Voters head to the polls to fill Senate seat
Leroy Rex, a 43-year resident of southwest Oklahoma City, has seen a fair share of candidates come to his doorstep. But the “career politicians” are the ones he’s most likely to chase off.
“I can spot one of them right off the bat,” Rex said. “Once they get on that state payroll it’s hard to get them off.”
In Tuesday’s special election in Senate District 44, two political newcomers are vying to fill the seat left vacant by Sen. Ralph Shortey, who resigned this year amid charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution. Democrat Michael Brooks and Republican Joe Griffin have both run unsuccessful campaigns for the state Legislature in recent years, but one will be elected to represent this C-shaped district in southwest Oklahoma City that hugs portions of Interstate 240 and Interstate 40.
Rex was undecided a few days before the election but said he had done his homework and that his vote would go to the person he believed was focused on the challenges of the state and his neighborhood — and not just running for political gain.
“Look at the budget, look at our schools, we can’t pay our teachers what they deserve,” Rex said from his front porch, the rope of an American flag clinging against the metal pole in his front yard.
“I want someone serious about the job because the problems this year are too serious and we obviously didn’t have a senator recently who was focused on that.”
In conversations with dozens of voters in the district, the budget and public schools were commonly brought up as areas of concern. But Shortey’s downfall was hard to ignore.
“We’ve seen too many of our elected officials come into office and then we find out later they have some character flaws,” said Judy Jenkins, who is supporting Brooks.
Jenkins said she’s grown tired of lawmakers catering to party politics, rather than their community.
“A lot of our representatives are doing what they want along party lines and that gets us nowhere,” Jenkins said.
GOP majority
Republicans hold a large majority in both the state House and Senate, which has Democrats hoping for some voter revolt after a session many saw as lacking substantial action.
But Griffin has told voters not to expect him to go along with politics as usual.
“I may be a Republican, but I’m a citizen of Oklahoma and a taxpayer first and I share their frustration,” Griffin said between knocking voter doors on Saturday. “We need somebody up there who is voicing that frustration and looking to get things done as opposed to looking out for their next election and I think we see a lot of that at the Capitol.”
Griffin, who is a former television reporter and has worked for two House speakers, said he hasn’t seen the political courage of some within his own party to make tough decisions.
“For a long time the Legislature has said they are going to start tackling their own budgeting issues ... and for too long we’ve heard politicians saying, ‘Well the Legislature just doesn’t have the appetite to do this this year.’
“It doesn’t matter if they have the appetite or not; that’s their job, the time is now.”
Griffin is hoping his fiscal conservative message will resonate in this largely working-class district. But Democrats across the state are watching District 44 closely and hope Brooks can continue the recent trend of the minority party picking up urban seats, especially without an incumbent on the ballot.”It’s obvious the people of Oklahoma want change, they want something different from what they’ve been getting,” Brooks said. “Look at the budget fiasco. It seems like the Legislature waited until the last week of session ... and people are furious about that.”
Democrats hopeful
Democrats and other progressives from outside the district have spent time campaigning for Brooks, seeing the race as a chance to spark statewide change.
“We feel strongly about changing the way things are now in this state and we want someone who is going to think about working people and their needs and concerns,” said Cindy Alexander, who had traveled from Stillwater to campaign for Brooks.
“Things have taken such a turn for the worse in this state that we are hopeful that somebody who is not tied to big money industries will start making votes that are better for the people.”
But money is an advantage Brooks carries into Election Day as his campaign has raised five times as much as Griffin, according to campaign reports.
Brooks, who is an immigration attorney, has also targeted many in the growing Hispanic community, which has transformed much of south Oklahoma City in recent years.
Brooks’ ties to the Hispanic community have been used by his opponent, who in campaign fliers described Brooks as an immigration attorney who represents criminals.
“People are tired of those tactics,” Brooks said. “We all want the same thing.”
Laura Martinez moved to southwest Oklahoma City from Texas, drawn to the growing Hispanic community.
She said Brooks could give her a voice in the Legislature she doesn’t often have.
“I think he gets it when it comes to what it’s like in our neighborhood,” Martinez said. “We want a voice, which we didn’t even have the last few months because (the seat) was vacant.”
A win for Brooks wouldn’t tip the power scales in the Senate, where Republicans currently hold a 40 to 6 majority.
But it could indicate a small level of pushback against the GOP headed into the 2018 election season.
Voter frustration
Griffin isn’t counting out his own ability to take advantage of voter frustration.
“I think that this race is about Senate District 44 having a voice that will be heard,” Griffin said. “Especially considering the incident that created this entire election. This district has gone far too long without a voice at the Capitol.”
Griffin has campaigned on improving public safety, especially with a focus on the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, which is the “first line of defense on the major highways that go through this district.”
Ahead of Tuesday’s election, Rex was looking for sincerity from the candidates. He was also mindful of the previous senator.
“Are they in it for themselves or are they in it for the community? That’s what I will be asking myself,” Rex said. “There was something about Ralph Shortey I didn’t like and unfortunately it proved to be true. And so here we are.”