Editor’s Note: The Primary Election is June 28 and the Sequoyah County Times, Eastern Times-Register and Vian Tenkiller News have prepared information sheets for the candidates in the various races. In an effort to save space, if a question was not answered, it was ommitted from the candidate information.

Candidate Background: Worked for District 1 and District 3 for 30 years; operated equipment for other people.

1. Have you ever failed to pay any taxes or court ordered judgements? No

2. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? No

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

3. The people of Sequoyah County.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. Roads: Getting ditches, pooled water off the roads, build them up so they will be safe for the people.

2. Bridges: Try and fix them where they’re safe for the public.

3. Court House: Making sure it’s opening right and helping each elected official.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Sequoyah County in particular.

Helping anybody that wants to bring new jobs into the county for the people of Sequoyah County.

Education: Sallisaw High School graduate 1977, attended Connors State College and Northeastern State University

Candidate Background: Christian faith. Happily married to my wife, Renee for 34 years. Family includes my daughter, Lacee, and grandsons, Kage, Kash and Kruz; a son, Trey and daughter-in-law, Daryl, grandson, Tucker and granddaughter, Parker; son Mike and grandson Myles. Active member in my community, co-founder of Sallisaw Youth League. Newly elected by peers to the State Transportation Committee. Newly elected as 10F3 executive Board Member to the Statewide Association of County Commissioners by fellow commissioners across the state. Support local and rural fire departments, as well as local law enforcement. 42 years experience in management/administration, 11 1/2 years as Sequoyah County Commissioner Dist. 3.

1. Have you ever failed to pay any taxes or court ordered judgements? No

2. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? No

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Continue to work with the cities and Cherokee Nation to see our asphalt plant to completion. 2. Continue working with local and

2. Continue working with local and rural fire departments, law enforcement agencies, EMS services, 911 dispatch, hospital and schools to upgrade our emergency communication system to digital, so we can provide top notch service for our entire county.

3. Help secure a safe and prosperous future for our children, grandchildren and senior citizens.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected? 1. Inflation: Work with federal and

1. Inflation: Work with federal and state legislature to address these issues.

2. Economic Development: Work to encourage new industry to our county with good, paying jobs. 3. Keep our county moving in a pro

3. Keep our county moving in a productive direction by continuing to make good, solid financial decisions that keeps our county operating in the positive! Explain your positions on economic

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Sequoyah County in particular. We’re in a very competitive arena

We’re in a very competitive arena when it comes to economic development. We have to work together with the cities and Cherokee Nation to bring new industry to our communities. By working as a team, we accomplished bringing the Veterans Affair Center here.

Editor’s Note: Hoguen Apperson was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Hometown: Grove Current Town: Jay

Current Town: Jay Education: Attended Oklahoma State

Education: Attended Oklahoma State University and University of Tulsa

Candidate Background: Apperson is a business leader and a lifelong rancher, currently running a cow-calf operation at his family’s ranch, Circle R Land and Cattle. He wants to reduce regulations and stop mandates related to the COVID-19 pandemic. He will “defend life” and “champion Second Amendment rights.”

He has been endorsed by the State Chamber Political Action Committee and Oklahomans for Health & Parental Rights (OKHPR-PAC). Married to his wife, Danni.

Married to his wife, Danni.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. The challenges that are facing our country and community.

2. Plans to simplify Oklahoma regulations and cut red tape is resonating all across District Four. 3. Will advocate for mental health ac

3. Will advocate for mental health access, and for abilities for people to be prosperous both in their health and in business.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. I understand the issues facing Oklahoma businesses and I’m committed to leading in those areas.

2. I will fight for the reforms that will make Oklahoma a better place to live, work and raise a family.

3. Seeking to promote rural economic development.

Editor’s Note: Keith Barenberg was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Hometown: Grove Current Town: Delaware County

Current Town: Delaware County Age: 55

Candidate Background: 26-year veteran of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, President of the Oklahoma State Trooper’s Association for 10 years; 26-year resident of Delaware County. Married to his wife, Susan, for 18 years, has three children and four grandchildren. Attends Life Point Fellowship Church. Belief in God is virtual to a strong country.

What are the top three messages of your campaign? 1. Fight to defend our Constitutional

1. Fight to defend our Constitutional Rights and protect our rural way of life.

2. Protect our schools against cancel culture agenda.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected? 1. State control should trump Federal

1. State control should trump Federal control. 2. Lowering taxes across the board.

2. Lowering taxes across the board.

3. Gun control violates the 2nd Amendment.

Political Party: Republican Hometown: Hillsborough, CA

Hometown: Hillsborough, CA Current Town: Jay

Current Town: Jay Education: University of California,

Education: University of California, Berkeley Age: 69

Candidate Background: My wife, Kathleen, and I own Zena Suri Alpacas, located between Jay and Grove in Delaware County. We are now a major tourist destination attraction here in northeastern Oklahoma. We have 52 Alpacas, 37 females and 15 males. In April, three new females joined our Alpaca family: Morning Glory, Esmerelda and Flora. I retired a year ago after teaching American Government for 11 years at Northeastern Oklahoma A and M College in Miami. Kathleen and I have been living in Delaware County for 12 and one-half years. We moved here from Salt Lake City after a long career in broadcasting. I have won several Edward R. Murrow broadcasting awards from KSL news radio in Salt Lake City and WRVA news/ talk in Richmond, Va. I was the live reporter on the scene whenever there was breaking news. Kathleen and I donate to Second

Kathleen and I donate to Second Chance, an animal rescue service in northeastern Oklahoma. We also support the education of a young student in Ecuador. We have one child, an adopted miracle from Knoxville, Tenn. Tommy Callan is now 32. We met his birth mother and brought Tommy home on his second day. Kathleen and I believe adoption is a wonderful gift, and that abortion is never the answer .

1. Have you ever failed to pay any taxes or court ordered judgements? No

2. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? No

What are the top three messages of your campaign? 1. I support a moratorium of at least

1. I support a moratorium of at least five to 10 years on any new marijuana farms that are sprouting up throughout our district. They are desecrating our land. Several new mysteriously operated farms are near our ranch. In fact, Gov. Stitt on May 26 signed HB 3208 which places a 2-year freeze on marijuana businesses. 2. There should be no state contracts

2. There should be no state contracts for anyone serving in state government, including family members. You may recall the corrupt lawmaker who passed a bill creating a new tag agency that only benefited his wife. That is intolerable.

3. We Oklahomans must generously support mental health programs for all of our people, young and old.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. We are losing control of the eastern part of the state through both the proliferation of marijuana farms and the legal confusion following the July 9, 2020, McGirt decision from the United States Supreme Court. This is an emergency; we must quickly clarify when and if the state of Oklahoma can recover its jurisdiction over legal proceedings instead of allowing tribal and federal courts to take control. You may recall that Chief Justice Roberts wrote the dissent and argued that the court’s decision would generate confusion. 2. Education is crucial for rural Okla

2. Education is crucial for rural Oklahoma. We must establish satellite campuses of the state’s major universities and colleges to award college degrees. However, not everyone should attend college. The state should form partnerships with industry in Grove, Stilwell and Sallisaw to foster the trades. We must respect those who work with their hands. Dignity comes from work.

3. Drugs are a major problem. We must fund an aggressive state police force to keep poisonous opioids, and especially Fentanyl, out of rural America. Drug smugglers should be afraid to visit rural Oklahoma. I would work tirelessly to make Senate District 4 a drug-free zone. That sounds like a pipe dream. But that is a matter of life and death for many of our people. Explain your positions on economic

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Sequoyah County in particular. I would fight against any state tax

I would fight against any state tax breaks or special economic development for areas outside of District 4 until and unless Governor Stitt and lawmakers create a special zone for major businesses to locate either in Sequoyah, Adair or Delaware County. Too often politicians in this area support economic incentives for Tulsa or Pryor while our people in eastern Oklahoma are ignored or neglected. That is step number one. Secondly, tourism is our strength. I have met too many people in the Mid West or southern plains who know nothing about Grand Lake. I would demand that the state advertise the natural wonders of eastern Oklahoma. We must tell the rest of America that eastern Oklahoma, not Missouri or Arkansas, is the real gateway to the Ozarks. Lake Tenkiller and Grand Lake must become major tourist destinations.

Editor’s Note: Tom Woods was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of material.

Candidate Background: Woods is a farmer and business owner. In addition to running a dairy farm, he operates a feed store and trucking company. He is pro-life and pro-gun. His grandparents are both retired educators, and his father worked in a factory while his mother stayed at home to work on the farm and raise his six brothers and sisters. Woods believes we must build up future generations to be active contributors and producers in society, not just consumers.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Supporting Education. His grand father was a public-school superintendent, and his grandmother is a retired teacher. His family instilled in him that education is the key if you want a better future in the world. We must stop the brain drain of some of the best and brightest educators in the state. That’s because every child in Oklahoma should have access to a quality education. Teacher pay, at a minimum, needs to be brought up to a regional average. Tom is also committed to making sure educators have the resources to prepare our children for a global economy. That means more funding for classroom resources, support personnel, and more STEM funding.

2. Backing Agriculture. He understands the stress and worry and to provide America with an affordable bill of groceries. Too many politicians have forgotten rural Oklahoma and our farmers and ranchers who have been the foundation of our state.

3. Supporting small business. He will fight to cut red tape and taxes, stand up against tax and spend legislation that increases inflation and dampens business growth.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. Bring teacher pay up to the regional average.

2. I will always be farmers’ biggest and most stalwart supporter.

3. Reduce taxes to support business.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Sequoyah County in particular. Our current legislators have been

Our current legislators have been asleep at the wheel. They are too busy focusing on needless subjects and petty political fights to focus on the real job we elected them to do. I will be laser focused on audits and hearings to expose wasteful spending and hold those responsible accountable.

The Primary Election is June 28 and the Sequoyah County Times, Eastern Times-Register, Vian Tenkiller News, Eufaula Indian Journal, McIntosh County Democrat, Okmulgee Times and Henryetta Free-Lance have prepared information sheets for the candidates in the various races. In an effort to save space, if a question was not answered, it was omitted from the candidate information.

Editor’s Note: Guy Barker was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Education: Bachelors of Science in Biosystems-Biomechanical Engineering and Petroleum Engineering from Oklahoma State University

Candidate Background: Guy runs the oil & gas company, Flying B. Barker is a member of both the Osage and Quapaw nations. He currently serves as the Secretary-Treasurer of the Quapaw Nation, located in Ottawa County Oklahoma.

After attending Oklahoma State University, where Barker received his Petroleum Engineering degree, he joined Samson Resources in Tulsa, Oklahoma as an operations engineer in the company’s Mid-Continent division. Barker went on to work as an acquisition and development engineer for Mojave Oil & Gas and later started his own small oil & gas company,Flying B, which he still owns and operates to this day. In 2020 Barker became the head finan

In 2020 Barker became the head financial officer of the Quapaw Nation, who employs over 3,000 people across 4 different states in industries ranging from agriculture, gaming, environmental remediation, food production, and much more.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. RESTORE AFFORDABLE ENERGY I own an energy company and worked

I own an energy company and worked in the oil fields. I know well that reversing Biden’s attacks on American energy is critical to reducing gasoline and utility prices. 2. STOP RUNAWAY INFLATION

Reckless Washington spending and a Federal Reserve catering to Wall Street has sent prices soaring. It’s time to stop excessive spending and reform the Fed.

I stand with Oklahoma law enforcement and will fight to restore the Rule of Law in our nation and end Democrat efforts that defund the police and encourage criminals.

Education: Bachelor Communications Pastor Assembly of God

Candidate Background: I was raised on a farm in Vian, Oklahoma. After graduating High School, I joined the U.S. Marines where I served over 20 years (over 13 years on active duty and 8 years in the Marine Corps reserves), including combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

During my Marine Corps career, I served as a Counterintelligence/Human Intelligence Agent on Human Intelligence Exploitation Teams in Iraq, Afghanistan and numerous other foreign countries. I’m a certified Black Belt Instructor, a certified Firearms Instructor with the Special Operations Training Group, a certified interrogator, and served as a Non-Commissioned Officer Academy Instructor. I have extensive training in Counter Intelligence/Human Intelligence and Counter Terrorism Operations from the Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center in Damneck Va., the REID Institute, Memorial Institute for the Prevention of Terrorism, Defense Threat Reduction Agency; Anti-Terrorism & Homeland Defense, Special Operations Training Group, The Terrorism Research Center, High Risk Personnel, the Defense Intelligence Agency; Strategical Debriefing Course, extensive tactical and vehicle training with Blackwater, SERE trained, and Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection Level III certified. After active-duty service I was hired on at the Sheriff’s Department. I’m also a certified firearms instructor with the Oklahoma Council on Law Enforcement Education & Training (CLEET), and a certified Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun firearms instructor with the NRA. I was elected as the first Republican to serve as State Representative in Sequoyah County in 2010. I term limited myself out in 2018. While serving in the Oklahoma House of representatives as State Representative for State house District #2, I authored the 10 Commandments Bill, Pledge of Allegiance Bill, numerous Pro-Life, Pro-2d Amendment, Pro-Veteran, and other socially and fiscally conservative legislation, and I NEVER voted for a tax increase on the citizens. After a short break I was pulled back into service and elected as the Chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party in 2021. I am a retired U.S. Marine with a degree in Communications. I’m a small business owner, and also the Senior Pastor of Lee Creek Assembly of God. I am a life member of the Veterans of

I am a life member of the Veterans of Foreign War, Disabled American Veterans, a member of the American Legion, the National Rifle Association, the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association, the Black Robe Regiment, and part of the Patriot Pastors Network.

I have been endorsed by General Michael Flynn, Roger Stone (who’s been a personal friend of President Trump for over 40 years). Im the Only candidate for Congressional District #2 that’s been endorsed by the Oklahoma 2nd Amendment Association, Oklahomans for Health & Parental Rights (OKHPR) and many other Conservative organizations in and out of Oklahoma. I am the America First candidate with a proven record of fighting for our God blessed Constitutional Republic and We The People. Please visit my website at Johnbennett4congress.com or John Bennett For Congress on Facebook. #BennettisinittoWinit!

Please answer the following questions 1. Have you ever failed to pay any taxes

1. Have you ever failed to pay any taxes or court ordered judgments? No 2. Have you ever been convicted of a

2. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? No

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Put “We The People” and America First again! I say the days of politics as usual is over! We don’t need any more weak-kneed politicians! What we need are principled fighters to stand up for We The People and put America first again!! How about we put American Farmers, Ranchers, & Veterans first! American Borders first! We must complete the wall! How about American jobs & Families First! How about we put American Oil first!!! I say we “Drill baby drill!!

We are at war for the very soul of this nation. We need to get back to what this great nation was built upon which is the laws of nature and natures God which was legally defined at our founding, as we see in blackstones commentaries, as Gods Word and Gods Will. America is blessed & exceptional, and we need to start acting like it.

2. I will work with others like Senator Rand Paul to hold Anthony Fauci accountable for the deaths he’s caused with forced vaccine mandates, and we will hold those who stole the elections accountable. I will do whatever it takes to Stop Critical Race Theory & the ridiculous sexual wokeism from being pushed upon our children. By the way there are Only 2 genders; male & female and that’s it. We must secure our borders, Stop Vaccine mandates, and Stop the attack on our 2nd amendment rights. (By the way we have an unalienable right to self-defense). We don’t have a gun problem in America. We have a Heart problem. If the Government spent as much time, effort and resources putting God back into our schools, community & government, instead of pushing gun control we would be a lot better off.

3. We must stop an overreaching out of control Big Government from killing babies, trying to implement gun control, and violating our God Given Constitutional rights. I will Push for a balanced budget amendment for Congress to Stop the out-of-control debt & spending which has amassed a 31 trillion dollar debt. We must reduce the inflation rate that is over 8.5 percent, and we can start immediately by pushing America First energy policies to drill for and use our own oil and gas. If we don’t stand and fight for our Republic today, we wont have any freedoms to fight for tomorrow. We must focus on putting America first again.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

I will file a bill to make it illegal for ANY foreign entity or non-American citizen to buy American or Oklahoma farmland. Currently the Chinese own over 300,000 acres of prime Oklahoma farmland. This is a very important issue because whomever owns the farmland owns the food. If you can control the food, you can control the people. Allowing any foreign entity or non American citizen to buy up our farmland threatens both the integrity of Oklahoma’s rural economy and the national security of the United States. I will file a bill making it illegal for any foreign entity to purchase farmland. If an American citizen tries to circumvent the law by purchasing it for a foreigner or foreign entity it will be punishable by a felony. All land that has been or is purchased illegally should be sold back to an American within 90 days at fair market value. If it is not sold back to an American in 90 days it should be seized and sold at County auction to the highest American bidder. American farmland belongs to Americans.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular.

Government is NOT the answer to all of our problems. A big & overreaching government IS the problem. For example the U.S. Government sent $40 billion to Ukraine and is planning on sending another $60 billion. Instead of sending 100 Billion dollars to Ukraine, how about we put America first and send 92 Billion to our farmers, ranchers and rural development to ensure we have a strong and thriving food source, processing plants, and to ensure our food source is secure for generations. Rural areas could use this money to build the needed infrastructure for industrial development.

For example, Sequoyah County could use this money to build an intermodal transportation infrastructure; a port near Kerr, expand the Sallisaw airport for larger delivery planes and possibly commercial transport, and build ports at the short and long line railways near Sallisaw. This would be an economic boom to the whole County and surrounding counties. We could send the other $8 Billion of the $100 billion to complete the wall at our southern border.

If the U.S Government feels it is absolutely necessary to send military aid to Ukraine then maybe they should send the Biden administration and their supporters to Afghanistan to get the Billions of dollars in military equipment they left the Taliban and send that to Ukraine.

Anytime the government gets involved in the free-market system it always ruins it. Government doesn’t make jobs, but as your U.S. Congressman I will do all I can to make sure that Oklahoma has a low tax, business friendly environment that will inspire job growth, entrepreneurship, and a rewarding environment for free market growth with less regulation.

Editor’s Note: Josh Brecheen was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Education: Oklahoma State University Age: 42

Candidate Background: “I’m a 4th generation rancher. I’m a committed Christian, a husband, father and I’ve operated a small heavy equipment and trucking business. I grew up learning the value of hard work cleaning horse stalls, breaking colts, and hauling square bales. I served as state president of the Oklahoma FFA Association and graduated from OSU. I was fortunate to serve Sen. Tom Coburn as his Field Representative to Southeastern OK.

My wife Kacie and I live with our four children on our ranch in Coal County. I self-term-limited in the Oklahoma

I self-term-limited in the Oklahoma State Senate, where I stood strong against tax increases, debt, wasteful spending and I led the fight against Common Core in our schools. Like my mentor, Dr. Coburn, I kept my term-limit pledge and prioritized principle over politics. I don’t and won’t play political games. I will confront them.

Winning elections means nothing if we lose our nation.

We the People must demand virtue in D.C. again. We can restore our nation but only if we elect leaders who practice self-restraint over selfish gain, and value character over careerism. We need promise keepers not power seekers.” Information found on: https://joshbre

Information found on: https://joshbrecheen.com/

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Drain the swamp - The federal government has evolved beyond anything the founders of our nation intended or even imagined. We must reduce Washington’s influence in our daily lives. The most effective way to do that is to pass term limits on Members of Congress.

2. Politics - The last thing we need to do is send another politician to Washington. We need statesmen who put the national interest above self interest. The most effective solution to eliminate corruption in Washington D.C. is to enact term limits. I honored my term limits pledge when I served in the State Senate and will do so again.

3. Term Limits - We must enact term limits. I honored my term limits pledge when I served in the State Senate and will do so again. If elected, I will serve no more than four terms in the House Of Representatives.

Editor’s Note: David Derby was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Education: Doctorate of Pharmacy From OU

Candidate Background: From launching a career in law enforcement as a forensic chemist in the early 2000’s to serving as a State Representative and simultaneously earning his Doctorate of Pharmacy from the University of Oklahoma, Derby gained a diverse background needed to tackle America’s toughest issues facing our nation such as inflation, mandates, open borders, and runaway medicine costs.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. ABORTION I have and will say without apology, “Abortion is the greatest evil in our country with no close 2nd.” I will support Oklahoma’s Constitutional right to nullify Roe v Wade to provide equal protection and guarantee the rights of the pre-born to have “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Not only do I believe abortion needs to come to an end in America, but I will support Oklahoma streamlining the adoption process. Pro-life means in the womb and outside the womb. We are the party of charity, pro-life protections, and showing God’s love to orphans. 2. CANCEL CULTURE

2. CANCEL CULTURE The movement of tearing down stat

The movement of tearing down statues like Abraham Lincoln, erasing American literature like Dr. Suess, and rampant news and social media censorship are direct assaults on our way of life. Trying to erase our history is trying to erase our national identity. I will never bow to the #CancelCulture movement as some Republicans have. I will always fight for our faith, family, and freedoms. Too many brave men and women have fought and made the ultimate sacrifice to secure the freedoms we enjoy today - I will never stop fighting for our traditional values.

3. OIL & GAS Oklahoma has a vibrant heritage in

Oklahoma has a vibrant heritage in the energy sector, specifically in oil & gas production. We must reopen our pipelines and build an American energy-independent economy. The radical left’s Green New Deal would not only destroy our energy sector, it would forever stunt America’s ability to be energy independent. With historic gas prices on the rise, we must fight back to open the Keystone XL pipeline and unleash America’s energy potential. I will be a fighter for the America-First policy of American energy independence, and work to dismantle the radical left’s energy policies that destroy Oklahoma jobs and threaten our industries. It’s time we were unapologetic about our way of life and the industries that make Oklahoma great.

Education: Graduate of Muskogee High School; earned a BA from the University of Oklahoma

Candidate Background: Avery Frix is a businessman and builder running for Congress.

Like President Trump, Avery is committed to rebuilding America with our values.

Elected to the state House in 2016, Avery has a history of authoring pro-Trump and pro-life legislation. He is a strong conservative who has proven he will fight to keep America first. Avery is currently chair of the Trans

Avery is currently chair of the Transportation Committee.

A fourth-generation resident of the 2nd Congressional District, Avery is very familiar with the issues impacting Eufaula and McIntosh County – his grandfather lives in Eufaula and Avery represents the town of Checotah in the legislature.

Avery comes from a long line of builders dating back to his great-grandfather, who started Frix Construction in 1940. In addition to his work in the family business, Avery is also the owner of Oxford Productions, a tourism and facility management company. Avery is a graduate of Muskogee High

Avery is a graduate of Muskogee High School and the University of Oklahoma. He is married to Haley, also a business owner and the proprietor of Broadway Market in downtown Muskogee. Avery is an enrolled member of the

Avery is an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation. A long-time supporter of the NRA,

A long-time supporter of the NRA, Avery enjoys hunting quail and spending time outdoors. He is also a board member of Muskogee Habitat for Humanity.

Please answer the following questions

1. Have you ever failed to pay any taxes or court ordered judgments? No

2. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? No

What are the top three messages of your campaign? 1. Like President Trump, Avery Frix

1. Like President Trump, Avery Frix is a businessman and builder ready to rebuild America with our conservative values. It’s time to take back our country!

2. Avery’s values are simple: faith, family, freedom and firearms – in that order. He’s young and fearless, and doesn’t owe anyone a thing. As your Congressman, he will fight tirelessly alongside President Trump. 3. Avery Frix is a strong conserva

3. Avery Frix is a strong conservative who has proven to be an effective fighter for our values in the state House. Nobody will fight harder in Congress to keep America First.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. Fight Biden’s Inflation. Joe Biden is the worst president in our nation’s history. As your congressman, Avery Frix will fight to stop the Democrat’s out-of-control spending and liberal policies that are driving up inflation and the price of rent, utilities, gas and groceries – and hurting hard-working families in rural Oklahoma and McIntosh County.

2. Stand With Law Enforcement. Avery Frix stands for law and order because he knows the people of rural Oklahoma and McIntosh County want to feel and be safe. Like President Trump, Avery supports our men and women in blue. He is honored to have been named the Oklahoma Fraternal Order of Police Legislator of the Year. When liberals were trying to defund the police, Avery authored a bill to give law enforcement a pay raise. In Congress, Avery will stand with police and against any effort to defund them.

3. Protect the Unborn. Donald Trump gave us three incredible Supreme Court justices, and now it looks like Roe v. Wade is about to be overturned. Avery Frix is proud to be 100% pro-life and represent the values of rural Oklahoma and McIntosh County. He fought hard to pass legislation that makes Oklahoma the most pro-life state in the nation. But the fight is not over. The liberals won’t give up. Avery will always fight to protect the sanctity of life in Congress.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular.

Like President Trump, Avery Frix is a businessman and builder. Avery will fight for fair trade, low taxes and fewer job-killing regulations. Avery believes we must support a return to manufacturing in America and invest in our transportation and infrastructure – issues vital to the economic development of McIntosh County, which hosts portions of I-40 and 69 highways.

In addition, Avery will fight to return America to energy independence and support our oil and gas industries, which will have a direct impact on jobs in rural Oklahoma.

But the biggest impediment today to economic development in rural Oklahoma and McIntosh County is Biden’s inflation. Avery will fight to stop the Democrat’s out-of-control spending and liberal policies that are driving up inflation and the price of doing business.

Editor’s Note: Pamela Gordon was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Education: Graduate of Southeastern Oklahoma State

Candidate Background: As former executive director of McAlester Defense Support Services in support of the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, Pamela was an effective ambassador of her McAlester Community and has firsthand experience defending our interests federally.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Stopping China: Make no mistake: China is an absolute threat to our nation, both economically and militarily. The Chinese Communist Party enslaves its own people, bullies us and our allies, and unleashed the Wuhan Virus on the world. China wants to replace the United States as the dominant superpower on Earth. Pamela is committed to holding them accountable for their human rights violations and the threat they pose to our safety and our freedom.

2. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION: The border crisis isn’t just a border state problem, it is an #EVERYSTATE problem that is drowning our communities in drugs, crime, and human trafficking. While Pamela is fully supportive of those who follow the legal immigration process, she believes that our leaders have a Constitutional obligation to secure America’s borders and keep Americans safe. Pamela will work to secure our southern border and fix the immigration problem, which Washington politicians have failed to address for decades.

3. BACKING THE BLUE: To Pamela defunding the police is a ridiculous idea. Crime is worse now than in a very long time because politicians have demoralized, defunded, and undermined the good men and women in uniform who risk their lives every day so that we can be safe. Pamela will fight to fully fund all of our public safety officials by ensuring that they have the staff, equipment, and training needed to keep every community free from fear.

Editor’s Note: Rhonda Hopkins was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Editor’s Note: Clint Johnson was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Political Party: Republican Hometown: Vian

Hometown: Vian Current Town: Tahlequah

Current Town: Tahlequah Education: Graduate of Southeastern

Education: Graduate of Southeastern Oklahoma State Age: 49

Candidate Background: Clint’s desire to serve and protect did not end after leaving the Corp, in 1993, Clint joined the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Derpartment as a deputy, joining the sheriff’s office was the launching point for his decades-long career in law enforcement. As a C.L.E.E.T. certified officer, Clint diligently worked to ensure the safety of every citizen. Eventually, Clint would transfer to the District Attorney’s office. At the DA’s office, Clint led teams of officers as a narcotic agent securing the multi-county district from the illicit drug trades and human trafficking. Clint coordingated cross-agency operations with the U.S. Dept. of Justice, The Bureau of Indian Affairs, County Sheriffs and Local Police Departments during this time.

Editor’s Note: Wes Nofire was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. 2nd AMENDMENT: Growing up in Rural Oklahoma, owning a gun is a way of life, whether it was providing food for our family, or protection against intruders that wish us harm. We all need to remember that we cannot take any freedom for granted. COVID showed us there are people very willing to take our freedoms and we must be willing to fight for each and every for our rights.

2. CONTROLLING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION: This administration has done NOTHING to deal with the immigration problem in this nation. In fact, the Biden admiration has created policies to send illegal immigrates right here to Oklahoma. We have to secure the border to insure our children’s safety.

3. TOUGHENING LAW AND ORDER PROSECUTION: Oklahoma is faced with one of the most critical issues of safety due to the handling of the McGirt decision. Both State and Tribes have faced severe difficulties in protecting all Oklahomans. Having first-hand experience in dealing with these struggles, I am the foremost authority on this issue, and I will lead Oklahoma on getting a swift solution to protect the safety of all Oklahomans.

Editor’s Note: Marty Quinn was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of material.

Hometown: From Kentucky to Claremore OK, 25+ Years

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Fiscal Responsibility I will always put the taxpayer first. Simply put, I will stop the radical liberal spending agenda, cut out the waste, and fight for a balanced budget while ensuring essential services are properly funded We cannot spend more than we have and our $30 Trillion National Debt won’t get a penny more from me.

2. End Government Outreach The Biden Administration wants to control every aspect of our lives, from how we work, what we eat, how we farm, and how we raise our families. I still believe that freedom is the best way to build a flourishing economy, happy families, and prospering businesses. I will push back against all mandates and bureaucratic control.

3. Increase energy Independence Joe Biden has completely hindered the success of our energy industry which has resulted in sky high gas prices. America must stop writing checks for our international adversaries to cash and rely on our own strong energy industry to increase production, re-open our pipelines and work towards becoming energy independent once again.

Political Party: Republican Hometown: Muskogee

Education: Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, B.S., 1999

University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Pharm.D., 2003

Candidate Background: Chris Schiller, PharmD is a Christian, father, husband, pharmacist, small business owner, committed conservative and patient advocate. Chris was born, raised, and still lives in Muskogee, Oklahoma where he has been married to fellow Muskogee native Rebecca Watson Schiller for 22 years. Chris, Becky and their two children Watson, 19 and Cash, 15 are involved in their church, civic groups, sports, and local organizations.

Chris graduated from The University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy in 2003 and is a known industry leader and has been on the forefront of community pharmacy as a past president of the Oklahoma Pharmacists Association. He is not a politician, has never run for political office, and his concerns have been about the growth and intrusion of government in the daily lives of his family, friends, and most importantly, patients.

Chris is honored to be called a community pharmacist and has come to view government overreach and politicians as the problem, not the citizens that pay taxes and vote. Time and time again he would help a patient who had their prescription provider changed and he became tired of hearing the government was in the way, “Chris, why can the government tell me where to get a prescription?” And, since most medication ingredients come from China, he’s seen firsthand how disastrous supply chain interruptions and a reliance on foreign manufacturing can be for Americans. Chris believes in an America First policy. He will stand up against the Chinese Communist Government and fight to reduce the United States’ reliance on foreign manufacturing of any kind.

Put simply, Chris believes government is the problem, not the solution. It is time for a dose of Oklahoma to take over Washington.

Please answer the following questions

1. Have you ever failed to pay any taxes or court ordered judgments? No

2. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? No

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. I’m a Christian, husband, father, pharmacist, and small business owner. I’ve never run for office before. I’m 100% pro-life, and I will not compromise our second amendment rights.

2. President Donald Trump was right when he said we need to put America First. That means finishing the wall, securing our southern border, and bringing back our jobs and manufacturing of essential goods like energy and medicine back home where they belong.

3. I’ve released a plan to end the crisis at our southern border once and for all. That includes impeaching Joe Biden and Sec. Mayorkas, ending catch and release, and more than doubling the number of federal officers in Border Patrol and ICE. You can see my full plan at schillerforcongress.com/border now.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. The crisis at our southern border has to end. The dangerous cartels are pouring in drugs like fentanyl, trafficking women and children, and smuggling in illegals by the tens of thousands each month. I am the only candidate in this race with a plan to end the crisis once and for all. You can see the plan at schillerforcongress.com/ border today.

2. America has become far too reliant on other countries, even our adversaries, for the essential goods our nations needs. Over 80% of the materials in our medicine, for example, come from China. That’s not smart. We need to manufacture essential goods like our energy and our medicine right here at home.

3. We need to balance the federal budget and cut government spending. As a small business owner, you can count on me to make cutting waste, fraud, and abuse a priority in D.C.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular.

America has become far too reliant on other countries, even our adversaries, for the essential goods

our nations needs. Over 80% of the materials in our medicine, for example, come from China. That’s

not smart. We need to manufacture essential goods like our energy and our medicine right here at home. I support policies that will bring back our jobs and manufacturing home where they belong from the far away places that career politicans have sent them off to for decades. That’s what it means to put America First, and you can count on me to do exactly that in Washington.

Editor’s Note: Dustin Roberts was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Education: Has a degree in Accounting

Candidate Background: Dustin enlisted in the United States Navy at 17 years old. After completing multiple tours during Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism Dustin returned to Oklahoma and obtained a degree in accounting. Married to wife Lindsay for almost 20 years, Dustin is a small business owner specializing in home construction.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. National Security: As a Navy Veteran I know the price of war. We must secure our borders and fully fund our military to keep those who wish to do us harm at bay. Our foreign policy should be rooted in peace through strength. The failed policies of the Biden administration have weakened our stance around the globe. It is vital that we restore America’s leadership around the world. The most important Constitutional duty of our federal government is providing for the common defense.

2. Securing Our Borders: We must secure America’s borders and secure them now. A comprehensive plan must be implemented to protect our country from those with no regard for the law. In Congress I will fight everyday to finish the border wall, deport criminal aliens, and end taxpayer funding of sanctuary cities.

3. Jobs and Economy: Overbearing government is crushing Main Street America. Burdensome regulations, bureaucracy, and government handouts are not the answer. Reducing government dependency and regulations will foster an economy of strength and prosperity. In Congress I will work everyday to cut the federal strings that are entangling us everyday.

Current Town: Vian Education: Vian High School. Con

Education: Vian High School. Connors State College, Northeastern State University, FBI National Academy in Quantico VA. Age: 58

Candidate Background: After high school, I joined the local police force while going to college. I soon found myself recruited to Muskogee where I have served on the force for 35 years, quickly rising through the ranks. In 2001 I graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA, and in 2018 I was named Chief of Police in Muskogee, the largest community in the congressional district. Early in my career, I became a nation

Early in my career, I became a national leader in child abuse investigations, traveling the nation to train other officers, providing expert trial testimony, and helping communities develop child advocacy centers. I was instrumental in the development of Kids Space, an advocacy center for abused children in Muskogee, and served as a board member for the National Network for Child Advocacy Centers.

As the head of law enforcement, I understand the importance of prevention. I help lead the fight against crime using athletics, in particular football, as a way for local police officers to connect with youth. Even as Chief of Police, I continue to find time to coach high school football. My success and faith led to me being named the Fellowship of Christian Athletes All-State Football Coach for 2020-2021.

In addition to building my law enforcement career, I have been a successful businessman and served on the board of the Muskogee Chamber of Commerce. I often employed the area’s youth at the historic Chet’s Dairy Freeze and have successfully owned and operated rental properties, including anapartment complex, as well as other business interests.

As a child and a police officer, I have seen how addiction and mental health issues destroy families. I am not only fighting to stop the flow of drugs, but also working to help people with addiction. For 15 years, I have been an active board member with Green Country Behavioral Health Services, the area’s largest non-profit mental health service provider, that has helped over 2,300 families. I have also served on the board of Court Appointed Special Advocates.

I have been an active member of First Baptist Church of Muskogee for more than 30 years, serving on the International Mission Board, and teaching Sunday School. My wife Kim and I have 6 children and just welcomed our first grandchild.

Please answer the following questions

1. Have you ever failed to pay any taxes or court ordered judgments? No

2. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? No

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Protecting Americans. The first responsibility of government is to protect its citizenry. I will bring my 35 years of law enforcement experience to Washington DC where I will be the only police chief. A key component of this is fighting against the left’s systemic effort to demoralize and defund law enforcement. This must be stopped.

2. Protecting the American Dream. I was able to be raised by my grandparents in Vian right on the railroad tracks and have lived the American dream. Through hard work and faith in Jesus Christ, I lived the American dream. Unfortunately, Joe Biden and other leftists want to take these opportunities away. We must fight back. We cannot allow them to take away personal responsibility, benefitting from one’s own hard work, or attack our religious liberties.

3. Stop excessive government spending. There is no doubt inflation is being exacerbated by reckless government spending and it must stop. I will follow the great example set by Tom Coburn and look for wasteful spending in all parts of government.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. We must secure the southern border. Even in our small towns, hundreds of miles away from Mexico, we are seeing illegal fentanyl literally kill our young people. We must secure the border to keep drugs and dangerous cartels out of our communities.

2. Getting our economy on the right track. Biden’s agenda has caused runaway inflation and it is hurting our families who are paying more for even the most basic needs.

3. Not allowing coastal elites to attack our traditional values. We must stand strong against those who seek to legitimize abortion, devalue God, defund the police, or infringe on our personal liberties. The great appeal of rural Oklahoma is our ability to be who we want to be without interference from government.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular.

Eastern Oklahoma has tremendous assets that can be used for economic development. We have a strong work ethic among our folks, important infrastructure in highways and the McClellan-Kerr waterway, comparatively low energy prices, the unique status of our sovereign nations, and a Career Tech system that can help train most anyone. All of these create tremendous potential for job growth. What we have to do is continue to bring these assets together and demonstrate we are worthy of investment.

The greatest hinderance to job creating investment, however, is overspending by the federal government and overregulation. We must stop both of these as those drive investment to other countries and away from America and Eastern Oklahoma.

Editor’s Note: Erick P. Wyatt was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

U.S. Senator (Unexpired Term)

Editor’s Note: Adam Holley was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Education: Earned associate degree from Huntington Junior College in 2007

Candidate Background: I believe Jesus is my Lord and Savior and strive to lead my life by His example. Through my experiences in public service, law enforcement and business management, we will lead our country back to the Republic the founding fathers forged. With approximately four years as a volunteer firefighter and EMS driver, along with time served as an office in the Regional Jail Authority of West Virginia, it equipped me to handle highstress situations and react with grace under pressure. Another key trait I developed was an emphasis on character and integrity.

As an office manager, I helped a mining controls manufacturer rebuild from a total loss fire in 2009 and grew their production revenue over 300 percent by 2012 before being laid off due to Obama’s war on coal. I am currently an office manager for a commercial construction company since re-locating back to Oklahoma in 2015.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. What is the right to live? During the pandemic, many elderly become subjected to isolation from family and friends as Dr. Fauci played God with all of our lives and restricted potential treatments that should have been allowed to try for preservation of life. There is an absolute attack against personal civil liberties and individuality of choice. There is only one valid my body my choice currently and that is when everyone is murdering babies but if you should propose that my body my choice over an unknown chemical being forced upon you then you are considered a threat that must be cancelled or harmed.

2. Innocent Eyes Act. I’ll commit to push for a bill protecting teachers, librarians and principals that are doing the right thing and keeping Woke Sexualization, Education and Grooming out of their classrooms and away from their school districts. This bill would also enable and require that local law enforcement and Child Protective Services are required to be contacted when an adult that is entrusted to guide and protect our children have been observed grooming them with critical race theory and woke sexuality through means of any kinds. Children shall not be forced exposure to sexual preferences, identities, or theologies against the parents’ rights.

3. We must eliminate any roadblock to freedom of speech and debate. I will focus on submitting a bill that would hold accountable the Federal Communications Commission to penalize any public platform/place of public business/place within the state that is open to the general public either by membership fees/free access.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. We must protect our borders first before Ukraine or any other country. There are ample facilities to take in new citizens along the southern border and the sea ports, along with various places throughout Mexico. Without stronger borders and intake procedures to ensure mass pandemics and uncommon viruses are not released within our states, we are and will be doomed to also be forced into lockdowns due to a new variant so mail-in manipulated ballots can be counted. Americans must stand for freedom and vote in all new names with the same focus to reset all the big corporation and big pharma strings that have been lobbied for way too long in our country.

2. A true audit of all electronic hardware including any wireless routers and devices must be accounted for and perform a complete forensic audit of every device involved during the 2020 Election. All foreign IP Addresses that sent or received any data traffic to the 2020 Election equipment would be grounds for de-certifying 2020 even if only on an Oklahoma level.

3. Our country was founded upon freedom of speech and the Second Amendment that when our first God given right was violated we the people would have a form of recourse to shut down tyranny.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular.

Oklahoma has a great set of resources, the people and their willingness and ability to thrive. Our workforce is capable and willing if we remove the heavy hand of the government from the restraints imposed by suits in high and far off places. We must have people willing to stand against the Federal Government and their deliberate attempts to remove our freedoms, our liberties, and our rights for the pursuit of happiness. Besides Oklahoma’s oil and natural gas resources, we have many excellent opportunities to encourage other technology-based businesses to relocate to Oklahoma and we will also entice American-made manufacturing to develop state side in the Heart Land of Oklahoma.

U.S. Senator (Unexpired Term)

Editor’s Note: Alex Gray was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Current City: Oklahoma City Education: Attended OSU and

Education: Attended OSU and George Washington Universities

Candidate Background: Alex Gray is a 4th generation Oklahoman who worked at the highest levels of President Donald Trump’s White House, ultimately serving as Chief of Staff of the National Security Council.

He attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater and George Washington University before entering the national security and foreign policy field, working for a U.S. Congressman before joining Trump’s campaign in Trump Tower in 2016.

He spent four years in President Trump’s White House, helping to lead the fight against unfair trade policies and the destruction of American manufacturing as Deputy Director of the Office of Trade & Manufacturing Policy. He also advocated for U.S. companies and workers who support our war fighters. He also carried out the biggest reorga

He also carried out the biggest reorganization to the NSC in living memory, ensuring that only competent and loyal professionals were entrusted with some of the country’s most sensitive jobs.

Since leaving government, he and his wife Rochelle have returned to Oklahoma City, where he runs a small business helping American companies around the world. He is the recipient of the second-highest civilian award from the Department of Defense and the highest award from the National Security Council for his service to the country under President Trump.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. I will never stop fighting to fix the chaos of McGirt. The tribal leadership is wrong on this issue and I am not backing down. I’ll keep fighting on behalf of every Oklahoman, especially our tribal citizens on the front lines of the McGirt mess.

3. I will always fight to give our men and women in uniform the resources they need to defend this country.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected? 1. Lawlessness in Eastern Oklahoma

1. Lawlessness in Eastern Oklahoma caused by McGirt.

2. Protect Life. I will always vote to protect life! Oklahomans are proud to be leading the country in the pro-life movement. 3. Congress needs to lower taxes, not

3. Congress needs to lower taxes, not raise them.

U.S. Senator (Unexpired Term)

Editor’s Note: Jessica Garrison was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Political Party: Republican Hometown: Bethel Acres

Hometown: Bethel Acres Current City: Owasso

Current City: Owasso Education: Graduate of Shawnee

Education: Graduate of Shawnee High School, received BS in Nutrition from OSU

Candidate Background: Jessica Garrison says her walk with God is first in life. She is a conservative with traditional values, Cherokee Nation citizen, and a single mother of three. A small business owner, she stands

A small business owner, she stands for freedom, faith and family. She said she will continue the legacy of her late father, the former State Sen. Earl Garrison, to Washington, D.C.

U.S. Senator (Unexpired Term)

Editor’s Note: John Tompkins was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of material.

U.S. Senator (Unexpired Term)

Editor’s Note: Laura Moreno was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

What are the top three messages of your campaign? 1. Secure the border. Borders are what

1. Secure the border. Borders are what makes a real country. Guns, drugs and terrorists can go right through now. Otherwise, request Latin American oil barrels start coming through that open border.

2. Submit a bill to give amnesty to all hard-working immigrants that worked during the shutdown as gratitude for helping keep our state afloat, and a bill for marijuana taxes to fund our public schools and employee raises.

3. Main stream media politicians should retire. Letting the news dictate what they work on, or not work at all like during pandemic waves which are scheduled until 2030, is a waste of taxpayer money.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. Submit a bill to open the Keystone pipeline and request Mr. Elon Musk help us build Nuclear generators to become energy independent. This administration seems to not know what independence means. We’re more dependent on foreign countries than we were on England in 1776.

2. Start manufacturing more in the USA, create jobs and honor people who will work those jobs without complaining of pay. Labor workers are as critical to infrastructure as a senator.

3. Protect all Americans from coerced experimentation again. Inform of the choices in all states.

U.S. Senator (Unexpired Term)

Education: University of Arkansas, degree in Finance from Walton School of Business

Candidate Background: My roots run deep in Oklahoma. My greatgrandmother arrived in Muskogee on a covered wagon from Arkansas, and both sides of my family settled in Bartlesville where I grew up and attended school. After high school, I got a scholarship to attend the University of Arkansas and earned a degree in Finance from the Walton School of Business.

Witnessing Barack Obama move our country toward Socialism emboldened me to get into public service and fight to get America back to its foundation of freedom and Christian values.

I joined Senator Inhofe in the trenches fighting socialists in Washington, standing up for our freedoms, and working to pass and defend the Trump agenda.

I grew up attending the Grace Community Church in Bartlesville and am now a member of New Beginnings Church in Bixby.

Please answer the following questions

1. Have you ever failed to pay any taxes or court ordered judgments? No

2. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? No

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. I am proud to have the endorsement of Jim Inhofe. Senator Inhofe has endorsed me because he knows I’m the only candidate who has the guts to stand up to them and deliver conservative results for Oklahoma like standing up and stopping Joe Biden and the Socialists’ radical spending which is driving everyday costs on Americans higher.

2. Unlike any time in our great history, the United States faces perilous enemies who come from both outside and inside our borders. An emboldened Communist China and radical left-wing socialists will stop at nothing to destroy what makes America great and the Christian values on which it was founded. I am running so we can restore America’s greatness and defend the gains made under President Trump by standing up to Communist China and the Socialists who seek to destroy our country.

3. It’s time we welcome God back into our lives at home and work to build a nation that honors Him. Our faith in God and the values that He desires are central to the founding of America, but far-left progressives will stop at nothing to strip God out of our everyday lives. Their agenda of big government, high taxes, reckless spending, and a weak military are bad for our families and our freedoms.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. Inflation – to start, we must do exactly the opposite of what Joe Biden and the Socialists in Washington are doing. That means stopping the insane spending that has driven inflation to the highest this country has seen in 40 years. We must cut spending and lower taxes, not raise them. We must unleash the real power of the American economy by reducing regulations so we can grow and get America back on track. On gas prices especially, we need to drill here, drill now – only increasingly supply will bring prices down. It’s simple economics that Joe Biden doesn’t seem to understand.

2. China & our Military. One of the worst decisions America ever made was to cut a bad trade deal with China at the end of the Clinton Administration. Since then, they’ve taken our technology and our jobs, and they’ve used the trade deficit to build up their military. They’re our greatest military and economic threat, and we have to get serious about them. That’s why I am unflinching in my commitment to build up our military so that it is the strongest fighting force in the world. Only when we are strong will we truly be free.

3. Inviting God back to the center of things. The Left has been relentless at working to remove God and any reference to him in the public square. Are we better off for that? No way. Crime, depression, anxiety…they’re all skyrocketing because of it. I strongly believe the Lord cares about how we run America, and the more we move in His direction, the better off we’ll be.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular.

Rural Oklahoma is on track to grow by leaps and bounds. I’m eager to eliminate the federal control of our lakes in Eastern Oklahoma to ease economic development opportunities. Too often, the federal government gets in the way of simple things like building docks and marinas, and this limits our freedoms and economic opportunities. We need to stop that. I also firmly believe we should do everything we can to drill for more oil and gas here in America. We should be energy independent – the only thing in our way is the federal government, and I’ll get them out of our way.

U.S. Senator (Unexpired Term)

Editor’s Note: Markwayne Mullin was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Education: Graduate of Stilwell High School. Attended Missouri Valley College in 1996, earned his associates from Oklahoma University Institute of Technology

Candidate Background: Congressman Markwayne Mullin was first elected to serve the people of Oklahoma’s Second Congressional District in 2012. He is currently serving his fifth term in office.

Mullin and his wife Christie have been married since 1997 and have six children. They reside on their ranch in Westville, which includes the original allotment land his family received as Cherokees. They are members of the Assembly of God Church.

Mullin attended Missouri Valley College on a wrestling scholarship. Shortly after, Mullin’s father fell ill and the family’s plumbing company encountered financial troubles. Mullin left college to return home and take over his family’s business, forgoing his wrestling scholarship and education.

He and his wife founded multiple successful companies including Mullin Plumbing, Mullin Environmental, Mullin Services, Mullin Properties, and Rowan’s Steakhouse to name a few. As one of the few business owners in Congress, Mullin brings the business perspective into the national debate on many issues directly impacting Oklahoma’s thousands of small businesses.

In 2010, he completed his education and received his degree in Applied Science in Construction Technology from Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology. Additionally, he received an honorary doctorate degree from Bacone College in 2018.

He currently serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, including the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, Subcommittee on Health, and on Environment and Climate Change. Mullin also serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Intelligence, Modernization, and Readiness and as a member of the Subcommittee on Defense Intelligence and Warfighter Support and the Subcommittee on Strategic Technologies and Advanced Research. Additionally, Mullin is a member of a number of caucuses, and is a co-chair of the House Energy Action Team (HEAT) and the Innovation Caucus.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Freedom of speech. 2. The right to life.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. The U.S. Constitution is clear that we should have a strong, national defense. Our men and women in the military protect us and our freedoms, allowing America to remain a leader of the free world and a beacon of hope. In order to keep us from falling behind other world powers, and to be prepared for emerging threats, we must continue to make investments in not only the most advanced equipment and technology, but also in the very people that choose to put on the uniform every day.

2. I believe in local control for our school districts. While in Congress, I have helped pass legislation freeing our state from being forced to adhere to ineffective federal standards like Common Core. The federal government has no business creating education standards that have a one-size-fits-all policy. These decisions should be made by the state. I believe that local school boards, parents, teachers and administrators have the best interests of our children at heart.

3. I have fought for policies that preserve and grow Oklahoma’s energy jobs and assure our families can afford to keep their lights on. Oklahoma is an energy-rich state and I will make sure our priorities are included in the comprehensive U.S. energy agenda. I will continue working to strengthen our economy by modernizing our infrastructure to keep pace with new resources, removing current barriers on energy production, and working to make America energy independent. It is important that we are able to create new jobs, lower fuel prices, and increase economic activity.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular.

The private sector is the engine that drives our economy and creates real jobs and opportunity. As a business owner, I know that for many businesses it is a daily struggle just to keep the doors open. I have first-hand experience with the challenges of running businesses in this burdensome regulatory environment.

In order to do this the federal government must rein in spending, reform the tax code, and end the heavy-handed regulations that are making it harder for the private sector to create the real jobs this country desperately needs.

U.S. Senator (Unexpired Term)

Editor’s Note: Michael Coibion was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

U.S. Senator (Unexpired Term)

Candidate Background: Nathan Dahm spent his childhood years in Broken Arrow while his parents attended Bible school. In 1994, the Dahm family moved to the Eastern European nation of Romania as missionaries to the former communist nation. Upon graduating high school, Nathan returned to Romania to serve as a missionary. During this time, he designed and managed a Bible school campus.

Upon returning to Oklahoma, Nathan quickly noticed the changes facing America and the many challenges lying ahead. He became actively involved in the Tulsa County Republican Party and has served on the Executive Committee, as a Precinct Chair and Vice-chair, and as the President of the Tulsa Area Republican Assembly.

In 2012, Dahm was elected to the Oklahoma State Senate, representing Senate District 33 in the Broken Arrow area. His current term ends in November 2024 when he will term out of office. Previously, he was a candidate for the US House of Representatives for Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District.

While serving in the Oklahoma State Senate, Dahm is known as the only senator who reads every bill. He passed the first-ever Anti-Red Flag Law in the country, authored and passed Constitutional Carry, passed legislation prohibiting local funding of Planned Parenthood, passed the most pro-life anti-abortion law in the country, supported building the wall on the nation’s southern border, and repealed over 200 laws and regulations.

Dahm is endorsed by US Senator Rand Paul, Eagle Forum, NRA with an A+ rating, OK2A with an A++ rating, Oklahomans for Health and Parental Rights, the Republican Liberty Caucus, and the Defeating Communism PAC. He has a 100% conservative ranking by the Oklahoma Constitution and American Conservative Union.

In addition to serving in the State Legislature, Dahm is self-employed with his own app development company, and helps manage the cleaning company his family owns. He has worked in the past as an engineering technician for a local municipality, and as a producer for a Tulsa-based production company.

Nathan Dahm and his wife Christina have been married one year and reside in Broken Arrow.

Please answer the following questions

1. Have you ever failed to pay any taxes or court ordered judgments? Yes

2. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? No

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Protecting and expanding the Second Amendment - the Second Amendment is under attack in our country. I have and I will continue to protect it and assure this right, as well as others, is not infringed. I will do everything in my power to protect the rights and freedoms given to We the People by our Creator.

2. Defending the lives of the unborn – the first and most fundamental responsibility of government is to protect the rights of We the People. This protection begins with protecting the right to life. I will continue to fight for and pass legislation that protects the most innocent among us and assure that they enjoy the heritage promised them in our nation’s Constitution.

3. Voting in the best interests of the people I represent – protecting the rights of the people is the most important responsibility of elected officials in our government. It is my duty and honor to fight for the rights assured to us in the Constitution, to fight against unlawful taxation, regulations, and other infringements of these rights. It is in the best interest of all Americans to protect their rights and assure the integrity of our Constitutional Republic for future generations.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. Inflation and Affordability – stop the woke agenda that is crushing our economy and raising food/gas prices on every-day Oklahomans

2. Green Energy Perversion – stop the green energy fetishization of America. Reinvest and reopen all of our natural God given resources.

3. Jobs – Continue to make Oklahoma the most competitive state to do business to ensure access to high quality jobs across the state.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular.

The way to lead again is to allow Oklahoma to be the most economically free state in the country. Cutting red tape, allowing a low tax regulatory framework, and providing a work force to businesses is how we bring good paying jobs and long-standing industry to our state.

U.S. Senator (Unexpired Term)

Editor’s Note: Paul Royse was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Candidate Background: In America, pastors have been arrested for having church! This is not why our veterans fought and died. My dad was a veteran who would be ashamed to see this if still alive. Where were our senators? Asleep at the wheel while America’s freedoms were falling to the ground.

When Inhofe was elected the debt was around 4 trillion. Now it’s 30 trillion! Republican voters just keep sending the same politicians back to Washington to spend even more! The buck stops here. We are broke. Whatever I have to do in the swamp to stop this I will do. We can’t keep spending money we don’t have! We are heading toward a major financial crisis. How can we tell our kids we love them every night but leave them with a 30 trillion debt?

For the last 50 years, Republican politicians have said they are against abortion and the people applaud. However, 50 years later babies are still being murdered every single day. In the past 50 years, Republicans have

In the past 50 years, Republicans have had the White House many times and the House and Senate majority, yet we don’t have a completed border wall that works. No more stupidity, no more idle talk, we have to build a wall.

U.S. Senator (Unexpired Term)

Editor’s Note: Randy J. Grellner was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Education: Graduated from Medical School in 1998

Candidate Background: Raised on a family farm, I attended an elementary school known as Big Four in east Kingfisher County where we had fewer than 50 students. People took care of each other, they’d help plant or harvest for a neighbor if illness or tragedy struck. Help was always around the corner. I never remember locking the doors on the farmhouse.

I graduated from medical school in 1998 and completed my residency as Chief Family Resident in 2001. I began my medical practice in Cushing, where I still practice today. I also served as the vice president of the Cushing Public Schools Board from 2013 to 2019. I opened the Cushing Urgent Care facility in 2014, which continues to serve the community today. As an America First, multi-issue conservative, I was recently appointed by Governor Stitt to the State Board of Health.

Over the past 30 years, career politicians have gotten us into our current mess. They will not get us out of what they have created in Washington D.C. I am not, and will never be, a career politician. I will fight for your everyday values and beliefs. For 21 years, I have been serving Oklahomans; that will continue when you elect me to the United States Senate.

I am not a product of the political swamp. I am a family doctor informed by common sense and faith. I will fight for budget cuts on wasteful spending and deficit containment. What are the top three messages of

What are the top three messages of your campaign? 1. I am pro 10th Amendment, states’

1. I am pro 10th Amendment, states’ rights, which serves as a check on federal control of our citizens. I am also pro-life, including protecting life at conception. I am against inconsistent mask mandates and vaccine mandates by the federal government. I support parents in choosing schooling for their children. 2. I am a strict constitutionalist. I be

2. I am a strict constitutionalist. I believe in free and fair elections, and I want to see elections that are transparent and protected.

3. I stand for common sense. As reactive “woke” culture and career politicians reach for new extremes, I will lean on traditional values; oppose critical race theory, gender definition according to the Bible, protecting women’s sports.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. America First: I believe in the America First agenda, in line with President Trump, prioritizing and promoting the well being of fellow Americans. I believe we must regain energy independence and maintain world leadership ahead of China and Russia, while maintaining secure borders.

2. I am 100 percent pro 2nd Amendment.

3. McGirt Decision: The reason why practical solutions for the fallout of McGirt have not been implemented is because career politicians in Washington are trying to use the matter to expand their own power bases instead of addressing the needs of their tribal and non-tribal constituents.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular.

I am prepared to fight Biden’s inflation by improving trade policies and incentivizing manufacturing in the U.S., not overseas, to reduce supply chain issues and to create jobs. I will also promote our state’s rural values of family-farming and ranching, as well as the Trump Energy Independence plan to restore at-home oil and gas production opportunities.

U.S. Senator (Unexpired Term)

Editor’s Note: Scott Pruitt was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Education: University of Kentucky and Georgetown College, 1990; Law, University of Tulsa, 1993

Candidate Background: After working for five years in the private sector, Pruitt entered the Oklahoma political stage in 1998 when he was elected to the state senate, representing Tulsa and Wagoner Counties. After two years, he was selected by his peers to serve as the Republican whip from 2001 to 2003 before being named the Republican assistant floor leader, a position he held until he left the state legislature. From Feb. 17, 2017-July 6, 2018, he

From Feb. 17, 2017-July 6, 2018, he was Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Jan. 10, 2011-Feb. 17, 2017, he was Attorney General of Oklahoma; from 2003-2010, he was co-owner and managing general partner of the Oklahoma Red Hawks; from 2003-2007, he was a member of the Oklahoma State Senate, 36th district; and from 1999-2003, he was a member of the Oklahoma Senate, 54th district.

He was the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. He assumed office on Feb. 17, 2017, and left office on July 6, 2018.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. Clean Power Plan. In 2015, Pruitt led Oklahoma in joining more than two dozen other states in a lawsuit against the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan, which required states to reduce carbon dioxide emissions through limitations on emissions from power plants. The Plan was promulgated without any consultation with Congress. No bills were debated, no votes were taken, and the representatives of the American people had no opportunity to object/offer their own suggestions.

2. Waters of The United States Rule. Pruitt criticized the Waters of the United States rule, which sought to clarify federal jurisdiction over rivers, lakes, marshes, and streams throughout the country. In 2015, Pruitt told Congress, “The EPA should undoubtedly have a role in solving interstate water quality issues. That role should not, however, be so expansive so as to render virtually every property owner in the nation subject to often unpredictable, unsound, and Byzantine federal regulatory regimes.

3. Mortgage/foreclosure abuse settlement. Pruitt was the only state attorney general who declined to sign off on the $25 billion settlement agreement between Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and GMAC, and 49 other states over foreclosure abuses. Stating that the settlement’s expansion into principal reduction and loan refinancing, beyond basic legal issues, “exceeded his authority as attorney general.” He pursued a separate agreement with the same five mortgage lenders and the agreement awarded $18.6 million in relief to the state.

U.S. Senator (Unexpired Term)

Editor’s Note: T.W. Shannon was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Hometown: Lawton Education: BA in communications

Education: BA in communications from Cameron University and JD from Oklahoma City University School of Law

Candidate Background: T.W. Shannon is an American banker and politician who served as a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives for the 62nd district from 2007 to 2015. On Jan. 8, 2013, he made history by

On Jan. 8, 2013, he made history by becoming the youngest Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, as well as being the first Chickasaw and first African-American to hold the post. He also successfully led the effort to

He also successfully led the effort to overhaul the state’s welfare system by mandating a 24-hour work week for able-bodied adult recipients. Additionally, he passed into law legislation, making Oklahoma the first state in the nation to provide a $5,000 tax deduction for parents of foster children.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Shannon believes the right to defend ourselves “shall not be infringed.” He believes the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to possess firearms, and defend oneself from harm. He does not believe we need new gun control laws, but to enforce the laws that are on the books.

2. With an unwavering conviction that human life is the gift of a loving Creator, Shannon believes life starts at conception and should be protected. He is opposed to taxpayer-funded abortion and is taking the fight to Planned Parenthood, which targets Black communities for profit off the murder of unborn babies. He will be a fervent defender of life, and take on the woke left because he believes Black babies’ lives matter. 3. Shannon stands on the courage of

3. Shannon stands on the courage of his convictions, which are steeped in his Christian faith. He believes service is an honorable calling, and has accepted it as an act of faith.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. Shannon knows American innovation, growth and opportunity are a product of our commitment to capitalism, and a belief in free market principles where entrepreneurs are free to risk capital to create jobs, incomes and success. He will fight back against the Biden regulation regime, higher taxes that harm jobs, the terrible woke Left energy policies that stop production in Oklahoma, and the export of our energy resources abroad.

2. Will push back against the “defund the police” movement and will defend the police. He knows law enforcement is all that stands between civilized society and total chaos. As Speaker of the House in Oklahoma, he defended the police and stood for law and order. As our senator, he will bring law and order to the border, and support policing policies that make communities safer and freer.

3. Believes constitutional rights must be protected from liberals who think it should “evolve” to meet their progressive agenda. He will be guided by constitutional principles, approve justices who give it legal deference, and ensure America is a country where personal liberty reigns supreme. He will protect our freedom of speech, freedom to worship, our right to bear arms, and the principles of federalism that reserve to states and individuals powers not enumerated to the federal government.

Editor’s Note: Arya Azma was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Candidate Background: Raised by Iranian immigrants in Norman, Azma attended school there and after graduating from MIT, he took a job trading stock options for a Wall Street Investment Bank. He then chose to travel America by motorcycle. Believing in preventing emergencies by thinking ahead, he said he also believes in the persuasive power of a candid voice. He believes the wisest path forward for our state and nation is to cultivate strong partnerships within the Americas.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Immigration. Moving to our country should not involve trekking through deserts or overstaying a visa. We should combine stricter border enforcement with more accessible immigrant visas.

2. Education. The great equalizer, children in urban and rural communities deserve a shot at selecting their futures. Rampant debt and inflated tuition impede higher education.

3. Deficit. Projecting power across oceans is a costly peacetime military strategy. If we end foreign wars and close overseas bases, we can reduce spending while avoiding base closures at home.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. Pharmaceuticals. Many Oklahomans take expensive prescription medications. Some of us have lost a friend or relative to drug overdose. Lawmakers have a responsibility to address these issues.

2. Ukraine. The fight for democracy begins at home. Our country is deeply in debt and we cannot afford to send tens of billions of dollars to support a war effort for which we have no treaty obligation.

3. Contraceptives. Contraception is a complex matter that involves religious beliefs and situational circumstances. The government’s role should be to regulate efficacy and toxicity, not to decide for us.

Educational: B.A. – English, University of Tulsa, J.D. – Law – University of Tulsa

Candidate Background: I am an attorney and law enforcement professional. I was born in Claremore, Oklahoma and grew up in Okmulgee and Sapulpa. I served as a Tulsa Police Officer and an FBI Special Agent. I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree and my Juris Doctor from the University of Tulsa. I’m a member of the Oklahoma Bar Association. In the FBI, I served in the FBI’s Senior Executive Service as a Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s St. Louis Division. I served in FBI offices across the country including Charlotte, Phoenix, Sacramento, St. Louis, and FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. I investigated violent crime, kidnappings, drug trafficking, and oversaw international and domestic terrorism cases, counterintelligence cases, and intelligence collection and investigative efforts directed against Al-Qaeda. Most recently, I oversaw security at Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore, California whose primary mission included maintaining the reliability and surety of our nation’s nuclear weapons.

Please answer the following questions

1. Have you ever failed to pay any taxes or court ordered judgments? No

2. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? No

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. I’ll work to ensure our public schools are funded and that all students have broadband access and can attend affordable colleges. I’ll ensure teachers receive a living wage. I’ll fix teacher staffing shortages by reimbursing tuition and offering retention bonuses to keep good teachers in the classroom.

2. Too many families are going without medical care because they can’t afford it. I’ll fix our broken health care system and expand Medicare to all who want it. When families have a medical emergency, I want them to be able to focus on what’s medically right and not whether they’re going to go bankrupt.

3. I’ll support Oklahoma’s energy economy and when markets shift to renewable energy, work to bring those high-tech jobs and industry to Oklahoma. I’ll make sure America stops outsourcing its critical industries to China and moves those jobs back to America. It’s vital to our national security.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. Healthcare - Access to quality healthcare is a major issue for rural Oklahomans. Too many do not have adequate insurance and they must deal with an insufficient number of hospitals, medical clinics and doctors. Southeast Oklahoma has two of Oklahoma’s counties with the fewest doctors per capita – Coal County and Atoka County. In addition, rural hospitals lack the medical specialists and equipment needed to address significant injuries or illnesses. I support developing incentives, such as assisting with medical school debt, to get doctors to relocate to rural areas. I support Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement reform to help struggling rural hospitals that aren’t being adequately compensated for services. I also support extending insurance coverage to the more than 200,000 Oklahomans who do not have adequate coverage. That will not only help them, but also help rural hospitals who struggle to stay open due to uncompensated costs. 2. Education - Rural Oklahoma

2. Education - Rural Oklahoma schools, like most of Oklahoma, are underfunded. They face difficulty recruiting and retaining quality teachers. An investment in public education is an investment in economic growth. I’ll work with state and local leaders to help secure federal resources towards adequately funding public schools. I’ll make sure rural public school teachers receive a living wage and address retention and recruitment issues by reimbursing student loan debt and offering retention bonuses.

3. Infrastructure - It’s time to address infrastructure needs in rural Oklahoma, such as broadband access for everyone, clean water, good roads and bridges. The recently passed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will provide five billion dollars to Oklahoma over the next five years for infrastructure. That’s about $520 million for clean water projects, $100 million for broadband, and $288 million to repair road and bridges. I’ll work with federal agencies and local leaders to ensure Oklahoma has access to this funding and that it goes where it’s most needed. This is a once in a generation opportunity to help rebuild rural Oklahoma.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular.

Economic development in eastern Oklahoma, like all economic development, must be planned and coordinated. I’ll work with businesses, farmers, ranchers, teachers, and health care providers to address unique challenges in education, health care access and infrastructure. In eastern Oklahoma, coordinating and working with our tribal nations is essential to improving economic opportunities. I’ll support public education and higher education in Eastern Oklahoma as an investment in economic growth. I’ll support tribal sovereignty to sustain tribal economic growth and the resulting economic benefits to all of eastern Oklahoma. I’ll work to stop outsourcing essential industries to China and bring those highly skilled and highly paying jobs back to Oklahoma. I’ll support our next generation farmers and ranchers and work to make life better in rural Oklahoma.

Editor’s Note: Jason Bollinger was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Current Town: Oklahoma City Educational: A.A. from SWOSU, B.S.

Educational: A.A. from SWOSU, B.S. in accounting and law degree from University of Oklahoma

Candidate Background: Jason Bollinger, a Democrat, was born and raised in rural Western Oklahoma, where he learned the values important to all Oklahomans. Jason’s parents—a public school teacher and a city manager— taught him how to work hard, serve his neighbor and instilled in him the value of a good education. After graduating from Merritt High School in Elk City, Jason earned his associate’s degree from SWOSU at Sayre, and then a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a law degree from the University of Oklahoma. Jason had the honor of serving his

Jason had the honor of serving his country in Washington, DC, where he worked at the U.S. Department of State. While there, he worked with the top levels of government and represented the US in a dispute against one of its greatest adversaries. Today, Jason is a successful attorney with his own law practice in downtown Oklahoma City.

Like many Oklahomans, Jason knows our representation in Washington is failing us. For too long, Oklahomans have been ignored while James Lankford has catered to big, out-of-state corporate donors, played partisan games, spent time bashing ice cream makers (really), and wasted time and tax dollars on issues of absolutely no relevance or benefit to the people of Oklahoma. This type of politician is exactly what is wrong with our country today.

Oklahomans deserve a Senator who will fight for the things that are important to us and our daily lives. We need affordable health care and a government that works. We want politicians who don’t waste our money or spend time dividing us against each other. Oklahomans need a better infrastructure, an improved education system, security for our nation, and so much more.

Jason Bollinger isn’t a perennial politician with a rolodex of donors to serve. He is an Oklahoman who has worked hard here his whole life with the “pick yourself up AND give one another a hand” spirit that makes Oklahoma special. Jason knows how Washington, DC works, and he knows we can do better. As Oklahoma’s senator, Jason will take the Oklahoma Spirit to Washington, DC and work toward one objective: fixing our country by serving the interests of and working for all Oklahomans in the United States Senate.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Government by the people, working for the people - It is no secret that our government is broken. Washington is full of partisan bureaucrats who waste our money, cater to their own interests and the interests of their big donors, and ignore the needs of their constituents. Many members of Oklahoma’s federal delegation are no better.

Jason is not a perennial politician but is a true Oklahoman committed to focusing on the needs of ALL Oklahomans in the US Senate. It’s time Oklahomans’ voices are restored in the Senate, and Jason will speak up for us.

2. Securing our nation without abandoning our values - Our country must have secure borders and a robust national security strategy. At the US State Department, Jason came face-to-face in a legal dispute with one of our nation’s most dangerous adversaries, so he knows the risks that lurk outside our borders. But the United States is a land of opportunity for all, and we are enriched by the diverse cultures, ethnicities, races, and points of view that exist here. We need comprehensive reform of our immigration system that provides for legal and humane processes to access this great land. We need to ensure our elections are

We need to ensure our elections are secure and free from foreign interference. We need proper oversight of our national security systems and officials— both at home and abroad. We need to ensure those we have tasked with protecting us are properly trained to address modern threats. All of this is doable, and Jason has the skills to produce these results for Oklahomans and the American people.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. Expanding access to quality, affordable healthcare - No Oklahoman should be without access to the healthcare they need, and accessing healthcare shouldn’t break the bank. It’s past time we address the source of this problem. As a small business owner, Jason knows how much it costs to self-insure. He knows families are breaking the bank on healthcare expenses, whether they have health insurance or not. And as someone who grew up in rural Oklahoma, Jason has seen first-hand the negative impacts of the closures of our rural hospitals and clinics.

In the US Senate, Jason will work to break up the monopoly on the health insurance market in Oklahoma, reduce the cost of prescription drugs, reduce the cost of critical care, and expand access to healthcare in Oklahoma’s rural areas.

2. Building a 21st Century infrastructure - In the wealthiest country in the world and in the great state of Oklahoma, we should not be driving on roads littered with potholes and dangerous bridges, worrying about our property flooding, and be unable to access high-speed Internet in our rural areas. Oklahomans pay taxes to ensure these critical needs are met, and we have seen little return on our investment in years. While Congress is slowly taking steps to focus on infrastructure, Oklahoma’s Congressional delegation doesn’t appear to find it a priority. Jason grew up the son of a city man

Jason grew up the son of a city manager in rural Oklahoma, so he has seen these problems up close all his life. Jason knows first-hand how our government’s failure to take care of our infrastructure and continue to make necessary improvements affects our lives and our pocketbooks, and he is committed to making our critical infrastructure a priority in the US Senate. 3. Investing in our future by support

3. Investing in our future by supporting our schools and educators - Jason believes there is no better investment we can make in our future than ensuring our schools are funded and our children and educators have the resources they need. As the son of a career Oklahoma public school teacher, Jason knows first-hand how constrained Oklahoma’s teachers are for resources, and how not all school districts are equal when it comes to funding. Jason has seen how the federal gov

Jason has seen how the federal government continues to push harsh mandates on our schools. An Oklahoma teacher recently told Jason that “education in Oklahoma is under assault.” As one of our most vital public services, we must make education a priority and give our students, parents and educators the resources and control they need to properly educate Oklahoma’s next generation.

Editor’s Note: Joan Farr was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Current Town: Broken Arrow Educational: Associate’s from But

Educational: Associate’s from Butler Co. College, 1975; Bachelor’s from Wichita State University, 1977; graduate of Wichita State University, 1981.

Candidate Background: Her professional experience includes working as a traffic investigator with the Wichita Police Department, as a senior buyer at The Boeing Company, as president of Heffington Homes, Inc., as CEO of the Association for Honest Attorneys, as a business consultant with Improv Business Consulting, and as a pre-litigation consultant. Farr received the 2015 Library of

Farr received the 2015 Library of Congress Award for her 2014 campaign website. She also received following awards: the Ronald Reagan Gold Medal Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence (2014), NRCC Businesswoman of the Year (2003 to 2006), National Leadership Award as NRCC Honorary Chairman (2003), and Who’s Who Among Professionals and Executives honoree (2001). Farr is the author of How to Run for Office as an Independent Candidate - on very little $$! (2015) and Ten Secrets You Must Know Before Hiring a Lawyer (2004). As of 2020, Farr was affiliated with Dorcas Ministries in Oklahoma.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Justice Amendment. Justice has been severely lacking in our country, since the side with the most money to pay their attorney wins. Joan has helped people take 12 meritorious cases to the high court since 2003, but none of them was heard. She was falsely sued for ‘practicing law without a license’ in Kansas, even when the U.S. Supreme Court has already ruled in 18 cases that anyone can help a person with a legal matter as long as they don’t present themselves as a lawyer and they don’t take a fee. Joan did neither and appealed the case all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court twice, but they refused to hear it.

2. Get Out Of Debt Plan. She wants to help people file mass pro se lawsuits to end the pandemic, overhaul the legal system by passing a justice amendment, implementing the plan that helps bridge the gap between the rich and poor, remove innocent Americans from the terrorist watchlist, ensure that her father receives the Medal of Honor, and pay off a fraudulent $140,000 IRS debt that she doesn’t owe.

3. Over 70 percent of American’s profess to be Christian, and I am in favor of passing laws that support the majority. I have never discriminated against anyone, I do believe in ‘live and let live.’ But we should not be passing laws that favor the minority, since passing too many laws restricts our freedoms. I am in favor of prayer being put back in schools as well as spanking - spare the rod and spoil the child.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. Have you lost a loved one from Covid or your job for refusing the vaccine? Mass pro se lawsuits will end the pandemic not vaccines. You can learn how to DIY at assocforhonestattys.com, just click on “How to File a Federal Suit.” If elected, I will ensure that your case is settled fairly and equitably.

2. Forced vaccines are a violation of your rights, especially the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Don’t let anyone tell you different. 3. I support the Second Amendment

3. I support the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, especially with the coronavirus pandemic begun by the Deep State. In fact, I support the Constitution entirely.

Editor’s Note: Jo Glenn was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. Exhaustive searching could not locate any further information.

Hometown: Tulsa Current Town: Tulsa

Current Town: Tulsa Educational: Studied at University of

Educational: Studied at University of Tulsa

Candidate Background: I’ve been an Oklahoman all my life. As a member of this community I’ve been a devoted member of the Tulsa Democratic Party, including three years as party chairman. I know the importance of empowering individuals and communities to have the ability to spark change in their lives or state. Together, I believe I can utilize my experience with the energy of our workforce, education system, and communities to improve the quality of the great state we call home. My message has always been service.

My message has always been service. As a public school teacher and former public prosecutor for the City of Tulsa, I understand the impact of having a strong advocate in your corner. As your United States Senator, I would advocate for all us. Even in disagreement, there is no room for hostility or attacks on democracy as we have seen in the last few years. I look forward to connection our communities through compassionate, understanding, dialogue.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Oklahoma has not been represented in the Senate with the same values that we practice daily in our great state. Our current Senator has betrayed the trust of his constituents and has not represented each Oklahoman fairly. As Senator, I will proudly take the oath to uphold the Constitution and defend this country from enemies, foreign and domestic. 2. Education. Through my time in the

2. Education. Through my time in the classroom I have experienced the need for an increase in funding for public education. I will fully fund it and I do not believe in the efficacy of school vouchers. Public education is the most important sector to fund for our children’s futures, especially as our state is 43rd in funding for public education and 48th in public education overall.

3. Tribal relations. As the McGirt ruling continues to be litigated, it is essential that our Government cooperate with the tribes, upholding the court rulings and sovereignty of their reservations, while simultaneously providing the appropriate agencies with the necessary resources to manage new caseloads.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. LGBTQ+. The Republican Party is demonstrating the bigotry and narrow mindedness they have become so famous for by proposing bills banning discussion of LGBTQ history, struggles and experiences. The sexual orientation of any individual is their own private business and should not be subject to the cheap political grandstanding by a party that portrays virtue. As a member of this community, I know how important it is to elect members who will enact legislation that supports and affirms LGBTQ youth and the community as a whole.

2. Roe v Wade. The women of Oklahoma and this country are responsible and give this issue a great deal of thought. We should respect their rights to choose the reproductive option that is best for them, regardless of personal belief. Abortion is healthcare, and I support the current precedent established under Roe v. Wade. State laws violating current federal law, such as the bans recently signed into law by Governor Stitt, are unconstitutional and do not solve the healthcare crisis we are currently in.

3. Gun Reform. I support commonsense gun reform with laws like background checks, registration, and bans on assault weapons. While I respect the constitutional precedents set for gun ownership, there are also places where guns should never be allowed for safety purposes. Guns have no place in our nation’s churches and schools. People who have been convicted of domestic violence should not have access to firearms.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular.

Infrastructure is as vital to rural areas as it is to urban areas. There are still great strides to be made in rural broadband access as well as availability to clean water. Oklahoma used to be a leader in strengthening our communities through essential infrastructure, but lately we have neglected these vital services, specifically in the Western half of our state. It is time for Oklahoma to innovate when it comes to the challenges surrounding future energy production and connecting communities.

Political Party: Democrat Hometown: Stilwell Current Town: Oklahoma

Candidate Background: Born in a small farm town in Oklahoma, Madison has built a career within cybersecurity as a respected and trusted servant-leader. She has worked her way from a place where 68% of women are unemployed, with limited access to technology, to being a global cybersecurity leader with a decade of experience. Madison prides herself on her scrappy, resourceful approach to leadership that has been cultivated over the years by beating the odds. Only 13% of children living in poverty escape it, and within cybersecurity, only 7% of women make it into leadership positions, and less than 1% lead global practices. Madison has beat these odds and is confident about her ability to continue shattering expectations.

Growing up, Madison worked multiple jobs, from working on the family farm to waitressing to tutoring. Madison developed a strong work ethic and passion for service very early, with a knack for being authentic and compassionate. When presented with an entry-level job at a small cybersecurity firm, Madison accepted the offer and quickly ascended the ranks and became well-versed in cybersecurity. Armed with confidence as a strategic thinker and an unmatched ability to gain trust with individuals, Madison quickly became a valuable asset to her colleagues and leadership.

Over a decade, Madison has built a career as a cybersecurity leader, working to defend American interests while understanding the demands of globalization and geopolitics necessary to effectively defend against foreign adversaries, nation-states, and terrorist organizations. She has worked within both the startup ecosystem and global organizations. Madison has consistently served as a catalyst leader with an entrepreneurial spirit removing barriers to effectively build, expand, and deliver elite cybersecurity capabilities, including ethical hacking, breach response, risk and threat management, security strategy, and cyber-technology. Such cybersecurity capabilities she has provided to a global clientele base, working at all levels across the private sector spanning from telecommunications, banking, media, manufacturing, and tech, with a heightened concentration on critical infrastructure. This unique mastership has allowed her to play a unique hybrid role outside of her regular duties within the private sector, from teaching and influencing educational curriculum to advising on the development of global cybersecurity standards and regulations alongside government agencies. These extracurricular opportunities have occurred as a direct response to Madison’s level of technical expertise, business acumen, interpersonal skills, and her dedication in navigating the matrix of complexities inherent in tackling difficult tasks.

In the world of cybersecurity, which can be very intense and highly technical, Madison comes well equipped with the soft people skills to build and lead complex teams of various personalities and abilities. She has frequently found herself one of the only women in the room throughout her career. In working her way up the corporate ladder, Madison became an advocate for diversifying the cybersecurity field and a leader in her company for pushing for a more inclusive future. She became involved as a dedicated mentor for women through various organizations, focusing on youth from under-resourced communities like herself. Sharing her story with individuals, being honest about her struggles, and helping others find their purpose have been some of the most rewarding experiences within her career.

Madison understands firsthand the difference that access to opportunities, effective leadership, and strong community support can make in people’s lives. Motivated by her resilience and relentless optimism for a better future, Madison is committed to working towards creating a more secure future for all Americans that embraces both the rural heartland and urban communities. Madison’s decision to run for office was born out of grave disappointment in our current political leaders and the current political landscape. Servant leaders with forward-looking experience in technology and a keen understanding of the problems of today and the future are few and far between. However, Madison knows the perspective she has gained both personally and professionally will bring something new to the political scene - something she hopes won’t end with her election. To restore trust in our government, faith in our democracy, and hope for the future, it is critical to have more leaders in government like Madison with the life experiences everyday Americans can relate to, and the skills to understand the risks and opportunities ahead. Nothing in Madison’s life has come to her without a fight, and she is prepared to do just that in the upcoming election.

Please answer the following questions

1. Have you ever failed to pay any taxes or court ordered judgments? No

2. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? No

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Expanding economic opportunity by bringing a variety of lasting jobs and workforce development opportunities to Oklahomans, while supporting small businesses and addressing regulations that hinder growth and job opportunities, and prioritizing immediate solutions to bring price relief to Oklahomans.

2. Strengthening our education system and supporting our teachers to invest in the promise of our future generations and create opportunities for Oklahoma’s children. This must be a primary focus of our leaders, and will be a primary focus of mine as your Senator.

3. Building bridges and advocating for rural and urban communities to make sure all Oklahomans’ voices are heard and engaged through bipartisan coordination. We must all be at the table and heard.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. Inflation-We have just lived through two horrific years in a global pandemic. Nations across the world had to instantly cope with business closures, demolished supply chains, and social unrest. Oklahoma, like all states, is experiencing the economic aftershocks of this worldwide earthquake. From fertilizer and gas all the way to the grocery store and to electricity, the pain inflation is causing has hit Oklahomans hard, especially our marginalized communities and farmers. Many of them are reporting their lowest earnings ever. This has caused many small businesses, farms, and even larger manufacturing plants to have to close shops, severely alter their budgets, or lay off hardworking employees who have been there for years. The complaint is the same across the board: everyone feels utterly at the mercy of events out of their control. What Oklahomans want and need more than anything right now is someone who understands, is willing to roll up their sleeves, like they do every morning, and prioritize immediate solutions to bring price relief. I will not politicize a global issue, but instead will work with individuals and companies up and down the supply chain to ensure our state thrives in a challenging economic environment.

2. Rural Access - Our rural communities have endured a shortage of services for decades, something I have experienced firsthand. Oklahoma is one one of the highest states without Health Insurance coverage. This fact, coupled with the lack of adequate rural healthcare facilities, have wreaked havoc on both the wallets and the health of rural Oklahomans. Tackling these challenges for our rural communities will involve expanding access to health and human services, promoting price-lowering competition in the prescription drug market, modernizing and expanding telemedicine options, and a host of other initiatives designed to bring opportunity to communities that have been all but forgotten in Washington. Not only are Health Services underfunded, but our schools are as well. I understand the importance of preparing the next generation to carry the torch. As important as our children are, our government seems to disagree on even the most basic of policies to support their growth. It must be understood that it is possible to increase funding to schools without increasing taxes on hard working Americans. Supporting future generations means investing in early childhood education, empowering teachers to take charge of their classrooms, investing in modernizing our education system while expanding vocational programs and ensuring our children are equipped with the skills they need to succeed in a modern and digital age. All of this and more will be required to both re-energize our economy and to be global leaders again in our industries. Many opportunities await us, but we must take action to seize them. From lack of broadband access to a shortage of supplies, our schools in rural Oklahoma are suffering the brunt of our lack of support. Supporting our rural classrooms should be one of the top priorities for our leaders. As your Senator, it will be one of mine.

3. Employment-The coming years will bring rapid economic and technological changes to our country and our state. We must bring everyone along with us as we expand our economy. This includes advocating for workers, providing liveable wages, forward-looking workforce development, and supporting small businesses and farms. Whether living in the rural heartland or a major city, all Americans should have the opportunity to be successful and make a future for themselves and their families. America has fallen behind in its standing on the world stage as an innovator. For Oklahomans in rural areas, the opportunity is on the horizon for hundreds of employers to bring the jobs of the future to our State, and for Oklahomans to take point in leading these industries towards the future and reenergizing our American economy. To usher in this era of change, it is important for our leaders to be flexible in reevaluating regulations and ensure businesses who come here are able to take full advantage of the economic opportunities Oklahoma and Okies provide.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular.

Eastern Oklahoma presents a unique challenge and opportunity to greatly expand our state’s economic capabilities. Our state stands as one of a few competitors for the future of energy in our country. From hydrogen to solar, millions of dollars have already been appropriated by congress to diversify our energy supplies in our country. I will work to ensure that companies coming into our state bring economic opportunity and are not hindered by overregulation. My goal will be to leverage my position as your U.S. Senator to ensure everyone who has a voice in Oklahoma is brought to the table concerning the rapid economic change happening. This includes all Oklahomans, including our tribes who must be major investors in the region. Since 2006, our state has seen billions of dollars reinvested into our communities, because of the hard work our Native American Nations are doing here. Many local entrepreneurs have expressed great interest in reinvesting in our rural areas. It will take the hard work of all Oklahomans to tackle the coming economic challenges, and my background has prepared me to help push discussions forward. The world economy and the supply chain are both undergoing a rapid change and remain highly volatile. We have a unique opportunity here in Oklahoma to proactively invest in our state by preparing ourselves to be global leaders in energy, technology, health, and a host of other services.

Editor’s Note: Jackson Lahmeyer

was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Educational: Oral Roberts University B.A & M.A in Theological & Historical Studies

Candidate Background: Jackson Lahmeyer is a 4th generation Oklahoman, devoted father, faithful husband, successful businessman, teacher, and pastor running for the U.S. Senate. La-hmeyer never thought he would run for political office, but after James Lankford betrayed President Trump on January 6, Lahmeyer said he was ‘fed up’ and decided to enter the race. During Covid’s lockdowns and mask mandates, Lahmeyer kept his church open, despite escalating legal threats from Tulsa County – and Lahmeyer won. As a business owner, Lahmeyer took on far-left activists from groups like Black Lives Matter in the face of death threats – and Lahmeyer did not back down. Lahmeyer is a proven leader who does not compromise his Christian principles under political or legal pressure.

Lahmeyer attended Oral Roberts University (ORU) and received a B.A. & M.A. in Theological & Historical Studies graduating Magna Cum Laude. Lahmeyer was then appointed to serve as the Crusade Director traveling the United States for Christ for All Nations, a ministry of Richard Bonnke that has helped lead 74,000,000 people to Christ since 1974. While serving as the Crusade Director, Lahmeyer served as the State Coordinator for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association leading more than 300 churches reaching across Oklahoma’s 77 counties to get engaged and fight for conservative values.

Jackson Lahmeyer serves as the Lead Pastor of the historic Sheridan Christian Center in Tulsa, OK – now known as Sheridan.Church. He is also a successful businessman and teaches at Victory College. Jackson and his wife, Kendra, have five children and reside in Owasso, Oklahoma. Lahmeyer is 100% committed to the America First Agenda championed by President Trump. He will protect our God-given rights and will not fold under political pressure.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. America First - The Trump Administration’s America First agenda is the future of the Republican Party. We must have a strong United States, we must end the establishment’s chokehold on our government, and we must have a strong economy that promotes the traditional free-market principles that have made us the most prosperous nation on earth. The role of any government is to serve its’ citizens, not the citizens of another nation. I will always serve to put America First, not foreign powers looking to dismantle the United States from within. Make no mistake, there is a GOP civil war underway, with Mitch McConnell at the establishment helm, and President Trump leading the America First movement. While Lankford has routinely sided with Mitch, betraying our values and President Trump, I will always be a fierce champion of Trump’s America First policies.

2. Constitution - I believe the very foundation of our nation is under attack, specifically the 1st & 2nd Amendments. The radical left has waged an all-out assault on the two most fundamental pillars to our individual liberty that protects our faith, families, and freedoms. If we lose the 2nd Amendment, we will lose the 1st Amendment which is what the radical left is truly after. I am committed to defending our Constitution by fighting to ensure the strength of the 1st & 2nd Amendments of the US Constitution. We must also teach American exceptionalism in our households and in our schools so the next generation discovers our nation’s greatness.

3. Election Integrity - The 2020 Presidential election proved the U.S. election system needs accountability across the spectrum. Following the election, Lankford said what we all knew -- that there was significant fraud in the 2020 election. He gave us his word he would object to certifying fraud on January 6th, but when the day came that we needed him most, Lankford flip-flopped like a fish out of water and caved like a coward to certify a lie. Lankford then came back to Tulsa and apologized for questioning the fraud, equating it to racism. We must investigate and get to the bottom of the 2020 fraud to ensure it never happens again. I will fight for holding those accountable for the steal, and I will fight to mandate voter ID requirements.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. Immigration - We are witnessing an unprecedented national security and humanitarian crisis at our southern border, created by the radical left. We saw historic decreases in border crossings under President Trump, and now, historic rises after President Biden repealed virtually all of President Trump’s border solutions. In April, May, and June, there have been over 500,000 border crossings from illegal immigrants, and virtually all of them have been allowed to stay in the country. Each of these months individually set a record for the highest crossings in any month in American history. This is intentional -- Biden and his radicals are determined to flood our border for political purposes. I will do everything in my power to end illegal immigration, end chain migration, and finish the wall to secure our border. Drugs, crime, and terrorists are flooding into our country and it must end NOW!

2. Oil & Gas - Oklahoma has a vibrant heritage in the energy sector, specifically in oil & gas production. I will always defend our interests against the radical left’s campaign to abolish Oklahoma energy production. Their Green New Deal would not only destroy our energy sector, it would forever stunt America’s ability to be energy independent. I will be a fighter for the America-First policy of American energy independence, and work to dismantle the radical left’s energy policies that destroy Oklahoma jobs and threaten our industries.

3. Social Security - Since its’ inception 85 years ago, millions of Americans have sent their taxpayer dollars into the Social Security program with the understanding that one day upon retirement it would be there to help. Unfortunately, corrupt and incompetent public officials have wasted and abused the funds that were meant to be used by those who have funded the program with their tax dollars. I will fight to ensure and protect the Social Security Program.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular.

The United States is on an unsustainable path with the national debt totaling $30 trillion dollars, including trillions in waste, fraud, and abuse. The debt issue is leading to a mounting inflation crisis that could wreak havoc on everyday working Oklahomans. I believe we must implement conservative principles to reduce spending in order to balance our national budget, coupled with a strong America First plan to lower taxes, and cut regulations. We must increase revenue not through higher taxes but through more taxpayers in order to have an economy that is not just surviving but thriving.

Candidate Background: 22 years in Youth Ministry / Director of the Falls Creek Youth Camp, four years US House of Representatives.

My wife, Cindy, and I have been married for 30 years and together we have two adult daughters.

I am focused on solving our nation’s challenges and improving the lives of all Americans.

Please answer the following questions

1. Have you ever failed to pay any taxes or court ordered judgments? No

2. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? No

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. I’m proud to represent the people of Oklahoma and Oklahoma values by doing the right thing, the right way. We are a Conservative state, but we also strongly believe that we should live our values as we work on the issues that make our nation strong.

2. We must secure our nation and protect the liberties we have as Americans.

3. Families are the bedrock of our nation. If we do not have strong families, we will always struggle as a nation. The Federal Government has an important Constitutional role, but our families, our churches and non-profits, our businesses and our communities are the strength of our nation.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. Economy - inflation, gas prices, debt

Federal spending and federal regulations are out of control. Government’s heavy hand is driving inflation which is killing our families. My work to bring sanity to our economy and government spending has earned the endorsement of the American Conservative Union.

America has ample energy, but the Biden Administration is obsessed with unrealistic energy goals that drive up the cost of energy for every American and make our nation weaker on the world stage. We must secure our nation and our future by promoting American energy dominance. It is time to promote developing America’s energy to bring down the cost of everything.

I have stood side by side with our federal law enforcement at the border and spoken out clearly for the practical solutions that will protect our nation from the flood of illegal drugs and human trafficking. It’s past time to finish the border wall and enforce our nation’s immigration laws. My work of standing strong to secure our border has earned the rare endorsement of the National Border Patrol Council.

Every child is precious. The right to life is the most basic of all rights. Like most parents in Oklahoma, Cindy and I believe that it is our responsibility to raise well equipped and godly kids. We are grateful for the many excellent teachers and administrators who were a part of our daughter’s lives, but we know the parents have the ultimate responsibility. Curriculum, standards and all other education choices, including protecting women in sports, should not be determined by the preferences of a Washington, DC bureaucrat, it should be determined by parents.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular.

Government does have a responsibility to make sure we have quality roads, inland waterways, basic infrastructure and national defense. Our communities, businesses and schools will not reach their potential if we do not have broadband access, access to quality healthcare, safe communities or strong values. Family farming and small business entrepreneurs should be honored in our communities.

A healthy economy starts with a healthy family and a home that prepares each person for work. We are a nation that honors work. If we don’t have workers, we don’t have an economy or a future. We must put policies in place that encourages work, not government benefits. Government can discourage a growing economy by enforcing too many regulations, creating too high taxes or paying people not to work.

Editor’s Note: Brandon Wade was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Candidate Background: Brandon Wade is a working-class, third generation oil industry worker, that understands the struggles the working class of America is facing.

He has been a proud Union member for over 22 years and has experience negotiating contracts for the things members want and deserve. He has been the Committee chairman for his local union for over 10 of those years and has served on our Executive Board with the Union for just as long. Wade understand how to work with others to come to an agreement that can benefit all sides. I believe I can take this experience to the Senate and put it to work for the working class. I believe we must get back to a government for the people by the people! This has been forgotten for far to long.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. I think it’s time to forget the political parties and work together to make this country better for the citizens.

2. We must ensure everyone can have a quality education and not be in a mountain of debt to get it. Education is a must at all levels no matter who or where you are from. We must educate our youth, because they are our future.

3. I will always fight for Women’s Rights. What is happening to our women in this country is unacceptable and we have to fight to stop it before it’s too late! Every woman should have the right to choose what they do with their bodies. This is a basic human right and we can’t allow it to be taken away. I stand with our women in their fight for their right!

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. Healthcare is a right! We must provide healthcare for every U.S. citizen and get control of the pharmaceutical industry as well. We have to ensure that our people are able to afford their medication, and demand pharmaceutical companies give us prescription drugs at the lowest cost. People should never have to choose between their medication or other needs for their families. 2. Voting is another right of all citizens

2. Voting is another right of all citizens in this country. This is what makes our democracy and has to be protected at all cost. We must fight to ensure every single citizens of this country of legal age has access to vote. We should be making this process easier not harder. Please stand with me as I stand with you in our fight to save our democracy!

3. The time is here to take back our government! We must stand and fight together to save our democracy! We can no longer sit back and allow our rights to be taken away.

Editor’s Note: Kim David was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Candidate Background: As a Republican leader in the Senate, Kim recently helped lead one of the body’s most conservative legislative agendas in the history of Oklahoma, which was then signed by Governor Stitt.

A historic figure in Oklahoma politics, Kim is the first woman since statehood to be named majority leader of the Oklahoma State Senate.

She is also the first woman to chair the Senate Appropriations Committee, and the first Republican woman to serve as majority whip.

Kim owns and operates a small business that manages properties and is well-versed in issues impacting small businesses. She previously worked in petroleum marketing both nationally and internationally before turning her attention to raising a family.

Kim is a native Oklahoman. Her husband, Dan, is a retired federal law enforcement officer. Her daughter is an officer in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, and her son served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Kim is a proud grandmother to three grandsons.

She received her Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Geology at Oklahoma State University.

Editor’s Note: Justin Horback was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Current Town: Broken Arrow Age: 38

Editor’s Note: Harold D. Spradling was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Editor’s Note: Todd Thomsen was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Political Party: Republican Current Town: Ada

Current Town: Ada Education: OU

Candidate Background: Todd Thomsen embodies the spirit and strength of our great state. A native Oklahoman, he was raised in Sapulpa by his mother and his father, a 35-year veteran of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. After high school, Todd became a proud Sooner, playing football for four years and helping his team win the National Championships in 1985 under famed coach

Barry Switzer. Thomsen graduated from OU with a degree in Management Information Systems and went to work for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, where he would spend the next 30 years guiding teen athletes and coaches in Southeast Oklahoma to a deeper relationship with Christ.

A trusted leader in the community, Thomsen was first elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 2006, where he would serve the citizens of District 25 for the next twelve years. During this time he was chosen for various leadership roles, including leadership on the Utilities Committee and membership on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. His appreciation and understanding of the economic infrastructure and resources of our great state is the driving factor in his run for Corporation Commission.

Thomsen currently resides in Ada where loves to spend time with his family. His children, Menee, Aneli, Tovan, Tyde, and the late Tal, are a blessing and make every day exciting.

Editor’s Note: Leslie Kathryn Osborn was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Candidate Background: Leslie Osborn is no stranger to hard work and tough decisions.

A successful small business owner for more than 22 years, Leslie has been in the trenches of the Oklahoma workplace, solving problems and making things work.

In 2008, she heeded the call to serve the people of District 47, winning election to the Oklahoma House of Representatives. And she has delivered, making state history as the first female to chair the Judiciary Committee where she authored a sweeping workers’ compensation reform bill, which lowered costs by more than 30% for Oklahoma businesses. It has been a priority for the business community for decades. Leslie got it done!

Her gutsy work on behalf of Oklahoma families has not gone unnoticed:

Recipient, Guardian of Small Business Award, National Federation of Independent Businesses;

Recipient, Legislator of the Year, District Attorneys Council;

Recipient, Legislator of the Year, Oklahoma Farm Bureau;

Recipient, Legislator of the Year, State Chamber of Oklahoma;

Recipient, Legislator of the Year, Freedom Oklahoma;

Recipient, Legislator of the Year, Oklahoma Association for Justice;

Recipient, Legislator of the Year, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation;

Recipient, Legislator of the Year, Oklahoma Credit Union Association;

Recipient, Legislator of the Year, Oklahoma State Fire Marshal’s Office; and

Recipient, Legislator of the Year, Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts

Recipient, Legislator of the Year, Oklahoma State Dental Association

Recipient, Legislator of the Year, Oklahoma State Medical Association

For speaking her mind, she earned the ire of the good ol’ boys

In 2016, she was named the first Republican female chairman of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee. Until she was ousted.

Leslie was pushed from the influential post after she called for real solutions to the budget crisis, and for an end to political pandering. She publicly contradicted party leadership about program and service cuts at the Department of Human Services and got fired.

“Being relieved of my duties as chair only reinforced my desire to fight the good fight for Oklahomans who want to see destructive partisan politics, bickering and pettiness replaced with constructive conversations, fresh ideas and bold initiatives,” Leslie says.

“Oklahomans are calling out for leadership, and I intend to answer their call.”

Leslie has proven she’ll take a stand against the good ol’ boys and insiders, even when it means standing alone.

Now this mother of two is ready to fight for all Oklahomans as State Labor Commissioner, championing for both small and large businesses and their employees.

“Together we will set a new agenda for strengthening our economy and improving our quality of life,” she says.

Editor’s Note: Sean Roberts was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Political Party: Republican Current Town: Hominy

Education: Bachelor’s degree from Southern Nazarene University, master’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Oklahoma

Candidate Background: Sean Roberts is a Christian, husband, father, and candidate for Oklahoma Labor Commissioner. He has his bachelor’s degree from Southern Nazarene University and his master’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Oklahoma. Roberts now runs his small business

Roberts now runs his small business while representing and fighting for his constituents in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. In his 12 years in the Oklahoma House, Roberts has been a relentless fighter for life, liberty, and freedom. Roberts was unwilling to raise taxes

Roberts was unwilling to raise taxes and was a fighter for our second amendment. During his time in the House, Roberts has chaired many committees such as Public Health, County & Municipal Government, & Select Agencies.

Editor’s Note: Keith Swinton was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Educational: EdD-School Administration; EdS-Educational Specialist; MS-Counseling; BS-Mathematics; AA-Associate of Arts

Candidate Background: 36 years in Public Education: 28 years as a School Superintendent; 8 years as a Math and Computer Science Teacher and Athletics Coach.

Adjunct Professor of Education: Public School Finance, Public School Facilities, Education Law, Public School Relations, and Research.

President, NSU Alumni Association; President, Organization of Rural Elementary Schools (95 schools); Chairman, Oklahoma Assurance Group (500 schools); Treasurer, Oklahoma Insurance Group (541 schools); Past President, Oklahoma Association of School Administrators; Chairman, Cherokee County Activities Association.

Please answer the following questions 1. Have you ever failed to pay any taxes

1. Have you ever failed to pay any taxes or court ordered judgments? No 2. Have you ever been convicted of a

2. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? No

What are the top three messages of your campaign? 1. Safety-Provide trained security

1. Safety-Provide trained security at our 1776 schools sites throughout the State; Increase security cameras; strengthen single point entry ways into our schools; protect the innocence of our children by assuring that we use age appropriate instructional materials and reading materials at our schools.

2. Back to the Basics-Focus on returning to teaching the foundations of reading, writing, and mathematics; empower teachers to teach again by reducing burdensome paperwork and mandates; eliminate end of year testing with a growth model using formative testing throughout the school year. Eliminate the A-F system and replace with a dashboard of testing data to provide transparency for teachers and parents and increase accountability to our parents and communities.

3. Experience Matters-My experience as a school administrator far exceeds my opponents along with my training, certifications, and advanced degrees. We cannot afford to have on-the-job training with a 3.2-Billion-dollar budget for our schools and the leadership of 509 school districts and 32 charter schools across the state. Experience has to matter!

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma?

How would you address these issues if elected?

1. School Safety-There is a severe need to provide security at our sites throughout rural Oklahoma. Many of our schools do not have security or have limited security provided by Sherriff and Police Departments. My plan is to focus on providing security personnel and security measures for our rural districts to fill this gap.

2. Assessments-Eliminating the end-of-year assessments and utilize formative assessments for accountability and improvement of instruction. This process would do away with test prepping and focus on immediate adjustment of instruction to help our students. This process would also provide transparency for our parents concerning their child’s education growth throughout the school year. It would also increase time of instruction by the elimination of test prepping and add new learning for the last two months of the school year.

3. Trade Certification-Approximately 75% of our students will not go to college or finish college. My plan is to focus on this group of students to provide flexibility in high school coursework to allow our students to earn a trade certification (ie. Cosmetology, Welding, Plumbing, etc.) at the same time they earn a high school diploma. Our focus on our college bound students will provide the flexibility to attain an Associate’s degree simultaneous with a high school diploma.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular.

Economic development is directly related to the educational success of our young people. Focus needs to be centered around training that fits local companies and develop skills that will be beneficial for employment. The business-public school-technology center partnerships are vital for economic growth in our rural areas.

Editor’s Note: Willaim Crozier was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Editor’s Note: April Grace was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Candidate Background: April Grace is a passionate Republican advocate for education who has served as an Oklahoma educator for more than 30 years. She has worked with school communities to improve the lives of students, families and staff at every level of Oklahoma education. April began her career as a high school

April began her career as a high school science teacher and coach. As a teacher and coach, April was in the frontlines of education, serving as instructor, mentor, role model and guide for countless students. Over the years, April has transitioned

Over the years, April has transitioned to various administrative roles in four different school districts giving her a unique perspective on the challenges school districts are facing across the state. In 2016, April was named superin

In 2016, April was named superintendent of Shawnee Public Schools. As a superintendent, as part of her many duties, she set the direction for her district, built consensus around ideas for improvements and new programs, provided instructional leadership, and managed complex budgeting to protect student instruction during years of declining revenues in state schools. April works hard to create a healthy culture and commitment to students and employees, which led to the Oklahoman naming Shawnee Public Schools’ one of the state’s top workplaces in 2019.

In 2020, April worked with Shawnee Public Schools educators, nurses and other staff to create a student health initiative including telemedicine clinics for students at every school. The effort received the National School Boards Magna award for innovative leadership.

Winning various awards over the years, April continues to show her commitment and dedication to supporting our local schools and ensuring they thrive.

Oklahoma Association of School Administrators Superintendent of the Year Award, 2021

Oklahoma State Superintendent Awards for Arts Excellence School Administrator Award, 2020

Pottawatomie Power 10 Leader of the Decade Nomination & Recognition 2020

Shawnee (Oklahoma) Forward 15 Excellence and Business Achievement Award, 2019

Member of 2018 AASA (The School Superintendents Association) National Women’s Leadership Consortium, a cohort of 25 top female leaders in the U.S.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Critical race theory & CURRENT ISSUES

As I have stated previously, critical race theory has no place in our PK-12 classrooms, I will ensure strong unbiased curriculum standards for our students and work to keep educators focused on meeting the needs of students and teaching our standards. Recently, a suburban school in Chicago had a “students of color“ racially segregated field trip. And In Colorado, an elementary school is having racially segregated playground time for students. The Civil Rights movement of the 1960s fought to integrate our school systems. We must never allow radical positions of this nature to take hold in Oklahoma public schools. The Oklahoma Standard is to teach unity not division to our children. I will work to ensure these types of radical movements do not happen in Oklahoma public schools.

2. Washington d.c. & red tape

Every Federal dollar sent to States comes with an enormous amount of regulation and compliance. Money that should be going to classrooms much too often has to be spent on personnel for compliance and reporting. A one size fits all regulatory system often does not make sense and it often does not work. The needs of rural schools and urban schools in Oklahoma vary dramatically. Needs in Oklahoma are not the same needs of huge urban areas like Los Angeles or New York. I will work to streamline the process for accessing funds and fight all the extra bureaucratic red tape that is often unnecessary and takes resources away from our students.

During the 20-21 school year, Shawnee Public Schools closed more days due to weather than COVID19. We had four options for families so they could choose what worked best for their child. It took work and coordination with families, as well as various layers of mitigation strategies, but we knew keeping our school open to serve the students, their families, and the community had to be a top priority. We have all seen the disastrous impacts school closures have had on our children. We know there have been dramatic increases in suicidal thoughts and substance abuse, as well as decreases in academic proficiency.

Editor’s Note: Ryan Walters was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Candidate Background: Ryan Walters taught eight years as a high school history teacher in his hometown at McAlester High School. During his time at MHS, Walters taught Advanced Placement courses in World History, U.S. History and U.S. Government. He also taught on-level history classes, special education classes and Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) classes. The Oklahoma State Department of Education named Walters as an Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Finalist in 2016. Ryan is passionate about the students of Oklahoma and advocating for their immediate and long term successes.

Walters serves today as Secretary of Public Education for the State of Oklahoma, and was named Secretary of Public Education by Governor Kevin Stitt in September of 2020. As Secretary of Education, Walters is responsible for various agencies, boards and commissions, including the State Board of Education, College and University Boards of Regents or Trustees, Office of Educational Quality and Accountability and the State Board of Career and Technology Education.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. CRITICAL RACE THEORY I believe we as a society should strive to fulfill Martin Luther King Jr’s dream of judging people by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin. Unfortunately, a philosophy that teaches the opposite of this principle is infecting our classrooms, and we need to put a stop to it. CRT is a dangerous and racist philosophy, and all it does is divide and characterize entire groups of people solely based on the color of their skin. As superintendent, I promise to advocate for CRT’s removal from any curriculum that comes from the State Board of Education.

When schools close, the results are detrimental, and our children suffer. That’s why from day one as Oklahoma’s Secretary of Education, I fought hard to keep schools open. I worked with Governor Stitt on an Executive Order and the Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce on an initiative that allowed government employees and business owners to step in and serve as substitute teachers to alleviate the shortage. We must utilize all the resources we have to keep our children in the classroom.

Every Oklahoma student deserves access to an excellent teacher. As a teacher myself, I know one of the ways we can keep our best teachers is to give them opportunities for promotion while staying in the classroom. A teacher’s only pathway to a raise should not be strictly through an administrative position that takes them further away from students. As Secretary of Education, I am working with Governor Stitt and legislative leaders on legislation that would create a pathway for our best teachers to make six-figure salaries. This would allow our excellent teachers to stay in the classroom and empower them to train others around them. We also must break the grip that unions have on our teachers, which hinders our teachers’ pay and professional development. As State Superintendent, I will do all I can to lift up our quality teachers and attract and retain the best and brightest to serve our students in every classroom.

Editor’s Note: David Hooten was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Candidate Background: David learned the value of hard work early. His mother opened a successful Italian restaurant, Mama Lucia’s, in Duncan, Oklahoma. David’s first job, at the age of nine, was bussing tables. David worked there through college, obtaining a customer service mindset that guides him today. David went on to purchase the family restaurant and operate it successfully for 15 years. David attended college on a music scholarship, eventually earning multiple Grammy and Emmy nominations for his talent at trumpet. Throughout his life, David has had the honor of playing our National Anthem at countless events, proudly representing his family who came from nothing and found the American dream in Oklahoma. David loves our country and the conservative values that make our nation great. Only in America could the son of an immigrant rise to become an award-winning artist, successful business owner and elected county servant. Prior to his work as Oklahoma County Clerk, David was Executive Director of the C.A.R.E. Center (Child Abuse Response and Advocacy), working with law enforcement to support victims of child abuse. David and his wife, Whitney, are the proud parents of Henry, Ava and David Jr.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Be a fierce guardian of your public dollars.

2. Eliminate bureaucratic waste, fraud and abuse in government.

3. Utilize technology and innovation to better serve the taxpayer.

Education: Bachelor of Arts (Political Science) & Bachelor of Music Education; Oklahoma Baptist University, May 1992

Juris Doctor, University of Oklahoma, May 1995

Certificate in Public Treasury Management, Pepperdine University, August 2015 Age: 51

Candidate Background: Between his twelve-year service as a State Senator, his role as the State’s Secretary of Finance, and as Chairman of the Oklahoma Tax Commission, nobody has a greater breadth of experience to be State Treasurer than does Clark Jolley.

As only the third Republican to serve as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Jolley led the efforts to balance the budget without raising taxes – something he did for each of the five years he chaired that powerful committee. As Secretary of Finance, Administration, and Information Technology, Jolley successfully navigated difficult waters to keep the state’s bond rating from dropping during a time of tumult in the oil & gas industry. As Chairman of the Tax Commission, Jolley advocated for taxpayers and helped bring greater transparency and quicker response times – all while bringing in more state funds from old accounts and stopping more than 27,000 fraudulent tax returns.

Please answer the following questions

1. Have you ever failed to pay any taxes or court ordered judgments? No

2. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? No

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Clark Jolley has the right experience to lead the State Treasurer’s Office. His experience as a State Senator, the State’s Secretary of Finance and the Chairman of the Oklahoma Tax Commission give him more knowledge on the state’s finances than any other candidate.

2. Clark Jolley has the right values to lead the State Treasurer’s Office. Clark Jolley has always been an advocate for lower taxes, protecting the life of the unborn, and improving government transparency and accountability. Jolley authored and passed legislation to make our education system more accountable, to make it easier for entrepreneurs to do business in Oklahoma, and to reduce the size of government by reducing state assets. While a senator, he authored the Taxpayer Transparency Act and while a Tax Commissioner, he helped lead innovations to allow for easier renewal of car tags, a modernization of communication with taxpayers that has led to greater engagement. He has done this and more while cutting operational costs by 14%.

3. Clark Jolley will fight back against the Biden administration’s efforts to stifle the oil, gas, and agricultural industries. While the Biden administration pressures investment firms to divest in fossil fuels and cattle production, Clark Jolley has committed to not allowing state funds to be invested with firms that cave to the pressure of the Biden administration.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. The role of the State Treasurer is, appropriately, limited. While there are other pressing issues, I am going to focus on those where the State Treasurer can play a role. We need a government that lives within its means, and that requires sound fiscal management. Rural and urban Oklahomans alike don’t want higher taxes that stifle our economy.

2. Urban and rural Oklahoma both need infrastructure investment in our roads, highways, water, and water control. Doing so is best achieved with low interest costs that are lower if the state improves its bond rating. I have been in the rooms with the bond rating agencies, and I know how to keep Oklahoma with good bond ratings.

3. Education is a key to any economic development. As Treasurer, I will work to expand and improve the performance of the state’s 529 college savings plan program. The State Treasurer oversees this program that helps family save for future educational expenses while receiving a tax benefit. This program should be more frequently used for college, technical training, and other educational needs.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular.

As mentioned above, I believe low taxes, low interest rates, and higher educational and technical attainment are a key to economic development. As State Treasurer, I will have a role in improving all of these.

Editor’s Note: Todd Russ was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Candidate Background: Russ is a respected banking leader with more than 30 years of experience. He began in banking as a banking assistant at the State Bank of Rocky in 1983. He was later employed at Washita State Bank in Burns Flat and became Vice President. Russ served as vice-president and executive vice-president at banks in Chickasha and Oklahoma City until returning to Washita State Bank where he served as President and CEO. During his tenure, Russ took one of the smallest banks in the state and doubled its assets, and was the top rated bank in its peer group for six consecutive quarters. Russ sold the majority of his bank stock and began management consulting with banks and businesses in 2008.

Russ developed a reputation for successfully guiding banks to resolve problem loans and other bank management needs. In addition, Russ has worked with Oklahoma banks, corporations, and small businesses to address performance, profitability, and compliance issues.

During his banking career, Russ also served as a director of the Oklahoma Bankers Association and Chairman of the OBA Small Bank Council.

Since 2009, Russ has represented an extensive part of western Oklahoma that encompasses District 55. He has proven to be an effective leader in the Republican-led State House of Representatives. Russ is Chairman Emeritus of the Transportation A&B committee. He also serves on three other major committees: House Appropriations and Budget, Common Education, and Insurance.

Russ was the founder of the Burns Flat-Dill City Educational Foundation. He was a charter member of the Oklahoma Southwest Economic Alliance. Russ also served as a member of the Cordell City Council and on the advisory board for the Western Technology Center for Business. He is a member of Leadership Oklahoma and the NRA.

Russ was named the 2019 Legislator of the Year by the Oklahoma Childcare Association. Russ has a 100% pro-life voting record, a 100% Farm Bureau voting record, and in 2020 was endorsed by the NRA.

Russ is a fourth-generation resident of Western Oklahoma. He graduated from Sentinel High School in 1979 where he was active in Future Farmers of America, receiving the State Farmer degree his senior year. Russ worked as a welder to help fund his college education. He then attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Finance. Russ is also a graduate of the University of Colorado Graduate School of Banking. He has specialized training in Asset/Liability Management and Interest Rate Risk Analysis.

Todd and Khristy live in Cordell. They have been married for 38 years and are members of New Beginnings Assembly of God. Khristy is a 20-year veteran public school teacher. She currently owns and operates Atlas Title and Closing. They have three grown children: Ryan and wife Madison and their two sons, Rhettson and Raider Mac; Lacey and husband Jason Randall and their daughters, London and Hallie; Lauren and husband Travis Collier, and their daughter, Brighton.

Editor’s Note: Gentner F. Drummond was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Candidate Background: When his nation called, Captain Gentner Drummond led the first U.S. Combat mission in the Gulf War and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for “extraordinary achievement”. By the end of Operation Desert Storm, Capt. Drummond was among the most highly decorated Oklahomans of the war. After completing nearly eight years

After completing nearly eight years of service to our country and earning a law degree from Georgetown University, Gentner returned home to Oklahoma to raise his family.

Even though Gentner was a practicing attorney, ranching was in his blood. He had been raised on the family ranch in Osage County, working sunup ’til sundown, including his school work at Hominy Public Schools. Gentner continued that tradition, raising his own children with the same values he had learned from his family.

Along the way, Gentner also became a successful businessman. His holdings include Blue Sky Bank, Drummond Law Firm, and Drummond Communications, creating hundreds of jobs in addition to the Drummond ranching operation.

Gentner and Wendy Drummond have a blended family of six children and five grandchildren.

As Attorney General, Gentner Drummond will take on a new mission: defend our rights, uphold the Rule of Law, and serve the People of Oklahoma, not the political elite.

Editor’s Note: John M O’Connor was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Political Party: Republican Current Town: Tulsa

Current Town: Tulsa Education: bachelor’s degree in politi

Education: bachelor’s degree in political science from Oklahoma State University and a law degree from the University of Tulsa

Political Party: Republican Hometown: Coalgate

Current Town: Coalgate Education: Certified Public Accoun

Education: Certified Public Accountant and accounting degree Age: 49

Earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from East Central University while working nights to pay for tuition before becoming a licensed Certified Public Accountant. Also a member of the American Board of Forensic Accountants.

Dedicated her career to the taxpayers of Oklahoma by working in the State Auditor’s Office for more than 20 years, first as a county auditor and later as the deputy state auditor over local-government audits before being elected as the state auditor four years ago. Married to Steve and lives and attends

Married to Steve and lives and attends church in our hometown.

Please answer the following questions

1. Have you ever failed to pay any taxes or court ordered judgments? No

2. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? No What are the top three messages of

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Experience is extremely important in this position. I am the only CPA in this election race, and I have worked in the State Auditor’s Office for more than 20 years, dedicating my career to the taxpayers.

2. My record of service to the taxpayers is unmatched. In just the past four years, my office has uncovered $1.6 billion in questioned Medicaid expenditures, $200 million in questioned public-education expenditures, and $5.4 million spent on unreceived COVID PPE, to name just a few of many such audit findings. My team and I earned a national award for the top forensic audit in the nation from the National State Auditors Association.

3. Dark-money political action committees are spending nearly a million dollars in this election race, making false promises to voters on behalf of my opponent. I believe that some of the people funding that effort are people who became millionaires on the backs of the taxpayers before being exposed by my office.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. This office – which audits many state agencies – is very important to taxpayers. With individuals’ and families’ budgets being stretched so thin right now, the last thing that the citizens of Oklahoma need is for their government to waste or misappropriate their tax dollars.

2. Again, this office – which audits all counties – is very important to taxpayers. Our county roads play an integral role in our rural lives, and this office helps to ensure that our local governments properly spend our road tax dollars.

3. Again, this office – which conducts investigative audits of some towns, schools, public trusts, fire departments, and EMS districts – is very important to taxpayers. When this office exposes the few bad actors in our local governments, it not only cleans up those local governments but also sends the message to all other local governments that the taxpayers do not tolerate abuse.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular.

I cannot overstate how important this office is particularly to my fellow rural Oklahomans. Economic development typically is the lifeblood of our rural communities. If our local governments are not doing their jobs and handling our tax dollars correctly, it has a direct detrimental impact on economic development. Fortunately, most of our local governments do their jobs well, and this office strives to assist them in their work. For the few that do not, though, this office works to hold them accountable to the taxpayers. As a fellow eastern Oklahoman, I know firsthand how important economic development is particularly for this part of the state because, as we know, it often drives economic development for all of the state. A key part of that is having superb localgovernment services as well as effective state-government services, which attract businesses and people into our state.

Editor’s Note: Steve W. McQuillen was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Education: Certified Public Accountant and accounting degree Master’s in business administration

Master’s in business administration with emphasis on finance at Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bachelor’s in business administration from Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Associate’s in Accounting from Tulsa College

Candidate Background: Auditing and Tax Professional for 29

Auditing and Tax Professional for 29 years. Owned and operated a bookkeping

Owned and operated a bookkeping and tax company tax professinoal at DeLoitte and Tou

tax professinoal at DeLoitte and Touche 23 years as accounting/fixed asset

23 years as accounting/fixed asset manager for the largest school district in Oklahoma

Lectured fixed asset accounting at Tulsa Public Schools and Oklahoma State University Liaison for the “Open Records Act:

Liaison for the “Open Records Act: concerning thousands of missing assets at our schools Spokesperson for the district with the

Spokesperson for the district with the news agency’s investigative reporting

Served as Judge on “Tribunal cases adminstering dismissals or penalties per distict

Editor’s Note: Joy Hofmeister was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Educational: Bachelor’s degree in education, Texas Christian University; Teaching certificates in English and elementary education

Candidate Background: Joy Hofmeister is running for governor because she knows firsthand how the values of faith, family, education and hard work can bring people together to improve our lives. As state superintendent of public instruction, Joy has already led the fight for better education in Oklahoma. Now, Joy is prepared to stand up to both parties to strengthen our schools, get our economy on track and ensure Oklahoma is a place our kids will stay and put down roots.

When Joy was a child, her father, an electrician, moved the family to Oklahoma for a good-paying job at a manufacturing company. Joy and her two sisters grew up inTulsa where they learned about hard work from their dad. More than anything, Joy learned from both her parents to stand up for what is right.

That’s why Joy stood up to Janet Barresi, an incumbent within her own party, to run for state superintendent in 2014. For Joy, it has always been about kids – not politics – and doing what is right. Over and over again, Joy has battled against extremism and partisan politicians whose policies are dead wrong for Oklahoma.

Joy has always put faith and family first. When her husband Jerry was attending Baptist seminary, Joy dropped out of college to support Jerry’s call into ministry. Then, ever determined, she returned to school and graduated at the top of her class.

The path to a college degree wasn’t easy for Joy. She struggled with reading and dyslexia as a child. Joy often shares that it was her school teachers who believed in her and pushed her to keep trying – and that support made all the difference. Joy believes every Oklahoma child should be surrounded by strong, committed teachers. To this day, that determination has driven her to help Oklahoma kids succeed.

For 15 years, Joy owned a successful small business working with thousands of Oklahoma families. She understands that Oklahoma needs a governor who doesn’t just cater to big corporations, but stands beside small business owners, farmers and ranchers, and workers across the state.

As chair of the state’s CareerTech board, she has championed improvements in workforce readiness. As governor, Joy will work hand in hand with business leaders to address worker shortages and ensure our economy works for all Oklahomans. In her role as state superintendent, Joy also chairs the State Board of Education, is one of five Commissioners of the Land Office, serves on the state Board of Equalization, and dozens of other boards and commissions.

Joy and Jerry have four grown children and recently welcomed their first grandchild, Willa! All of Joy’s children live here in Oklahoma, a blessing she will work to make possible for every Oklahoma family.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Most Oklahomans have something in common: We love our state and believe it can be better. Finding common ground and getting things done is at the heart of why I launched this campaign.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. Schools were in free fall when Joy became state superintendent, but they began seeing key improvements in just a few years under her leadership. Just as Oklahoma’s children deserve access to exceptional schools, their parents and grandparents deserve the freedom to access quality, affordable health care and greater economic opportunities. Self-dealing politicians are standing in the way – on education and health care, on diversifying our economy, and improving our infrastructure. There is much more work to do. And it’s time for a governor who knows how to get things done.

Information found from joyforok. com

Editor’s Note: Connie Johnson was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Current Town: Forest Park Education: B.A in French from the

Education: B.A in French from the University of Pennsylvania; M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling from Langston University

Candidate Background: Born in Holdenville, Oklahoma, Connie’s father’s career as a public school teacher took their family from Dustin, to Idabel at age three, and finally to Oklahoma City at 6 years old. She excelled in the Oklahoma City public school system, graduating as a top student from Frederick A. Douglass High School, and earned a full scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania. She graduated with a BA in French and completed coursework towards a master’s degree in education. She earned a MS in Rehabilitation Counseling in 2010 from Langston University, Oklahoma’s only Historically Black College and University.

A lifelong Democrat, in 2005, Senate District 48 voters elected Connie as the fourth person to serve the district, after her service for 24 years as a Senate policy analyst, where she worked with all three previous District 48 senators, and formed many lasting relationships on both sides of the aisle and rotunda. She previously worked as a program manager for the City of OKC Comprehensive Employment and Training Act Program and as Public Information Training Officer for the Oklahoma Community Action Agency Directors’ Association.

Connie now wants to apply her more than 40 years of public and community service and legislative experience to the benefit of everyday people in Oklahoma. She will fight to provide Tier One Jobs in rebuilding our infrastructure, to strengthen Oklahoma’s medicinal marijuana and industrial hemp industries, to guarantee public education, and to ensure health care as a basic human right for every Oklahoman, especially mental health services.

Connie lives in Forest Park, Oklahoma, where she chairs the FPK Board of Adjustments. She is the mother of three adult children, grandmother of two granddaughters and one grandson, and a “special person” to Lacy, a Shih Tzu rescue.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Families Well Being - Connie will fight to increase the state minimum wage in order to close the gender wage gap, fight income inequality, and honor the dignity of hard working Oklahomans. Currently, the minimum wage in Oklahoma is stalled at $7.25/hour.

As your Governor, Connie will fight to increase the federal minimum wage to $15/hr, because hard working Oklahomans deserve a minimum wage that allows them to pay rent and utility bills, buy groceries, and have reliable transportation to work.

A $15/hr minimum wage increase helps low-income Oklahomans and their families improve their basic quality of living.

2. Healthcare & Mental Health - Oklahomans voted to expand Medicaid in direct contrast to the Legislature’s refusal to do so. Oklahomans now benefit from key provisions in the ACA that Connie has always supported, including improved access to insurance coverage and, therefore, care. Insurance companies can no longer deny coverage due to pre-existing conditions. Oklahomans will no longer lose coverage because of a catastrophic health event. The ACA promotes health and wellness through free preventive screenings. It supports people taking personal responsibility for what they eat and whether they exercise, a key component in improving the body’s natural immunity and ability to respond to disease.

As a Senator, Connie Introduced the first ever medical cannabis bill in Oklahoma during the state’s Centennial Year.

Abortion is reproductive care. Reproductive care is healthcare. Healthcare is a basic human right. Women deserve to have respectful and culturally competent providers in pursuit of reproductive health services ranging from menses to menopause and beyond, including contraceptive care. As Governor, Connie will continue her lifelong work as an advocate of protecting victims of domestic violence.

Oklahoma ranks third in the nation in deaths from spousal/partner abuse. Women who experience violence, emotional or sexual trauma, unintended pregnancy, and who witness violence early in life are more likely to be incarcerated during their lifetime.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

1. Infrastructure – Alongside agriculture, energy is Oklahoma’s driving economic force. U.S. crude oil imports declined by 23 percent over the last decade, thanks largely to the soaring increases in crude oil production from shale reserves across the country.

As Governor, Connie will fight to ensure we invest in a clean energy future for Oklahoma—for our grandchildren and their grandchildren—that is safe for Oklahoma’s families and that respects the environment.

Connie believes we shouldn’t use taxpayer dollars to subsidize one of the most profitable industries in the world, over the dirty fossil fuels of the past.

We should utilize Oklahoma’s clean energy resources—such as wind, hydropower, and solar—to transition our state and our country into an energy independent 21st Century.

2. Education – Connie will invest in every Oklahoma K-12 student, regardless of zip code, via a properly funded public education system that features well-paid, quality teachers, quality technology and resources, and social supports that ensure success in and outside the classroom. She will prioritize student-centered funding to ensure that all students have the opportunity to rise to their highest potential with high quality instructors.

As Governor, Connie will work to make college affordable for all Oklahomans. She’ll fight for a debt-free education that allows Oklahomans to compete for high-wage jobs in a global, 21st Century economy.

Connie supports student loan debt forgiveness for grads who commit to public service or education jobs in rural and troubled, low-income urban areas.

Recruiting & retaining teachers within our state is vital to our educational sustainability. Oklahoma must provide competitive pay and benefits for educators in the post secondary and higher education institutions to retain and recruit the best for our children.

3. riminal Justice Reform - These policies separate families and destroy neighborhoods and communities across Oklahoma and the country. As an Oklahoma State Senator, Connie introduced a variety of sentencing reform measures, including eliminating “life without parole” as a possible punishment for drug offenses; eliminating habitual offender enhancement (three-strikes type sentencing, mandatory minimums) for non-violent offenses; creating structured sentencing guidelines; and establishing post-incarceration grace periods for court fees and restitution.

As a Senator she created a multi-year task force to examine the reasons Oklahoma leads the nation in female incarceration.

Connie has authored and advocated for marijuana policy reform to address the over-criminalization of simple possession and to address its health benefits for suffering Oklahomans—including children who suffer from seizures, veterans who suffer from PTSD, and chronically and terminally ill citizens in our great state.

Connie introduced legislation calling for a moratorium on Oklahoma executions, pending establishment and findings of an independent, out-of-state investigation. The resolution also sought to examine the cost of the death penalty versus “life without parole.” As former chair of the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, and as a family member of a murdered child, Connie ardently advocates abolishing the death penalty.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular.

Oklahomans work hard. “Labor conquers all things” is our state motto.

Economists define the middle class in Oklahoma as having a yearly income that ranges between $25,000 and $85,000.

But, Oklahoma’s middle class is shrinking, and wages are stagnating. Fuel prices and grocery bills have risen.

Hardworking Oklahomans, women and men alike, are suffering in this sluggish economic, post-pandemic recovery period, even here in “recession-proof” Oklahoma.

Put simply, in the private sector, since the 2008 economic crash, the national economy has added an average of less than 200,000 jobs a month.

That’s not enough. That barely puts us back where we were in 2008 before the recession began.xii And, the majority of new jobs are low paying, not the middle-range wage jobs lost in the recovery.

For the past 30 years, U.S. worker productivity has ranked highest in the world. Workers’ wages during that same time, however, have not matched that productivity.

In the public sector—from higher education to highway patrol to corrections—Oklahoma’s state workers haven’t seen raises in years. The Merit Protection Commission which ensured fair and equal treatment for state workers was abolished and that’s unacceptable.

Finally, women work nearly twothirds of our country’s public sector jobs, particularly as public school teachers. Over the last decade, Oklahoma and states across the country have slashed state budgets for education and public sector jobs, creating unemployment lines and decreased wages for hardworking employees and their families. Our state leadership’s refusal to extend employment benefits beyond the federal expiration date is a firsthand example of our low regard for Oklahomans and our families.

As Governor, Connie will do for Oklahomans and their families what we know works: invest in education and infrastructure spending that spurs jobs and innovation.

If we want to attract businesses to our cities and towns—if we want our rural communities to thrive again, if OKC truly wants be a “big league city,” if Tulsa’s renaissance wants to continue, if we want to fight income inequality—then, we have to give Oklahomans the tools to become a modern, skilled, knowledgeable, and healthy workforce.

Editor’s Note: Joel Kintsel was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Education: B.A in French from the University of Pennsylvania; M.S. in Rehabilitation Counseling from Langston University

Candidate Background: Joel is a combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, serving as a judge advocate for the Joint Area Support Group – Central in Baghdad, Iraq in 2008. Joel served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard for 9 years during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars before joining the Oklahoma Air National Guard. Joel is a Lieutenant Colonel and is the Staff Judge Advocate for the 137 Special Operations Wing of the Oklahoma Air National Guard.

Lieutenant Colonel Joel Kintsel spent the first few years of his life in Quito, Ecuador where his parents worked as missionaries. At the age of 2 his family moved to Oilton Oklahoma, where he spent most of his childhood - only leaving for a 3 year stint as a teenager to continue missions work on the border between Texas and Mexico.

After finishing his undergrad at OSU, and receiving his JD from OU Law, Joel married the love of his life, Nancy, together having 2 children, whom they’ve raised to be proud Oklahomans. Joel is a combat veteran of Operation

Joel is a combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, serving as a judge advocate for the Joint Area Support Group – Central in Baghdad, Iraq in 2008. Joel served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard for 9 years during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars before joining the Oklahoma Air National Guard. Joel is a Lieutenant Colonel and is the Staff Judge Advocate for the 137 Special Operations Wing of the Oklahoma Air National Guard.

In 2005, Joel was also one of the hundreds of Oklahoma National Guard members deployed to New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. In 2020, with the declaration of an emergency in Oklahoma due to COVID-19, Joel served as the supporting Judge Advocate for the Oklahoma’s National Guard Joint Task Force that mounted the statewide response to COVID-19.

Joel served as the Parliamentarian for the Oklahoma House of Representatives for 12 years, playing a pivotal role in the lawmaking process before serving in his most recent positions as Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs. As head of Veterans Affairs, Joel has served veterans across the state of Oklahoma - he is responsible for providing leadership, strategic planning, organizing and directing all agency programs and daily operations. Under Joel’s leadership, Oklahoma has become #1 among the 50 states for per capita federal benefits provided to disabled Oklahoma veterans. This reflects $2.4 billion in direct financial benefit to Oklahoma’s disabled veterans.

Joel’s new mission is to expand his duty of service to all Oklahomans - clean up fraud and corruption, and lead with integrity using the Constitution and the Bible as his moral guide.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected?

One of the most important duties of the governor of Oklahoma is to serve as commander of the more than 8,000 national guardsmen in our state. I will defend them, and all Oklahomans, against Biden’s unconstitutional mandates that have threatened our jobs and liberties.

I will immediately end the current Governor’s practice of backroom deals, consolidation of power, and allowance of crony personal enrichment at taxpayer cost. Crony capitalism must end.

The Biden Administration is attempting to bring apprehended immigrants from the border to Oklahoma jails to process and release them into Oklahoma communities. I will block Biden’s unlawful attempts to endanger Oklahomans.

Political Party: Republican Hometown: Oklahoma City

Education: Some college, trade school, and online course in constitutional law

Candidate Background: I would sometimes use my Youtube channel to help bring food to the homeless downtown, I’ve homeschooled for a few years now. I had basic public schooling until 16 when I decided to graduate early and took some college at 17, then years later went to trade school, then in 2020 took a small course on constitutional law online from Harvard. I’ve done my best to learn from life’s

I’ve done my best to learn from life’s experience in hopes of using it to see all sides of issues and find solutions to the problems we are having.

Please answer the following questions

1. Have you ever failed to pay any taxes or court ordered judgments? No 2. Have you ever been convicted of a

2. Have you ever been convicted of a felony? No

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. We plan to audit everything this administration has touched to account for where taxpayers’ money has gone and pursue any investigation to achieve the best for the Oklahoma people.

2. Clean up any issues with the school including security with help from veterans, update and improve learning methods and proper accountability in the schools.

3. Help Oklahoma be more self-sustaining by making sure there is more Oklahoma grown foods, better water purification, and waterpower in case of main grid failure, and improvements on security of the state from potential attacks, measures to catch human trafficking, drug and weapons trafficking.

What are the top three most pressing issues facing rural Oklahoma? How would you address these issues if elected? 1. Protect rural Oklahoma from having

1. Protect rural Oklahoma from having land taken from eminent domain.

2. Help farms with things they might need to ensure good production.

3. Make sure they have good internet out there, and also reliable water testing and clean up in case of contamination like they have out near Jones.

Explain your positions on economic development as it pertains to rural Oklahoma in general and Eastern Oklahoma in particular. Rural land is important to Oklahoma

Rural land is important to Oklahoma if we are going to be strong and self-sustaining. We can assistance in adapting to new crops and livestock if needed, offer water turbines for alternate power in case of grid failures, and lift restraints on farms selling directly to the public.

Editor’s Note: Mark Sherwood was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Candidate Background: Dr. Mark Sherwood was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and raised in nearby Berryhill.

His time spent in law enforcement, as well as helping thousands of patients at the Functional Medical Institute he founded with his wife, have shaped in him the principled leadership that Oklahoma needs. He sees all too clearly the suffocating socialist agenda that is sweeping the nation and making its way to Oklahoma. Dr. Mark is not naive enough to believe that Oklahoma will be exempt from the marxist strategy to destroy families, silence the church, and push for a totalitarian regime.

In critical times such as these, the need for strong and bold leadership - instead of self-serving politics - is crucial. Dr. Mark has risen to the task of filling this void in the governor’s office. He is running to challenge and replace Kevin Stitt, and provide Oklahoma with the proactive leader it needs. The Oklahoma governor’s office must be willing to face controversial issues head on. Unfortunately, Stitt has not demonstrated a willingness to be that leader.

It is no longer enough to be a moderate conservative, focusing on business and economics. Our children are being taught to hate people based solely on the color of their skin. Our hospitals are enforcing medical protocols that are killing people who otherwise could recover, and legal abortions are claiming 10,000 lives each year in Oklahoma alone. Again, it is no longer enough to be a MODERATE conservative. If elected, Dr. Mark is ready and willing to exercise his full constitutional authority as governor to preemptively protect Oklahoma’s sovereign borders against threats both within and without. Dr. Mark is a certified Naturopathic Doc

Dr. Mark is a certified Naturopathic Doctor (ND) and both he and his wife Michele L. Neil-Sherwood, Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) founded the Functional Medical Institute, a full-time wellness-based medical practice in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Dr. Sherwood and his wife have adopted a wholeperson approach, which is outcome-based and looks at each individual’s unique needs. Their goal is to lead people down a pathway of true healing. To that end, there are two purposes: First, to eradicate all self-imposed, choice-driven disease conditions. Second, to eliminate the usage of unnecessary medications. Through their unique clinic, various diagnostic tests are used, healing and prevention of common disease patterns are the norm. He firmly believes that “each person has an awesome destiny and purpose in life, which can be revealed only through the pursuit of total wellness.”

He is also a 24-year retired veteran of the Tulsa Police Department, where he logged a decade of courageous service on the department’s SWAT Team. During his tenure, he exemplified his willingness to be the FIRST one to go through the door and face whatever was on the other side. His time on the SWAT TEAM also solidified in him the instinct to run towards the shots and not away from them.

He is a former Oklahoma state and regional bodybuilding champion, and exprofessional baseball player. Additionally, Dr. Mark traveled the world for over 10 years with the world-famous Power Team. Also, Dr. Mark is a motivational speaker whose presentations are sought by audi-ences nationwide.

The Sherwoods have co-authored three Amazon #1 best-selling books together: The Quest for Wellness, Fork Your Diet, and Surviving the Garden of Eatin’. They have been seen on national TV, been quoted on CNN, featured on CBN, and are regular contributors of many national publications. Their full-length movie, Fork Your Diet, has over 15 million minutes viewed in the US and UK. Their second motion picture, The Prayer List, was just released worldwide. Their most recent film, WWJR, is set for release Easter 2022.

Dr. Mark Sherwood is about LEADERSHIP and NOT POLITICS. He believes in Oklahoma first policies and a secure and self-sustaining state. Not a state that is cripplingly dependent on an ever more oppressive and bloated federal government. Oklahoma needs a leader who is willing to face controversy head on. Let it not be said that we were silent as Oklahoma and America crumbled. Let it not be said that we stood by and did nothing, turning our attention away from the battle to the easy economic issues, and reacting only with press releases and political games.

Dr. Mark Sherwood will not be silent. He is ready to LEAD Oklahoma.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

The greatest threat to our constitutional republic is fraudulent elections. This is not only an issue of national security but local and State security as well. Elections have consequences and Oklahomans are already experiencing the effects of an out-of-control rogue federal government which has been taken over by communism, Marxism, and fascism. The single thread connecting these three beliefs is the tearing down of our individual freedoms. Working together, they have undermined one of the foundational pillars that has made America the greatest union of states in the world: the ability for legal and lawabiding citizens to elect public servants to “RE-present” their principles and values. Without free and fair elections, we do not have a constitutional republic.

In 2020, our votes were made irrelevant by six counties throughout America who hi-jacked the ballot box. Our elections cannot be determined by six counties riddled with fraud! The results of this fraudulent election are literally destroying not only these United States of America, but also Oklahoma. Those who participated in these appalling acts to undermine our constitutional republic must be tried and prosecuted to the highest extent of the law. As your next governor, I will work with the Oklahoma legislature to nullify ALL federal legislation that affects Oklahoma until a transparent audit has been conducted, and rightful election results are restored. We cannot and will not tolerate fraud in this critical process.

2. RESTORING RELATIONS WITH SOVEREIGN TRIBAL NATIONS

Oklahoma is an Indian State, and I am proud of our rich heritage and culture. There are 39 Tribal nations in Oklahoma, and my goal is to establish cooperative, working relationships with each of them. I have been proactively reaching out to and meeting with the leaders of each of the tribes to begin building those relations and hearing from them their concerns, visions, and goals. There is a lot of frustration and distrust of our current executive administration, which has accumulated over years of broken agreements and disrespectful treatment. As the next Governor of this great State, I have promised to hold monthly round table meetings with the tribes to stay current on pressing issues. My duty is to serve all Oklahomans and to work to create an environment of freedom where everyone can prosper.

Our focus must be on providing sustainable solutions that enable agencies to develop cooperative systems and protocols to ensure peace, safety, law, and order. I have experienced this kind of cooperation myself, working in law enforcement, and I believe the Oklahoma State Government and the sovereign Tribal Nations can work together to establish a free and self-sustaining State for the citizens of Oklahoma.

3. NO MANDATORY MASKS, VACCINES, VACCINE PASSPORTS, OR LOCKDOWNS

“We believe in limited government, individual liberty, natural rights, and personal moral responsibility.” (The Oklahoma Republican Party Platform P. 1 “Republican Principles”)

This is one of the greatest values of the Declaration of Independence, and is reiterated in the Oklahoma Republican Party platform. It is our individual responsibility and natural right to educate and determine for OURSELVES and our children which foods, drugs, medications, or medical devices we choose to use or not use! We educate ourselves and we decide. As business owners, we also decide whether or not to open, and/or engage in commerce. The very idea of essential or non-essential business (that the government alone decides) is fascism. It’s a way not only for government to control the private sector, but to use it as a weapon against legal and lawabiding citizens.

We must understand the facts about Covid-19:

* First, less than 1% have died from this man-made viral-based biological weapon called Covid-19. My wife and I have over 9,000 patients in our clinic community and have had ZERO fatalities. COVID-19 can effectively be treated/managed and even avoided by utilizing healthy nutrition, supplementation, and - when necessary - proper medications. This will allow your body to heal itself, the way God created it.

* Second, it’s important for the citizens of Oklahoma to know this product does NOT meet the criteria of even being considered a vaccine, as it is literally (on paper) referenced as a “Viral Based Genetic Therapy”.

This horrific cocktail of diabolical ingredients including potentially ABORTED (murdered) FETAL (pre-born babies) TISSUE (cells and cloned cells) FRAGMENTS (not the cells themselves, but specific objects within the cells). The therapy failed phase 2 of animal testing, and as a result never made it to human testing. Due to the fact that this is an experimental drug and lacks the proper necessities to provide informed consent, all Oklahomans should be extremely cautious and practice due diligence before putting this poison into their bodies.

* Last, we need to realize this federal push for mandatory vaccines, masks and lockdowns has NEVER been about health.

The communist, Marxist, and fascist agenda of the Biden regime have used the pandemic to instill fear into the hearts of great Americans. A population in fear can easily be controlled, and willingly give up their liberties. It is not the proper role of Government, nor its responsibility, to make people feel safe, keep them healthy, mandate them to use a medical device (mask), or force free citizens to take an experimental drug into their body.

As your next governor, I can assure you that I will aggressively fight back against this agenda! I will have a zero tolerance policy for mask and vaccine mandates, vaccine passports, and lockdowns!

It grieves me to see thousands of amazing employees faced with either unemployment or a forced vaccine - simply to continue to provide for their families. If I was the current governor, I would have already called an emergency special session asking the legislators to put a bill on my desk that would protect the rights of Oklahomans against this present agenda. With this in mind, I will support YOUR individual rights as Oklahomans to educate yourselves and make the best decision for your families.

Editor’s Note: Kevin Stitt was unable to respond to the questionnaire in time for this section. We have researched candidate’s website, Facebook pages and other sources to do our best to provide an overview of the candidate’s platform. Below is a sampling of that material.

Hometown: Milton, Florida Current Town: Tulsa

Kevin Stitt was elected governor in 2018.

Governor Kevin Stitt is leading Oklahoma with a vision to become Top Ten in job growth, infrastructure, education and more.

Stitt is an entrepreneur who founded Gateway Mortgage in 2000 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Starting with only $1,000 and a computer, he grew Gateway Mortgage into a nationwide mortgage company operating in more than 40 states and servicing more than $20 billion in residential mortgages.

In 2018, he led Gateway through a merger and established Gateway First Bank, which today is one of Oklahoma’s 10 largest banks with over $2 billion in assets, 160 mortgage centers across the U.S., and more than 1,700 employees.

Oklahomans spoke in record numbers that they wanted Stitt to use his business acumen to transform the state. In 2018, he received more votes than any gubernatorial candidate in state history in his first bid for elected office of any kind.

He is committed to delivering taxpayers more for their money, and his fiscally conservative leadership helped the state build its largest savings account in history, funded common education at historic highs, and cut taxes for all Oklahomans.

Stitt is a fourth-generation Oklahoman and a graduate of Oklahoma State University. He and his wife, Sarah, have been married for 23 years and they have six children.

What are the top three messages of your campaign?

1. Economy: Governor Kevin Stitt led Oklahoma to be the first state in the nation to fully reopen its economy after the federal government’s “safer-at-home” policies. As a result, Oklahoma is experiencing the third lowest unemployment rate in the nation and has the highest labor force participation rate in our State’s history.

Governor Stitt has also fought for policies to diversify our economy beyond oil and gas revenues and drive strong fiscal policies to spur job creation and support our Oklahoma businesses to keep growing right here at home. His successes to date are as follows: Ranks #1 in lowest cost to do business and #3 in lowest cost of living 3rd lowest unemployment rate in the nation

10th lowest taxes in corporate income, personal income, propert

7th in online budget transparency due to Stitt putting Oklahoma’s checkbook online (ranked 46th when Stitt took office)

7th best highway bridge conditions in the nation (11th when Stitt took office)

Historic levels of public education investment by the state for three consecutive years, including teacher pay raises

Historic investments in the State’s savings account – Stitt inherited a nearly empty Rainy-Day fund, building it back to a historic high of roughly $2 billion.

Learn more about what metrics Governor Stitt is monitoring and building solutions to solve: https://govdashboard. ok.gov/

2. Education: For decades, Oklahoma’s public school system has ranked near last place for student outcomes.

In 2018, Kevin Stitt ran as a conservative businessman and a political outsider with a commitment to deliver a Turnaround in Oklahoma’s education system. Below are actions Governor Stitt has taken over the past three years:

Called for the State’s first ever financial audit of the State Department of Education. Stitt also signed into law transparency legislation requiring school districts to post their audits on the front page of their websites. Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Joy Hofmeister, called the audit for fiscal transparency an “attack on education.”

Funded public education, Pre-K thru 12th grade, with State tax dollars at historically high levels for three consecutive years.

Brought teacher pay and benefits to the top in our region.

Called for and passed a second teacher pay raise in three years to make their overall pay and benefits package competitive regionally.

Called for public school teachers to make 6-figure salaries, with a funding mechanism introduced by Stitt in 2022 that would designate State revenue to support local school districts in making this possible for their best teachers.

Called for and signed into the Redbud Act to designate surplus state revenue to rural and smaller schools as well as charter schools.

Enacted funding formula reform by making the money follow the student within the public education system and gave schools more flexibility in using carryover funding. (HB 2078)

Called for and signed into law the open-transfer law, ensuring a child is not defined by their zip code in the public education system. This allows students to enroll in any public school that best meets their learning needs.

Enhanced choice for low-income families by expanding the Equal Opportunity Scholarship program from $5 million to $50 million. (SB 1080)

Stitt announced in 2022 that he would support any bills from the Legislature that would give parents and students more freedoms to attend the schools that best fit their learning needs.

3. Public Safety: Kevin Stitt has been unwavering in his commitment to back the blue while also reforming our criminal justice system with smart on crime policy changes.

After a decade-long dry spell, Governor Kevin Stitt has funded 3 Academies to train new public safety professionals for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) and launched the “Bridge Academy” to support OHP’s national recruitment effort to hire the best from across the nation. (source)

Stood with District Attorneys, Sheriffs, and public safety professionals across the state in calling for the courts and the U.S. Supreme Court to deliver much-needed clarity on the Oklahoma v. McGirt ruling that is wreaking havoc in Eastern Oklahoma. (source, source, source, source)

Signed into law pay increases for correctional officers, highway patrol and other State employees. (source)

Reformed the funding of District Attorneys so that they are not perversely incentivized to use fines and fees to fund their budgets. (source)

Called for and signed into law the nation’s largest commutation of low-level drug offenders from prison, of which the recidivism rates has held around 5%, well below the State’s average of 29% and the national average of 35%. (source)

Called for and increased State funding of treatment and diversion programs to historic levels to help break the cycle of incarceration. (source)

Called for and signed into law licensing reform so that individuals with nonviolent felony convictions could be licensed in occupations not related to the offense. (source)

Created the Sarah Stitt Act to help prepare and equip those leaving incarceration to best reenter the workforce and society. (HB 1679)

Simplified the requirements for adolescents or adults with juvenile records to have their records expunged, ensuring that mistakes made in youth do not limit a person’s opportunity for success. (HB 1799)

Made State public safety agencies more accountable to the voters and delivered efficiencies across agencies. In 2019, Governor Stitt signed into law legislation that gave the executive branch the authority to hire and fire the directors of the Department of Public Safety and Oklahoma Department of Corrections, as well as streamlined and brought together the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Department.

Called for the passage of the “Public Safety Unification” effort that will consolidate, streamline, and strengthen State agencies supporting public safety services.

Flattened the Oklahoma Department of Corrections’ budget, after inheriting a history of agency leadership proposing annual budgets that were $1 billion more than operating expenses.

SEQUOYAH COUNTY TIMES 111 N. Oak  Sallisaw OK  74955

© 2022 Sequoyah County Times