Oklahoma Political News

5 Democrats have filed for the race for the UNEXPIRED OKLAHOMA COUNTY CLERK position and the OK County Democratic Party is hosting a candidate forum for you on January 19th to meet the candidates before you vote in the Primary Election on February 14th and a General Election on March 4th.

This is a very important race along party lines and if you would like to be informed on who would represent you best, please attend this forum at the Teamsters Union on January 19th.

These are the Democratic candidates running for County Clerk:

• DERRICK SCOBEY -Democrat
• SEAN CUMMINGS -Democrat
• TOM GUILD -Democrat
• TIFFANY ELLIS- Democrat
• BC PHILLIPS - Democrat

Every other year, our party hosts four conventions, starting in March, and culminating in June with the state party convention!

The March meetings will be held at various locations at 7 PM on the 16th. This is where we elect precinct officers! This is such an important volunteer opportunity! You will represent our party in your neighborhood and be asked to make contact with the Democrats in your area and keep them informed of upcoming elections and candidates, register voters, and work to expand our party!

Becoming a precinct officer also comes with the benefit of a vote at the County convention, congressional district convention, and state party convention. This is where we will elect our officers, and propose and vote on resolutions.

Together we can elevate our numbers at the polls and move Oklahoma forward!

L. Jill Ogden, (405) 596-6529

I wanted to repeat from last week with our Thanksgiving edition, all of the many incredible activities that EDW Members have been a part of this past year in case you missed it, but primarily because it is so incredible:

12 General Membership meetings with school board panel and Mayor Davis, Lauren Schuler of the Carl Albert Center, Andy Moore of Let’s Fix This, Tres Savage of Non Doc, Councilmen Josh Moore and David Chapman on Housing in Edmond, Rachel Hubbard Smith of KOSU, Candidate Forums with primary candidates for Senate, and Governor, social at Mitch Park, HJ Reed on Politics in OK, 2 campaign work nights with coordinated campaign bag stuffing, writing postcards, how to canvas, phone/ text banking, Warigia Bowman for Corporation Commissioner, Blake Aguirre for SD22, Joshua Harris till for CD5, Tymara Cox-toure from ACLU and Greg Clyde on the election,12 Board meetings ,10 Notary Events/ Voter Registration with a new location at Fink Park, One on One Precinct Trainings by Jill Ogden and Robbie White, EDW Day at the Capitol, Donations for World Central Kitchen, CAIR Afghan Refugees, For The Village, period Products monthly that go to UCO woman’s Resource Center, YWCA, Project 66, Clean Up Oklahoma Candidate Filing, Moms Demand Action Welcome Legislature, virtual phone banking for ODP, 4 Abortion Rights Marches at the Capitol, Pride OKC 39th and voter registration, Common Sense Gun Laws March at the Capitol, Pride Scissortail float and voter registration, Bethany Liberty Fest, Habitat Women Build with Senator Julia Kirt, Voter Reg training with Senator Mary Boren, Indian Nations Cheyenne and Arapaho Powwow at Concho, Veterans Pancake Breakfast, canvassing /phone banking text banking for 21 endorsed candidates, Sunny Days Downtown Edmond Mural Festival voter reg with Let’s Fix this and Endorsement Candidate Interviews with our Recruit Support and Elect committee, and Liaisons for most of our endorsed candidates.

EDW MEMBERS GET IT DONE, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK !

The contours of last Tuesday’s midterm election continue to come into focus. They are good, indeed, for the Democrats and Democratic president Joe Biden. Foremost is that the Democrats have not lost a Senate seat and could well pick one up after the December 6 runoff election between Georgia senator Rafael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker.

Those results are strong. According to Axios senior political correspondent Josh Kraushaar, only in 1934, under Democratic president Franklin D. Roosevelt; 1962, under Democratic president John F. Kennedy; and 2002, under Republican president George W. Bush and just after the 9/11 attacks, has a president’s party not lost a Senate seat in the midterms and lost fewer than 10 House seats. Since World War II, midterms have cost the party in power an average of 28 seats. 

THIS PROVIDES EDW HOPE IN RUBY RED OKLAHOMA,THAT DEMOCRACY IS STILL ALIVE!

by Carol Willis

Didn't you just love that big bad red wave that turned into a pink fizzle on November 8? Despite mostly dismal results in Ruby Red Oklahoma, nationwide our candidates--and democracy--were big winners. That Democrats have held the Senate and have the possibility of securing the house is just evidence that Americans are tired of those who won't accept a basic or fundamental truth, who use fear instead of fact and violence rather than common sense to get votes, and who promise to try to make voting harder for some demographics. That slow realization that there are thinking people out there who actually love our country and want to protect our democracy is getting bigger every day. We should be celebrating this for quite some time.

As you know, the remaining Senate seat is set for a run-off between Raphael Warnock and Herschel Walker on December 6. Even though the Senate has been won by Democrats, it is still vital that Warnock defeat Walker to give a true majority in the Senate. You might be wondering why this is true, despite the obvious negative and troubling news about Walker.

Having 51 Democrats in the Senate is very important.

1. It will help prevent tie votes for judicial nominees.
2. It will help get bills out of committees faster
3. Because Senate votes must be taken in person, having a majority will allow absences when necessary and allow our Vice President to get involved in more areas.

Anytime there is a candidate who is not educated about the office he or she is seeking, who does not understand much about how our government works, and whose ethics are not stellar, we should do what we can to prevent this person from being elected, even in a state other than our own. This is especially true when the opponent for such a candidate is highly educated, productive in the Senate, and a person with moral values and ethics.

So, if you have any interest in helping get Senator Warnock reelected, here are two suggestions.

1. Join that post card campaign. Click on this link to find out how: Postcarding for Georgia’s Senate Runoff

2. Support him financially. Donate now to help keep Reverend Raphael Warnock in the Senate

Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook and other websites help us to catch up on the latest trends and see what’s going on with our friends and family, but research shows that too much screen time can have a negative impact on our mental health.

Experts tell us that “because social media rewards attention-seeking and knee-jerk reactions, overuse can in fact lead to social isolation as well as depression and anxiety”. It disrupts our sleep and over stimulates the pleasure centers of our brain.

Our organization is built of amazing human beings. For me, the best part of this work is building relationships with my fellow Democrats. I value your friendship and treasure the memories that we have made over the years. Those relationships help keep me going through tough times and help focus on the future.

Now that this election cycle is over, I wanted to remind us all, especially myself, that while social media sites are pleasurable and good tools for organizing, they are not the real world. It is important to unplug and spend time in the world with real people. Studies have indicated that reducing screen time while increasing physical activity could be highly beneficial. That is hard for me to hear! Joshua Harris-Till has taught us that Karaoke is delightful, social, and can get us up and moving! Other ways to spend time with people and move more include visits to a park, tennis, pickleball, bike riding, dancing, and many other things! I hope you will join me in trying to spend more time with people doing fun things.

Small changes make a difference. For example, I deleted the FB app from my devices. The only way I can access it is from a browser. This makes it less convenient to pop onto FB and scroll. This helps keep me from falling down a social media rabbit hole where I can spend hours scrolling

If I check into FB, I probably need to hop over to Instagram. If I glance at IG, there are videos to watch. That reminds me that I should see what is new on Tik Tok. Finally, I can’t ignore Twitter which leads me to check back into FB before I move on to other tasks. This vicious cycle can easily steal an afternoon.

I hope you will join me in trying to spend more time with people doing fun things as we head into the next season which includes holidays and local elections.

Be well,
Robbie White
Chair, Oklahoma County Democratic Party

Our partner and EDW member Robbie White, Oklahoma County Democratic Party Chair, shares this from their newsletter:

Next Steps to Organize:

• Write Postcards to New Voters in Oklahoma County. Contact secretary@okcountydemocrats.org to help!
• Moms Demand Action is organizing to help with the Georgia Senate runoff. Text GEORGIA to 644-33 to join their phone banking team!
• Connect with voters nationwide with ActivateAmerica.vote/postcards
• Prep for the upcoming legislative session by following our Democratic caucuses.
• Help Register Voters! Contact chair@okcountydemocrats.org to get involved

A word about Next Steps...

On November 8 in Oklahoma County, 30 Democrats appeared on our ballots. Democrats won 8 of those elections. We protected our incumbents, filled one open seat, and elected the first woman to be District Attorney of Oklahoma County.

I'm going to remind you that we didn't get into the super minority in one or two years. It took a couple of decades to get here. We aren't going to get back into a more powerful position without a long hard fight.

The good news is that we already have all the skills we need to get the job done. You proved it this past election cycle by knocking doors, making phone calls, sending text messages, donating money, raising money, and doing whatever was asked of you to help support thirty candidates.

I want to remind you that in just a few short weeks there is filing for municipal elections as well as the special election to replace our county clerk. Recreational Cannabis will have its own election in March. Some City Council and county clerk candidates are already on the doors and raising money. Recreational Cannabis is gearing up right now. It is now time to get involved to get these Democrats elected and to help hone our skills organizing during elections. Stay tuned for more details!

Robbie White

EDW will meet at 6:30 at the Edmond Community Center 28 West Main and hear Tamya Cox-Touré, the executive director of the ACLU, speaking about women’s reproductive rights and Greg Clyde, our member who ran for HD83 and is a pharmacist and only lost by 652 votes give his reflection about the election and what we can do better, what we did good and how important the Get Out The Vote is.

Tamya Cox-Touré grew up in both Des Moines, IA and Tulsa, OK. She graduated from Oklahoma State University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in French. Cox-Touré then went on to graduate from Oklahoma City University School of Law. After being admitted to the bar, Cox-Touré worked for the American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma as the first legislative counsel. Cox-Touré worked for Planned Parenthood Great Plains as the Regional Director of Public Policy and Organizing. Cox-Touré has returned to the ACLU of Oklahoma and is currently the Executive Director.

Committed to civil rights and civil liberties, Cox has traveled across the state and country speaking to communities regarding issues that directly impact their lives. She continues to live through her favorite Alice Walker quote, “Activism is my rent to live on this planet.” She has served on numerous panels and presented on a variety of topics focusing mainly on race equity.

Tamya Cox-Touré's awards include AC Hamlin Award by the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus; John Green Community Service Award by the Association of Black Lawyers; Faith and Freedom Award for the Oklahoma Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice; Torch Award from Freedom Oklahoma; and Ada Louis Sipuel Fisher Award from Oklahoma Bar Association Diversity Committee.

Greg Clyde wrote on Facebook “In a district that was easily a 15 point win for my opponent, who had well over $100,000 in dark money against me, we stood strong and kept this race within a few points. I’m proud we stuck to the issues that affect our community. For the over 1000 republicans that crossed party lines to vote for me, thank you for putting our kids, common sense, and decency above partisan politics.

To pharmacist who stood by my side, thank you! We’ve got work to do. In near future, I’ll announce the next step to get us organized in an new and improved way that moves our profession forward.

It’s been an honor to stand up for decency and common sense in our community. Our work is not done. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! 

2024?

-- TEXT OF ALLISON LAWRENCE’S INSTAGRAM (Kendra Horn’s Campaign Chair )

Hey—it’s gonna be ok. 2022 was a wild, terrifying, vindicating ride. Here’s my POV 7 days later…

First, Statewide:

Statewide races are flashy, expensive, and fun—but they’ll break your heart. They give you a chance to talk about big ideas—like who do we want to be? But they’re also like trying to put a roof on a house with no walls. We need the roof, but it just won’t stay there. Statewide races are the incubators of the next generation of campaign staff: idealistic, young, scrappy. As a first time Campaign Manager I did things I never thought possible, for a candidate who deserved it with a team who earned it. It just wasn’t time yet for the roof.

Second, everything else:

Our flexible, creative, hardworking mighty team of 3 (@krainssaucedo & @sanah_gram) was part of things so much bigger than ourselves. We helped elect the first woman DA in Oklahoma County and in the process retired a truly dangerous politician. We helped win the only seat flip of the cycle, adding a net-gain to the House Dems in 20 years. Combined, we advised, lead, or directly raised almost $3.8M for democratic campaigns in Oklahoma in 16 months.

Did we do it alone? Hell no. While we worked tirelessly at our craft, the donors, voters, and candidates deserve all the credit. They have a vision of who we as Oklahomans should be and we’re grateful to play a small part in what happened last Tuesday.

Am I tired? Yes. Am I done? Never.

Allison Lawrence and Kendra Horn Election night 11-8-22

If you haven't been coming to our regular monthly meetings, you would be so surprised to see, feel, and hear the enthusiasm, fellowship, and love our group generates every time we get together. We do good teamwork. We know how to make things happen. We are making a difference in our community.

We have tried to keep our membership aware of important events that affect us. We have provided excellent speakers who have enlightened us about situations and opportunities to help others. We have heard from children, movers and shakers, and compassionate and concerned citizens. We have dedicated ourselves to electing qualified and worthy candidates. 

November 8 was going to be the big payoff.

This is what it is all about.

There is just one more thing we needed to discuss. We now  turned our attention toGETTING OUT THE VOTE (GOTV)--to getting out the RIGHT vote. 

We wanted to focus on encouraging everyone to vote--especially young people--especially women. These groups often are not interested in voting and think thesystem is messed up and voting is not worthy of their time. We must help them tosee how important their vote is.

Here are some things that we did to help get voters out for this election:

• First, REMEMBER the reasons you feel passionately about our candidates.Remember Roe v Wade overturn. Remember school vouchers. Remember corruptionin government. Remember those "conservative" candidates who appear to prefertheocracy or autocracy over democracy. Remember that we must not allowextremism or violence in our government, and that we must not elect any ElectionDeniers!
• Second, contact every single member of your family who is eligible to vote. Ask ifthey plan to vote. Offer to help them get to the polls or to get their vote cast. Remindthem about what is at stake.
• Third, talk to your friends. Use your best manners and most endearing self to talkabout voting and about candidate qualifications. Ask them if they plan to vote. Ask ifthey know where they are supposed to vote. Offer to help anyone get to the polls whoneeds it.
• Finally, use your social media as a tool. Like and share information (TRUE andVERIFIED information) about candidates. Stay positive and enthusiastic. Encouragepeople to vote no matter whether they like your candidate or not. (Yes, it is hard toput yourself out there, but think about all the crazies who do so every day. This is fora very brief time, and it will make a difference in our lives. STAND UP FOR WHATYOU BELIEVE IN!)
• Bonus, some of us made signs and chose a corner on election day and encouragedeveryone to vote. 

To all the legislators out there at the local, state, or national level who are trying to make voting more difficult for some sectors of the population, let's show them they can't stop us. STEP UP to the challenge. If voting is more difficult, then we must do whatever it takes to vote anyway. We are stronger than any voter suppression movements.

On November 8 at 7 p.m., we had some great wins! 3 Counties, Oklahoma, Tulsa, and Cleveland turned blue for Joy Hofmeister for Governor, Jena Nelson for Superintendent, and Kendra Horn for Senator when they were red 2 years ago for President ! OK County elected our first female District Attorney and our endorsed candidate  Vicki Behenna.  3 of our endorsed candidates were re-elected, Senator Carrie Hicks, Senator Julia Kirt and Representative Cyndi Munson. Another of our endorsed candidates Ellyn Hefner won HD 87, which kept that seat blue.

It was not all of the results we wanted, especially at the OK state and nationallevel, but  we are making some inroads and a difference in our area. 

We will be doing a closer evaluation at the precinct level to determine which precincts EDW had an influence on and will share that information when we get it.

WE WILL STAY ENERGIZED AND CONTINUE THE BLUE PATH.

Over 70 people attended Monday Night’s EDW General Assembly meeting and were treated to Joshua Harris Till running for Congressional District 5, Dr. Warigia Bowman running for OK State Corporation Commission, and a surprise visit from Blake Aguirre running for Senate District 22.

Joshua Harris Till is running against Representative Stephanie Bice Republican, and Independent David Frosch. His emphasis is on jobs, education-funding for K-12 and public education, with an opportunity to attend college or trade schools without life-crippling debt, healthcare-protecting Medicare and Medicaid and women’s reproductive rights, and infrastructure with good roads and safe bridges outside the metros.

Dr Warigia Bowman is running for Corporation Commissioner against Kim David, a Republican and Don Underwood, an independent. She was able to give us a brief primer on why the office of Corporation Commissioner is the most important office that no one has ever heard of. She is an international expert on infrastructure, water and energy and teaches water law, natural resources law and energy law at the University of Tulsa. Before becoming a professor, she was and honors trial attorney in the environmental division of the US department of Justice. She will be a responsive, transparent Commissioner that works to ensure fair utility prices for consumers in Oklahoma. She wants to conduct a grid audit to ensure ok has the most up to date and efficient grid. A diverse energy portfolio is a necessity so we can be a leader in biomass, solar, geothermal and hydroelectric energy.

Endorsed candidate Blake Aguirre is running for OK Senate in District 22 against Kristen Thompson, a Republican who defeated Senator Jake Merritt in the primary. He supports criminal justice reform, increasing funding for public education, and increased funding for mental health and substance abuse prevention. If elected, he would be the youngest senator elected at age 26, the second Latino senator and the first gay senator elected in Oklahoma.

Then we separated into our working tables to stuff coordinated campaign door hanger bags with national candidates Kendra Horn for Senate, Madison Horn for Senate, and JHT for CD 5, then state bags for candidates Joy Hofmeister for Governor, Jena Nelson for state superintendent, Warigia Bowman for Corporation Commissioner, and Melinda Alizadeh Fard for Lieutenant Governor, and then OK County bags for Vicki Behenna - District Attorney, Brandon Kirkpatrick for Treasurer, and Nick Singer for County Assessor.

This way our local candidates can put their walk cards in with any of these bags and we are dropping literature for for multiple candidates on the narrow turf of the local candidate, but yet won’t be inundated with too much literature because only national, state or county and local candidates in 1 bag.

Another table was writing postcards for Vicki Behenna, Malinda Alizadeh Fard, and Precinct Get Out The Vote EDW cards. It was a great evening of camaraderie and all working for the blue wave and getting our democrats elected! T-shirts were reduced for end of season sale to $10, and Vote Blue signs were available as well as most of the candidates’ signs for distribution. Also, Robbie White, OK Democratic county chair was there notarizing absentee ballots and super volunteer Jim Potts was helping people identify their new precincts and senate and House Districts.