Early Voting for General Election begins earlier this year

Early Voting for General Election Begins Earlier This Year (Oklahoma City) – An extra day of early voting has been added for the November 8 General Election this year thanks to new legislation enacted in 2021, the Secretary of the State Election Board reminded voters today. “For the first time ever, early voting will begin on the Wednesday prior to the General Election, adding an extra day for voters to cast their ballots,” said Secretary Paul Ziriax. Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 31, 2022 at 03:36PM

Early Voting for General Election begins earlier this year Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Endorsements and Recommendations for the General Election

Tuesday, November 8th, is the Oklahoma General Election, and voters all across the state will be heading to the polls to decide who will hold elected offices for the next two to six years (depending on the position). Below are a few of my voting picks. I know I'm just a lowly blogger, but hopefully the information in this post will be helpful with your voting plans. If you don't know where to vote, or want to see your sample ballot, use this helpful link from the Oklahoma State Election Board to find out. Early voting is Wednesday, Nov. 2nd, through Friday, Nov. 4th, from 8am to 6pm, and Saturday, Nov. 5th, from 8am to 2pm, at these locations. Election day voting is 7am to 7pm at your polling place. Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 31, 2022 at 12:25PM

Endorsements and Recommendations for the General Election Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Lucas announces town hall meetings in western counties on Monday and Thursday

Congressman Lucas Announces October Town Hall Meetings in Western Oklahoma Cheyenne, OK – Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) will hold town hall meetings in Harmon, Greer, Washita, and Roger Mills Counties on Monday, October 31st and Thursday, November 3rd. Residents around the locations are invited to attend and share their thoughts on current events in Washington, DC and across Oklahoma. Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 31, 2022 at 08:41AM

Lucas announces town hall meetings in western counties on Monday and Thursday Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Faithful Christians should not vote for Liberal Leslie Osborn

No Christian in good conscience should ever vote for "Republican" Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn. Before I explain why, let me cover a few things. I'm a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican -- in that order. While I am a conservative's conservative, as longtime readers of my blog know well, it is my faith first and foremost that informs and directs my politics. I make no apologies for that. Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 29, 2022 at 05:19PM

Faithful Christians should not vote for Liberal Leslie Osborn Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Sen. Ted Cruz coming to OKC rally for Gov. Stitt on Nov. 2nd

STITT FOR GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES OKLAHOMA CITY RALLY WITH U.S. SENATOR TED CRUZ  October 26, 2022 (Oklahoma City, Okla.) –  The Stitt for Governor 2022 campaign announced today U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) will be the featured guest at a Red Wave Rally in support of Governor Kevin Stitt on Nov. 2. Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 27, 2022 at 10:50AM

Sen. Ted Cruz coming to OKC rally for Gov. Stitt on Nov. 2nd Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Stitt blasts Hofmeister for failing Oklahomans in education

STITT BLASTS DEMOCRAT OPPONENT FOR FAILING OKLAHOMANS IN EDUCATION October 24, 2022 (Oklahoma City, Okla.) – Governor Kevin Stitt blasted Democrat Superintendent Joy Hofmesiter today after the Nation's Report Card showed Oklahoma's test scores have had one of the steepest drops in the nation: Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 26, 2022 at 02:20PM

Stitt blasts Hofmeister for failing Oklahomans in education Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Oklahoma’s education “Report Card” shows devastating student learning loss

Oklahoma’s Education “Report Card” Shows Devastating Student Learning Loss State’s Decline in Reading and Math Scores are Twice as Bad as National Average OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct. 24th) – American Federation for Children – Oklahoma (AFC-OK) today called on state leaders in education to pursue systemic change to address plummeting student achievement. A report released today by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) shows alarming declines in student performance in both math and reading in Oklahoma. While attributable in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, student performance in Oklahoma has declined throughout Superintendent Joy Hofmeister’s tenure, which began in 2015. Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 26, 2022 at 12:34PM

Oklahoma’s education “Report Card” shows devastating student learning loss Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Stitt ad: special interests bought Hofmeister because they can't control Stitt

After taking hits from pro-Hofmeister dark money groups for over a year, Governor Stitt's reelection campaign is going on the offensive: NEW TV AD: SPECIAL INTERESTS CAN’T CONTROL KEVIN STITT “Special interest bought Joy Hofmeister who fought to keep schools closed while test scores plummeted.” October 26, 2022 (Oklahoma City, Okla.) – The Stitt for Governor 2022 campaign launched today a new statewide television ad highlighting how Democrat State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister is bought by special interests who have spent at least $25 million to date in the election cycle to cover up her record of closing classrooms, leading the nation in public schools with plummeting test scores, and advocating for a laundry list of tax hikes. Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 26, 2022 at 11:00AM

Stitt ad: special interests bought Hofmeister because they can't control Stitt Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Oklahomans for Life: Hofmeister betrays the unborn, vows to repeal pro-life law

From Tony Lauinger, Oklahomans For Life state chairman: Joy Hofmeister Betrays Unborn Children, Vows to Repeal Oklahoma’s Pro-Life Law Gov. Kevin Stitt Has Been Pro-Life Champion In a stunning betrayal of unborn children, gubernatorial candidate Joy Hofmeister has reversed the pro-life commitment she made when she entered public office. When she was elected Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2014, she promised to defend unborn children from abortion. Now she has abandoned that commitment.  Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 26, 2022 at 08:18AM

Oklahomans for Life: Hofmeister betrays the unborn, vows to repeal pro-life law Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Memorial to WWII 'Taffy 3' hero to be dedicated in Muskogee this morning

If you've never read the story of Task Force 3, the Battle off Samar, and the heroes of that cataclysmic clash of sea and steel like Oklahomans Ernest E. Evans and Paul Henry Carr, you need to remedy that immediately. Go read The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors, by James D. Hornfischer. It's a story of unparalleled heroism and sacrifice that has been largely forgotten. I'm thrilled that Muskogee is recognizing Commander Evans with this memorial. From the Muskogee Phoenix: A dedication ceremony will be held on Tuesday, October 25 at 10:00 a.m. at Depot Green to dedicate a memorial to a Muskogee soldier who was posthumously awarded a Medal of Honor for his heroic efforts during World War II. Commander Ernest E. Evans was killed in battle on October 25, 1944.  Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 25, 2022 at 07:45AM

Memorial to WWII 'Taffy 3' hero to be dedicated in Muskogee this morning Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Small: ACT trends hold warning for state’s economic future

ACT trends hold warning for state’s economic future By Jonathan Small Oklahoma’s future economic growth is linked to the quality of today’s education system. That’s why the latest round of ACT test scores is reason for concern. Academic outcomes have declined almost continuously for eight years now. If we don’t reverse that trend, today’s children will be deprived of opportunity and state growth will be stymied. Oklahoma students achieved an average composite score of just 17.9 on the ACT test given last spring. That was the third-lowest average among the 50 states. Making things worse, the national average ACT composite test score was the lowest seen in three decades. Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 23, 2022 at 03:30PM

Small: ACT trends hold warning for state’s economic future Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Sen. Kirt to hold interim study Monday on Oklahoma’s ethics laws

This has the potential to be good, though at least one of the guest speakers (Moore) is a liberal hack. Oklahoma's ethics laws could use some reform, and the Ethics Commission needs additional funding and authority to actually give it some teeth to see that the laws are enforced (see the whole dark money fiasco plaguing Oklahoma right now).  Sen. Kirt to hold interim study on Oklahoma’s Ethics OKLAHOMA CITY (October 21st) – Sen. Julia Kirt [D-OKC] will hold an interim study on Oct. 24 focused on Oklahoma’s laws for ethics and accountability for elected officials. Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 22, 2022 at 07:17PM

Sen. Kirt to hold interim study Monday on Oklahoma’s ethics laws Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Gov. Stitt appoints Adria Berry as executive director of OK Medical Marijuana Authority

GOVERNOR STITT APPOINTS ADRIA BERRY AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OMMA OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct.18, 2022) – Governor Kevin Stitt today announced Adria Berry has been appointed to serve as Executive Director of the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) which will officially transition to an independent state agency on November 1, 2022, per SB 1543. “For over a year Adria Berry has been leading Oklahoma’s efforts to enforce our laws and crack down on the marijuana black market,” said Governor Kevin Stitt. “Now that OMMA is becoming a stand-alone agency, I am pleased to officially appoint Adria as executive director and have full confidence in her continued leadership and dedication to get the medical marijuana industry under control and keep our communities safe.” Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 22, 2022 at 01:00PM

Gov. Stitt appoints Adria Berry as executive director of OK Medical Marijuana Authority Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Here's what you need to know about the judges on the ballot

It's voting time, and you're here because you don't want to be surprised when you see eight judges and justices on your ballot that you know nothing about. Thanks for dropping by! If you've ever done the frustrating task of searching for information on these courts and judges, I feel your pain. As I mentioned in previous election years, finding information on the justices and judges on the retention ballot can be a difficult task, and basic information such as their ages can be anywhere from difficult to find to completely unknown to even Google. In this post, I'll cover the following justices and judges, which are on every Oklahoma voter's ballot: Supreme Court - Dustin P. Rowe Supreme Court - James R. Winchester Supreme Court - Dana Kuehn Supreme Court - Douglas L. Combs Court of Civil Appeals - Stacie L. Hixon Court of Civil Appeals - Gregory C. Blackwell Court of Civil Appeals - John F. Fischer Court of Civil Appeals - Barbara G. Swinton Court of Civil Appeals -  Thomas E. Prince Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 22, 2022 at 09:00AM

Here's what you need to know about the judges on the ballot Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Stitt, leaders clarify OK kids not required to get COVID vax to attend public school

GOVERNOR STITT, COMMISSIONER REED CLARIFY KIDS IN OKLAHOMA NOT REQUIRED TO GET COVID VACCINE TO ATTEND SCHOOL OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct.20, 2022) – Governor Kevin Stitt released the following statement after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) approved adding the COVID-19 vaccine to childhood immunization schedules. “Regardless of what the CDC in Washington says, nothing changes in Oklahoma and kids are not required to get a COVID vaccine to attend school,” said Governor Stitt. “It’s up to parents to decide how to protect their child from viruses and as long as I am governor, we will never force kids to get a COVID vaccine to go to school.” Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 21, 2022 at 07:30PM

Stitt, leaders clarify OK kids not required to get COVID vax to attend public school Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Lucas announces town hall meetings in northwestern counties on 27th, 28th

Congressman Lucas Announces October Town Hall Meetings in Northwest Oklahoma Cheyenne, OK (October 20th) – Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) will hold town hall meetings in Woods, Woodward, Harper, and Ellis Counties on Thursday, October 27th and Friday, October 28th. Residents around the locations are invited to attend and share their thoughts on current events in Washington, DC and across Oklahoma. Lucas will be discussing recent work in Congress, taking questions about issues important to constituents of the Third Congressional District, and seeking input on legislation currently before Congress.  Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 21, 2022 at 01:00PM

Lucas announces town hall meetings in northwestern counties on 27th, 28th Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Fair and Williams publish voters guide on judicial retention ballot

Conservative activists Steve Fair and Georgia Williams, both from southwestern Oklahoma, have published a brief voters guide for nearly 30 years, discussing the various state questions, judges, and justices on Oklahoma's statewide ballot every election cycle. The following information comes from their judicial retention ballot guide for the Chisholm Trail Shopper in Duncan. Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 21, 2022 at 11:42AM

Fair and Williams publish voters guide on judicial retention ballot Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Stitt: did Hofmeister use scandal-ridden Epic Charter School donors to repay her personal campaign loans?

This release from the Stitt campaign came directly after the gubernatorial debate Wednesday night: State Sup Hofmeister trading Epic donations for?? Oklahoma City, October 19th   |  Governor Kevin Stitt tonight questioned State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister why she has not given back more than $50,000 in donations from Epic Charter School administrators to her campaigns. The reason is clear. From 2016-2018, State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister was taking donations from Epic Charter Schools to pay down her debt simultaneously while Superintendent Hofmeister was considering an application by Epic Charter’s administrators to expand their operations in Oklahoma. Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 21, 2022 at 09:00AM

Stitt: did Hofmeister use scandal-ridden Epic Charter School donors to repay her personal campaign loans? Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Gov. Stitt appoints Adam Panter as new DA for Pottawatomie, Lincoln counties

GOVERNOR STITT APPOINTS ADAM PANTER AS DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR POTTAWATOMIE AND LINCOLN COUNTIES OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct. 20, 2022) – Governor Kevin Stitt today announced the appointment of Adam Panter to serve as district attorney for the 23rd Judicial District, encompassing Pottawatomie and Lincoln Counties. Panter will serve the remainder of the current term, following the vacancy created by the resignation of Allan Grubb. Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 21, 2022 at 08:08AM

Gov. Stitt appoints Adam Panter as new DA for Pottawatomie, Lincoln counties Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

RGA joins gubernatorial race with ads hitting Hofmeister

The Republican Governor's Association is out with a new ad hitting Democrat gubernatorial candidate Joy Hofmeister. The RGA Right Direction PAC is putting at least a million dollars into supporting GOP incumbent Kevin Stitt in this race: New Ad: Hofmeister & Biden Raised Gas Prices & Cost Oklahoma Jobs October 18, 2022  |  WASHINGTON, D.C. – The RGA Right Direction PAC today released a new ad explaining how Joy Hofmeister and Joe Biden both raised gas prices and put 90,000 Oklahoma jobs at risk. Life hasn’t been easy under Biden’s leadership and Oklahoma needs a leader who will fight back against his radical agenda, not support it. Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 20, 2022 at 08:44AM

RGA joins gubernatorial race with ads hitting Hofmeister Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Special election for state question legalizing recreational marijuana set for March 7th

Brace yourselves -- recreational marijuana is coming to a ballot near you in March. Enough signatures were, unfortunately, collected via initiative petition to place the measure up for statewide vote. Interestingly enough, by this being delayed until March, OklahomaWatch points out that this November will be the first general election in "nearly a century" that a state question will not be on the ballot. If there's anything Oklahoma needs more of, it's more pot. [insert eyeroll emoji] GOVERNOR STITT ISSUES PROCLAMATION TO DECLARE SPECIAL ELECTION FOR SQ 820 Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 19, 2022 at 08:20AM

Special election for state question legalizing recreational marijuana set for March 7th Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Tulsa Firefighters endorse Gov. Stitt for re-election

TULSA FIREFIGHTERS ENDORSE GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT October 18, 2022 (Oklahoma City, Okla.) – The Stitt for Governor 2022 Campaign has today announced the Tulsa Firefighters PAC endorsement of Governor Kevin Stitt for re-election in 2022. “Governor Stitt has championed firefighters across our state and it’s our honor to endorse him for a second term,” said Matt Lay, President of the Tulsa International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local 176 in Tulsa, Ok. “Gov. Stitt has prioritized resources to support active firefighters and ensured our retired firefighters are respected and receiving the compensation they earned and deserve.”  Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 18, 2022 at 07:47PM

Tulsa Firefighters endorse Gov. Stitt for re-election Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Republicans must not sleep on the Governor's race

You're looking at the face of the Governor of Oklahoma from January 2023 to January 2027. If Republicans sleep on this race, it could be the one on the left (God forbid).  "Oklahoma is the reddest of the red", an often-used phrase in GOP politics here in Oklahoma. Well, not exactly. While it's true that the state legislature is dominated by Republicans, all statewide office holders since 2010 have been elected as Republicans, and a majority of registered voters now are Republican, Oklahoma is not quite as red as one might think. Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 18, 2022 at 08:31AM

Republicans must not sleep on the Governor's race Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Prieto aims to flip SD34 back to the GOP

Back in 2016, Republicans lost State Senate District 34 in the aftermath of scandal (the GOP incumbent went to federal prison after embezzling nearly two million dollars from his employer). Democrat J.J. Dossett was a perfect-storm candidate, taking advantage of a weak GOP candidate and the Brinkley scandal to flip the seat from red to blue. The GOP inexcusably failed to field a candidate in 2018, so this is the first time Dossett has faced a challenge since the initial special election. Dana Prieto is the Republican nominee in SD34, hoping to return the district to the red column. To help introduce him to voters, I asked him the following brief survey, which he was gracious enough to complete. Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 17, 2022 at 10:02PM

Prieto aims to flip SD34 back to the GOP Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico

Small: Radical environmental policies impact Oklahomans

Radical environmental policies impact Oklahomans By Jonathan Small Oklahoma families are feeling the financial pinch from progressives’ anti-fossil-fuel regulations. OG&E utility customers have received notice that their bills will be increased to recoup costs for higher natural gas and coal prices. That’s just one small example of how Democratic environmental policies are indirectly draining families’ pocketbooks. Democrats are now trying to deflect blame by claiming “greedy” energy producers have created high prices. That excuse doesn’t withstand scrutiny. Read more » by Jamison Faught - October 17, 2022 at 04:09PM

Small: Radical environmental policies impact Oklahomans Click the title to read the entire article at Muskogee Politico