Stitt, elected leaders sworn into office

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and other statewide elected officials took their oaths of office on Monday ahead of a legislative session in which lawmakers are expected to consider cutting taxes amid record revenue collections.

Stitt, a wealthy mortgage company owner and political newcomer when he was first elected in 2018, easily won reelection in November to a second, four-year term, defeating Democrat Joy Hofmeister by more than 13 percentage points. He took the oath of office with his wife, Sarah, by his side and several of his six children in the front row.

Also sworn in Monday by Oklahoma Supreme Court Chief Justice John Kane IV were Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell; Attorney General Gentner Drummond; Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn; Treasurer Todd Russ; Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready; Auditor and Inspector Cyndi Byrd; Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters; and Corporation Commissioner Kim David.

During a 20-minute speech after his swearing in, the governor touted his accomplishments over the last four years, including opening the state for business soon after the coronavirus pandemic and working to reduce the state’s prison population, which was among the highest per capita in the nation when he took office four years ago.

Stitt said the Legislature’s decision to give the governor more authority over state agencies was particularly helpful in improving operations within the Department of Corrections, where Stitt was able to appoint a new executive director.

“As a result, we closed four prisons, safely reduced the number of inmates by over 5,000; we gave our frontline professionals a much needed pay raise; and we saved the taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars,” Stitt said.