and so those who share our values are strongly represented in our state government.”

]Staires started his consulting business in 2012 to help small business owners transition through a new or different phase than they planned or were accustomed to.

Staires played football for Barry Switzer while attending the University of Oklahoma and graduated with a degree in education. He started his teaching and coaching career at Tulsa Memorial High School before moving to Kansas City where he became the “Missouri State Track Coach of the Year” for three consecutive years.

After 15 years of teaching, Clay returned home to Avant, Oklahoma where he and his wife, Lisa, took over the leadership of Shepherd’s Fold Ranch, a Christian Summer Camp, and started a leadership training school called The Furnace to invest in and mentor college students to grow with God.

Staires also served on the Avant School Board, the Skiatook Chamber Board and in the Green Country Ministers Alliance.