Oklahoma

Nearly half of Oklahoma legislative races already are decided without a vote – Daily Ardmoreite

Published

3 years ago

April 19, 2022

Press Room

Nearly half of Oklahoma legislative races already are decided without a vote – Daily Ardmoreite

Trevor Brown Oklahoma Watch

Numerous countless Oklahoma won’t have a say in choosing their state legislator or reps this year.

Of the 125 legal seats on the 2022 tally, 44% have actually currently been chosen. Less than one-third will certainly be disputed in November.

In 55 Home or Us senate races, just one individual submitted by the April 15 due date, gaining those prospects a chosen workplace without safeguarding a ballot or making their instance to citizens.

Amongst those automated champions are 37 Home Republicans, 8 Home Democrats, 5 Us senate Republicans as well as 3 Us senate Democrats.

Along with those 53 incumbents without any resistance there are 2 uncontested novices: Jerry Alvord, a previous Carter Area Commissioner that will certainly stand for Us senate Area 14, as well as Tulsa insurance coverage representative Mark Tedford, that will certainly stand for Home Area 69.

Each Oklahoma Us senate area consists of 81,935 homeowners; each Home area regarding 38,939. Ballot supporters claim affordable races produce an involved body politic as well as assistance to hold prospects answerable.

Nevertheless, areas that highly prefer one event or are stood for by a well-funded incumbent inhibit affordable races. Oklahoma’s battles have actually intensified.

When 50 of 125 legal races went uncontested in 2020, event leaders criticized the COVID-19 pandemic for a less than typical yield of prospects. Also after that, Oklahoma included a lot more uncompetitive legal races than the majority of the nation.

The state had the fifth-highest portion of races without 2 oppositions from significant events amongst the 44 states with 2020 legal political elections, according to Ballotpedia, a not-for-profit company that tracks political elections.

Just 245 prospects applied for the legislature recently, below 256 in 2020.

Republicans, that regulate 81.2% of the Legislature, created 182 prospects. With at the very least one prospect in 111 of 125 legal races, the GOP remains in placement to get a lot more seats.

By comparison, simply 58 Democrats applied for Home or Us senate races, leaving 61% without an Autonomous prospect. Democrats might win every basic political election race as well as still drop well except a bulk in your home or Us senate, according to an Oklahoma Watch evaluation.

Thinking no prospects take out or are gotten rid of after competitions of candidateship hearings are completed, there will certainly be 45 GOP main races as well as simply 6 for Democrats.

Republicans are currently guaranteed of managing 35 of the 48 Us senate seats (fifty percent of the Us senate is not up for political election this year) as well as 60 of the 101 Home seats.

Democrats will certainly regulate at the very least 9 Home seats as well as 6 Us senate seats, leaving simply 32 Home seats as well as 7 Us senate seats up for grabs.

Statewide as well as Legislative Races

Oklahoma’s jampacked slate of statewide as well as legislative seats will certainly be a lot more affordable.

Along with the 5 U.S. Home seats, U.S. Sen. James Lankford looks for re-election as well as there will certainly be an unique political election to change U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, that revealed layoff strategies.

The guv’s race covers the statewide races that consist of lieutenant guv, chief law officer, state treasurer, superintendent of public direction, state auditor as well as examiner, commissioner of labor, insurance coverage commissioner as well as company commissioner.

Of these races, just one has actually currently been chosen: Oklahoma Insurance coverage Commissioner Glen Mulready will certainly be re-elected without an opposition.

No Democrats applied for either state auditor as well as examiner or chief law officer, yet there will certainly be disputed races in the basic for the remainder of the seats.

The GOP main period will certainly consist of oppositions for all races besides lieutenant guv as well as Oklahoma’s first Legislative area, where Matt Pinnell as well as Kevin Hern, specifically, secured their event’s election in the re-election proposals.

A Lot Of the GOP primaries will certainly be really crowded with 14 prospects looking for the open second Congressional Area race as well as 13 prospects looking for the U.S. Us senate seat Inhofe is leaving.

Democrats, on the other hand, will certainly see primaries for simply 2 races: The match in between Happiness Hofmeister as well as Connie Johnson for the event’s gubernatorial election as well as a five-person area trying the right to stand for the event for Lankford’s U.S. Us senate seat.

Prospects that have actually attracted a main opposition won’t have much time to waste. Oklahoma’s main will certainly be hung on June 28 as well as the drainage will certainly be Aug. 23, if required.

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Oklahoma

What will 2025 bring for Oklahoma State athletics? We make 25 bold predictions for Pokes

Published

3 hours ago

December 29, 2024

Press Room

What will 2025 bring for Oklahoma State athletics? We make 25 bold predictions for Pokes

STILLWATER — The new year is always a good time for prognostication.

Oklahoma State enters the 2025 calendar year with a mix of excitement, hope and curiosity — and maybe a hint of anxiousness — depending on the sport you’re following.

So let’s dive into what’s ahead for the Cowboys and Cowgirls with 25 predictions for 2025:

Football

1. A 9-win season for the Pokes

After a dramatic and difficult offseason, coach Mike Gundy and his rebuilt coaching staff turn the Cowboys around. They triple their win total from 2024, posting a nine-win season and contending for a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game until the final weekend of the regular season.

2. Rodney Fields Jr. has a breakout year

A native of Wright City and a graduate of Del City High School, Fields becomes a homegrown star, rushing for over 1,000 yards in his redshirt freshman season.

3. Malik Charles is Big 12’s top defensive newcomer

The Cowboy defense’s breakout player will be one who has yet to play a major college snap. OSU fans, familiarize yourself with West Georgia transfer Malik Charles, a 6-foot-4, 255-pound defensive end who didn’t fully dedicate himself to football until after high school.

4. Gabe Panikowski contends for another trophy

New OSU placekicker Gabe Panikowski is a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award one year after he won the Fred Mitchell Award as college football’s top kicker below the FBS level.

5. A speedy NFL combine showing for Korie Black

Korie Black runs a top-five time in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, helping to boost his draft stock.

6. Ollie Gordon II goes early in the NFL Draft

Also benefiting from a strong performance at the combine, running back Ollie Gordon II is the first Cowboy selected in the NFL Draft, going in the second round.

7. Six Pokes drafted

Receiver Brennan Presley is picked in the seventh round of the draft, making it six former Pokes to be chosen in the three-day event.

Wrestling

8. OSU wrestling back atop Big 12

With several wrestlers making deep runs through their brackets, OSU returns to the top of the Big 12 with a championship at the BOK Center in Tulsa, edging Missouri and Arizona State in the championship session.

9. Four Cowboys reach NCAA wrestling finals

With four wrestlers reaching the NCAA finals, the Cowboys finish second to Penn State in the chase for a national title, announcing themselves as a legit threat to the Nittany Lions’ dynasty.

10. Special recognition for David Taylor

In his first season leading the Cowboys, David Taylor is named college wrestling coach of the year after guiding OSU to a resurgent season that establishes the basis of the program’s expectations going forward.

Women’s basketball

11. A 3-pointer record for the Cowgirls

Cowgirl basketball sets the Big 12 record for 3-pointers in a game with 21 — if not more. They’ve already tied the record of 20 in a game earlier this season, and Micah Gray set the OSU record, making 10 in a game.

12. A ‘W’ in the Big Dance

The Cowgirls get their first NCAA Tournament win under head coach Jacie Hoyt, who gave birth to her first child, a daughter, in mid-December.

Men’s basketball

13. Four league wins on the hardwood

Despite showing notable improvement on the court, the men’s basketball team ends with the same number of Big 12 wins as it did a year ago. The current version of the conference is a murderers’ row, particularly for a program trying to rebuild.

14. Bryce Thompson to the G League

Getting his professional shot the nearly same way former Cowboy and current Golden State Warrior Lindy Waters III did, OSU guard Bryce Thompson lands on the roster of the NBA G League’s Oklahoma City Blue.

Baseball

15. Nolan Schubart drops 30 bombs

Slugging outfielder Nolan Schubart hits 30 home runs on his rise to being a first-round selection in the MLB Draft.

16. A road regional win for Cowboy baseball

The baseball team fails to earn an NCAA Regional host berth as a top-16 seed, but advances to the Super Regional round on the road, falling one win short of a spot in the Men’s College World Series.

17. Happy Holliday goes No. 1

Though he’s committed to OSU, Ethan Holliday never makes it to campus. The nephew of Cowboy coach Josh Holliday follows in the footsteps of older brother Jackson in being selected No. 1 overall in the MLB Draft.

Softball

18. Karli Godwin sets Cowgirl homer record

Softball’s Karli Godwin breaks the program record for home runs in a season with 21. The record of 20 is held by Sam Show. Godwin hit 15 homers last year, setting the OSU freshman record.

19. Cowgirls conquer Big 12

The softball team asserts its dominance over the new-look Big 12 with an overpowering run to win the regular-season title, followed by a Big 12 Tournament championship as well.

20. Sixth straight WCWS trip

For the sixth straight time, OSU earns a spot in the Women’s College World Series, coming in Kenny Gajewski’s 10th season as coach.

Tennis

21. A banner to hang

Cowgirl tennis brings the school its first NCAA national championship in women’s athletics. OSU won the ITA indoor title last season, but that isn’t an officially recognized NCAA championship.

Equestrian

22. An equestrian five-peat

On its way to another strong showing at nationals, OSU equestrian wins the Big 12 Championship for the fifth straight time.

Golf

23. Elite Eight for men’s golf

Relying on a consistently balanced lineup, Cowboy golf advances to the matchplay bracket as a top-eight team in the NCAA Championships.

Olympics

24. Golden going for gold

Once again showing off her broad athletic talents, former OSU women’s basketball and track athlete Bailey Golden qualifies for the 2026 Olympics as part of the USA Bobsled team.

Facilities

25. New facilities on the horizon

OSU announces that it has the funding for an indoor track facility and a new softball stadium, along with breaking ground on the previously announced Boone Pickens Human Performance Innovation Complex.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma State’s Returning Receivers Have Large Voids to Fill

Published

11 hours ago

December 28, 2024

Press Room

Oklahoma State’s Returning Receivers Have Large Voids to Fill

Oklahoma State will have to replace some of its top producers from last season, and a few returning players will need to fill those voids.

OSU entered the 2024 season as a Big 12 contender and had one of the most experienced teams in the country. Although OSU went 3-9 and missed a bowl game for the first time in nearly two decades, that didn’t change the status of its roster.

With so many players in their final year of eligibility, almost every position took a hit. Of course, that included the receiver room. With Brennan Presley and Rashod Owens heading onto the next stages of their career and De’Zhaun Stribling transferring to Ole Miss, the Cowboys will be without their top three receivers from 2024.

While the Cowboys could still make some additions to the receiver room through the portal, next season’s top three receivers could simply be players looking to make a leap from their 2024 season. Talyn Shettron, Da’Wain Lofton and Gavin Freeman are all slated to be back in Stillwater in 2025 and could be the stars of OSU’s passing game.

Shettron was the Cowboys’ fourth-leading receiver in 2024 and showed some glimpses of his potential, particularly in a 110-yard performance against Tulsa. He finished the year with 12 catches for 245 yards and a touchdown, playing in nine games before an injury ended his season early. Considering Shettron’s speed and elusiveness, he should be the early favorite to lead the Cowboys in receiving next season.

Meanwhile, a couple of transfers will need to make an impact in their second seasons in Stillwater. With Lofton and Freeman each taking a redshirt in 2024, their usage was limited, but their talent was apparent. With each finishing with six catches in four games, Lofton and Freeman’s contrasting styles could make them a perfect pair alongside Shettron.

Want to join the discussion? Like Oklahoma State Cowboys on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Cowboys news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.

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Oklahoma

Oklahoma AG dismisses assault charge against officer who slammed 71-year-old man to the ground | CNN

Published

19 hours ago

December 28, 2024

Press Room

Oklahoma AG dismisses assault charge against officer who slammed 71-year-old man to the ground | CNN

Oklahoma City
AP
—

Oklahoma’s Republican attorney general dismissed a felony assault charge Friday against a police officer who slammed a 71-year-old man to the ground, breaking his neck, during an argument over a traffic ticket.

Gentner Drummond announced that he had intervened in the case and dismissed the aggravated assault and battery charge against Oklahoma City Police Sgt. Joseph Gibson, 28.

Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna charged Gibson this month after body-worn camera video released by police showed Gibson throwing Lich Vu to the ground after Vu touched Gibson during the argument following a non-injury traffic accident October 27.

“As attorney general, I will not permit Oklahoma police officers to face criminal prosecution for conduct adhering to their training,” Drummond said in a statement. “While the outcome of this incident is unquestionably devastating for Mr. Vu and his family, I do not believe the officer exhibited criminal intent.”

Prosecutors said Vu suffered a brain bleed and a broken neck and eye socket.

Behenna said in a statement that she was “surprised and disappointed that Attorney General Gentner Drummond took this case away from my office and the citizens of Oklahoma County.”

She said previously that after evaluating the case, prosecutors determined Gibson’s actions were an unreasonable use of force.

Drummond said Vu should not have touched Gibson during the argument.

“No individual is allowed to hit or push an officer, regardless of whether he or she doesn’t understand English well or comes from a different culture,” Drummond said. “The simple truth is, this unfortunate incident never would have occurred if Mr. Vu had kept his hands to himself.”

The use of force prompted outrage in Oklahoma City’s Vietnamese community, particularly since the video shows Vu had difficulty communicating with Gibson during the interaction and appeared not to understand what the officer was telling him.

Gibson’s attorney, former Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter, said Drummond’s decision to drop the charge was “well reasoned and correct.”

Mark Nelson, president of the Oklahoma City Fraternal Order of Police, said no officer wants to see someone injured and he hopes Vu makes a swift and full recovery.

“However, our members often have to make split-second decisions, and they cannot control the outcome of every situation,” Nelson said in a statement. “Unfortunately, when someone resists law enforcement, they increase the risk of harm to themselves or others.”

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