OKPOLICY.ORG
In The Know is a daily synopsis of Oklahoma policy-related news and blogs. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail.
Gov. Mary Fallin won a second term yesterday, defeating Democratic state Rep. Joe Dorman in another GOP sweep of all statewide offices. Republicans also increased their majority in the state Senate by four seats. You can see Oklahoma’s statewide and federal election results here and local results here. Joy Hofmeister pulled away from rural educator John Cox to become Oklahoma’s next superintendent of public instruction. U.S. Rep Markwayne Mullin easily won reelection last night, but he might have to face another election because his Democratic opponent died from injuries in a car accident before the election. State law may allow parties to replace deceased candidates, even if it requires a special election. Republican Steve Russell captured the congressional seat representing Oklahoma City. He’s the first Oklahoma Congressman, at least in recent history, that didn’t actually live in the district when he was elected.
Oklahoma voters on Tuesday handily approved three state questions designed to clarify and expand laws related to military personnel and veterans. OK Policy previously examined SQ 769, which allows military guard members to hold elected office, and SQs 770 and 771, which expand property tax breaks for some veterans and their families. On the OK Policy Blog, we looked at reasons behind why Oklahomans are voting at some of the lowest levels in the nation. The Oklahoma Supreme Court put on hold two new laws that would make it more difficult for women to obtain abortions in the state. All state Supreme Court members were retained in office in yesterday’s elections.
Two energy sector companies may get up to $15.7 million in incentive payments through the state’s Quality Jobs Program over the next 10 years. An OK Policy report previously discussed concerns about the growing cost and gaps in oversight of this program. Six more counts have been filed against an Oklahoma City police officer after three more reported victims, including a 17-year-old girl, have come forth alleging he forced them to commit sex acts while he was on duty. NewsOK reported on how an Oklahoma man accused of damaging Ten Commandments monument has struggled with mental illness. Religion Dispatches discussed why Oklahoma’s two recent beheading murders by a “Muslim” and a “Christian” should challenge our narratives around religion and violence.
The Number of the Day is how many fewer Oklahomans voted in this year’s governor’s race compared to 2010, a 20 percent drop in turnout. In today’s Policy Note, The American Prospect looks at the red states that approved minimum wage increase ballot initiatives last night.
In The News
Mary Fallin wins second term as Oklahoma governor
Republican Gov. Mary Fallin easily won a second term as Oklahoma governor Tuesday, defeating Democratic state Rep. Joe Dorman and keying a GOP sweep of all statewide offices. “Serving as Oklahoma’s governor has been the greatest honor of my life,” Fallin said. “I am incredibly humbled and thankful to be given the opportunity for a second term.” Fallin had 459,788 votes or 55.8 percent, to 337,728 votes or 41 percent for Dorman. Fallin congratulated Dorman for “running an energetic campaign and giving voters an opportunity to debate the issues that matter to them.”
See also: Statewide and federal election results from NewsOK; Local election results from NewsOK
Republicans gained four seats in Oklahoma Senate; Democrats pick up two seats in the House
The Republican Party will enter the new legislative session with an even stronger grip on the state Senate. Republicans picked up an additional three seats in Tuesday’s election. Photo – Claudia Griffith Claudia Griffith In Senate District 5, State Rep. Curtis McDaniel, D-Smithville, lost his bid to take over the seat left open by Sen. Jerry Ellis, D-Valiant. That race was won by Republican newcomer Joe Silk, who took 54.3 percent of the vote to McDaniel’s 45.7 percent. In Senate District 8, Democrats lost the seat left open by Sen. Roger Ballenger, D-Okmulgee. That spot was claimed by Republican candidate Roger Thompson, who defeated Selina Jayne-Dornan by a 55.9 percent to 44.1 percent tally.
Hofmeister wins school superintendent post
Joy Hofmeister, the Tulsa Republican who took down rival Janet Barresi to reach the general election, pulled away from rural educator John Cox on Tuesday night to become Oklahoma’s next superintendent of public instruction. With 1,871 of 1,956 precincts reporting, Hofmeister, a former teacher and education business owner, had 427,191 votes (55.6 percent) compared to 341,159 (44.4 percent) for Cox, a Democrat from Peggs, where he is the superintendent of a kindergarten through eighth-grade school district with 246 students and 16 teachers.
Markwayne Mullin coasts to victory but might face another election
The apparent re-election of Second District Congressman Markwayne Mullin remained in question Tuesday night because of the death earlier this week of Democratic challenger Earl Everett. Elsewhere, former state Sen. Steve Russell joined three incumbents in a Republican sweep of Oklahoma congressional elections on Tuesday. Mullin, a Republican, was getting close to 70 percent of the vote against Everett and independent Jon Douthitt, but may have to go through a second election because of the state law’s wording.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
Republican Steve Russell elected to represent Oklahoma City in Congress
Republican Steve Russell, a U.S. Army veteran and author, captured the congressional seat Tuesday that includes most of Oklahoma County. Russell, 51, defeated state Sen. Al McAffrey, an Oklahoma City Democrat, and three Independents and will replace U.S. Rep. Russell will be the third different congressman since 2007 in the district that includes most of Oklahoma County and Pottawatomie and Seminole Counties. He’s the first, at least in recent history, that didn’t actually live in the district when he was elected.
State questions approved
Oklahoma voters on Tuesday handily approved three state questions designed to clarify and expand laws related to military personnel and veterans. Two questions dealing with a property tax exemption for disabled veterans and surviving spouses were approved with about 90 percent of the vote, and the third measure was passed by more than a 2-to-1 margin.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
See also: State Question 769: Allowing military guard and reserve members to hold elected office and SQ 770 & 771 would expand property tax breaks for some veterans and their families from the OK Policy Blog.
Why we don’t vote
Sunday’s Tulsa Word featured a series of short articles by nine Tulsans explaining why they vote. These citizens spoke eloquently of their sense of civic obligation and responsibility. They spoke of the hard struggles that prior generations had fought to earn the right to vote for women and African-Americans, and of the journeys from distant lands their ancestors had traveled to gain the privileges of a free and democratic society. They spoke of the importance of elections to ensure that they have a voice and that their representatives are held accountable.
Read more from the OK Policy Blog.
Oklahoma Supreme Court Blocks 2 Abortion Laws
The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked two new laws that critics say may have made it difficult for women to obtain abortions in the state. The measures, approved by the State Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Mary Fallin, took effect Nov. 1. But in a unanimous decision released Tuesday, the State Supreme Court voted to prevent enforcement of the rules until lawsuits challenging their constitutionality are settled by a lower court.
Read more from the New York Times.
Two Tulsa energy sector companies qualified for up to $15.7 million in job creation incentives
Two energy sector companies have qualified for up to $15.7 million in incentive payments through the state’s Quality Jobs Program to create up to 459 jobs here over the next 10 years. The pipeline equipment company T.D. Williamson Inc. has qualified for up to $6.8 million in Quality Jobs payments for creating up to 230 jobs in Tulsa over the next 10 years. Williamson designs, manufactures and delivers pipeline equipment. The exploration and production company Midstates Petroleum Co. has qualified for up to $8.9 million in Quality Jobs payments for creating up to 229 jobs in Tulsa over the next 10 years.
See also: Report examines growing cost of Quality Jobs program from Oklahoma Policy Institute.
Three new alleged victims spur more sex crime charges against Oklahoma City police officer
Six more counts have been filed against an Oklahoma City police officer after three more reported victims, including a 17-year-old girl, have come forth alleging he forced them to commit sex acts while he was on duty. Daniel Ken Holtzclaw, 27, is accused of assaulting a total of 13 women. He was charged Tuesday in Oklahoma County District Court with three more counts of first-degree rape, as well as one count each of second-degree rape by instrumentation, forcible oral sodomy and sexual battery.
Oklahoma man accused of damaging Ten Commandments monument struggles with mental illness
At least twice now, Michael Tate Reed II has purged himself of all his belongings, setting them outside his home for anyone to take. “I’m going to Bible college,” Reed wrote in a Facebook post in August last year, “and God told me to give away my stuff and to trust in him to supply all my needs according to ‘His’ riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” He posted a photo of everything he owned in his yard with a large white sign that reads “ALL FREE” in red letters. After that, Reed headed to the college in Tulsa. While there, he had his first major mental health breakdown.
In OK, a “Christian” And a “Muslim” Decapitation Challenge “Religious” Violence Narrative
Murder often functions as a cultural Rorschach test: the narratives we tell about why people kill often reveal more about ourselves than the killers. The day before Halloween, 21-year-old Isaiah Marin of Stillwater, Oklahoma, murdered his 19-year-old friend, Jacob Crockett—nearly decapitating him with a machete. He turned himself in, rambling to the dispatcher about “magic and sacrifice.”
Read more from Religion Dispatches.
Quote of the Day
“It’s easy for us to look at voting as simple, natural, and important. But most of us are also well-educated and well-informed about politics and policy. We know at least a little about the offices that are on the ballot and what these officeholders do. There’s a good chance that we personally know at least some of the candidates we’re voting for (and against). Most of us have stable work and family situations and reliable transportation. We know where to vote, or which websites to check if we don’t. Most of our family members and friends are also reliable voters, and our inboxes and Facebook feeds are filled with reminders and exhortations from them to get to the polls. These conditions simply don’t apply for a substantial share of the population.”
– OK Policy Executive Director David Blatt, on why voter turnout in Oklahoma has fallen to near the lowest in the nation (Source: bit.ly/1tGwz63)
Number of the Day
211,006
How many fewer Oklahomans voted in this year’s governor’s race compared to 2010, a 20 percent drop in turnout.
Source: Oklahoma Election Board (2010, 2014)
See previous Numbers of the Day here.
Policy Note
Minimum Wage Measures Pass Easily in Four Red States
As devastating as Tuesday night’s election was for Democrats—Republicans took control of the Senate and won a number of key governor races—it was actually an encouraging night for the progressive economic agenda. In four red states—Alaska, Arkansas, Nebraska and South Dakota—minimum wage ballot initiatives all passed easily. In San Francisco, voters overwhelmingly passed a $15 minimum wage—with notably little opposition from the business community. And in Illinois, voters sent a clear message through a non-binding advisory initiative that they want lawmakers to raise the minimum wage, and fast.
Read more from The American Prospect.
You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail.
