On Tuesday, state voters will pick a new governor and First District citizens will select a new representative for the U.S. House.

Gov. Mary Fallin is term limited and will be replaced by either Republican Kevin Stitt, Democrat Drew Edmondson or Libertarian Chris Powell.

First District Congress is an open seat due to the retirement of former U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine (now chief administrator of NASA). The candidates are Republican businessman Kevin Hern and Democrat attorney Tim Gilpin.

Other statewide races include lieutenant governor, state auditor, attorney general, treasurer, school superintendent, labor commissioner, insurance commissioner and corporation commissioner.

There are three Oklahoma Senate contests: Republican James Leewright versus Democrat Rick Parris in District 12; Republican Kim David versus Democrat Charles Arnall in District 18 and Republican John Haste versus Democrat Bryan O’Brien in District 36.

In Tulsa County, there are Oklahoma House races in Districts 16, 23, 29, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80 and 98.

There are Tulsa County races for district attorney (Republican Steve Kunzweiler and Democrat Jenny Proehl-Day); county commissioner (Republican Stan Sallee versus Democrat Kevin Matthews); and for five district court judges plus one associate district judge.

State voters can cast votes to retain judges on the Oklahoma Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals and Court of Civil Appeals. The Supreme Court Justices on the ballot are Patrick Wyrick, Noma Gurich, Yvonne Kauger and James Edmondson (brother of Drew Edmondson). The Court of Criminal Appeals judges are Dana Kuehn, Scott Rowland and David B. Lewis. The Court of Civil Appeals judges are Barbara Swinton, E. Bay Mitchell, Robert D. Bell, Kenneth Buettner and Brian Jack Goree.

There are five state questions on the ballot and all are amendments to the Oklahoma Constitution. They are:

State Question 793

  • This lets optometrists or opticians practice in a retail setting.

State Question 794

  • This guarantees certain rights for the victims of crimes.

State Question 798

  • This would have candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run as a team, like the president and vice president in national elections.

State Question 800

  • This would create a new fund from energy taxes and that fund could be used to pay off state debt.

State Question 801

  • This would allow school districts to use property taxes for general fund purposes.

Election notes…

• The Oklahoma Chapter of the Council on America-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has released its voters’ guide. In a response to a CAIR questionnaire, Drew Edmondson said as governor he would veto “unconstitutional legislation that would discourage participation and engagement by minority groups.” He said he would actively have discussions with them and he would take part in “interfaith day” at the Capitol. Kevin Stitt didn’t answer that part of the questionnaire.

• Sheila Dills, Republican candidate for House District 69 in Tulsa, answered the CAIR questionnaire by saying that her faith (Episcopal) rejects “bigotry in all forms.” She wrote, “As you are probably aware, the incumbent in my district, Rep. Chuck Strohm, has disrespected the Muslim community and is unworthy of serving in public office.” Dills beat Strohm in the GOP primary.

• Democrat John Waldron in House District 77 wrote in the CAIR questionnaire, “You could expect to see me at every Muslim Day at the Capitol.”

• The Tulsa IAFF Local 176, the Tulsa Firefighters Political Action Committee, the second largest union in the state supporting Oklahoma firefighters, endorsed Kevin Stitt for Governor of Oklahoma.

“Many of us felt called to become a firefighter because we wanted to help those who live in our community,” said IAFF Local 176 President, Jim Nance. “We feel Kevin Stitt is answering that same call and will be a leader all Oklahomans can count on. He has not only taken an interest in the job of a firefighter, but he has also experienced it first hand, by going into the flashover chamber alongside Tulsa firefighters to experience the severe conditions we face.”

• State School Superintendent Joy Hofmeister got approval for the fiscal year 2020 budget request of $3.35 billion for common education – an increase of more than $440 million. It is the largest budget request ever for common education (kindergarten through 12th grade).

• A new Magellan Strategies poll released on October 24 showed Kevin Stitt leading in the race for governor. The poll has Stitt with 51 percent of the vote and Edmondson with 44 percent. The poll also showed that 54 percent approve of the job President Trump is doing, 43 percent disapprove and 3 percent are undecided. Among Republicans, 81 percent approve of Trump and 69 percent of the Democrats disapprove.

• According to Tony Lauinger, state chairman for Oklahomans for Life, “The radical pro-abortion organization Emily’s List has endorsed seven pro-abortion women Democrats in races for the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

“Emily’s List has had a long practice of endorsing 
pro-abortion women Democrats who support abortion on demand throughout pregnancy at taxpayer expense. The pro-abortion Democrats endorsed by Emily’s List for seats in the Oklahoma legislature are the following:

“Trish Ranson, House District 34; Merleyn Bell, House District 45; Angela Graham, House District 66; Denise Brewer, House District 71; Meloyde Blancett, House District 78; Chelsey Branham, House District 83; Ajay Pittman, House District 99.”

To see the results of a pro-life candidate survey, go to www.okforlife.org.

• GOP candidate Kevin Stitt has been endorsed by National Right to Life and so has First District candidate Kevin Hern.

• In a debate in Oklahoma City on October 24, Drew Edmondson outlined his plan to raise taxes on energy, to eliminate the capital gains tax deduction and to hike the tax on a pack of cigarettes by 50 cents.

Kevin Stitt countered by saying that new taxes aren’t needed, especially since the state is expecting more than $1 billion in surplus revenue in this fiscal year.

“He is dreaming,” Edmondson said of Stitt’s plan to add services by cutting waste and wise spending.

• Kevin Stitt has been endorsed by The Oklahoman and Tulsa Beacon newspapers.

Drew Edmondson has been endorsed by the liberal Oklahoma Education Association. Alicia Priest, OEA President, said, “Most importantly, Drew is the only candidate who has an actual plan to increase funding for Oklahoma’s schools.” Edmondson has also been endorsed by fellow Democrat David Boren, the retired president of The University of Oklahoma.

• First District candidate Kevin Hern has been endorsed by Tulsa County Court Clerk Don Newberry; State Sen. Marty Quinn; former Sen. Dan Newberry; Broken Arrow Mayor Craig Thurman; the Rev. Rafael Cruz (father of U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz); State Rep. Michael Rogers; U.S. Rep. Steve Russell; State Insurance Commissioner John Doak; former Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett and others.

Hern’s opponent, Democrat Tim Gilpin, has been endorsed by the OEA and former State School Superintendent Sandy Garrett. The Oklahoma Eagle newspaper has endorsed Gilpin.

• Despite a report on newsok.com, Tulsa judicial candidate Christopher Uric Brecht-Smith says he was not recruited to run against District Court Judge Linda Morrissey by former attorney general candidate Gentner Drummond.

Brecht-Smith did acknowledge on Facebook that Drummond had given financial support to his campaign.

Brecht-Smith is married to another man and has stated that he wants to be the first openly gay judge in Tulsa County. 

Brecht-Smith has criticized the Tulsa Beacon for pointing out his alternative lifestyle – something that is ignored in the mainstream media.

Brecht-Smith (on the ballot as “Chris Brecht”) is acknowleging his marriage to a man in campaign advertisements on radio stations.