Casey Murdock wins state Senate position
State Rep. Casey Murdock has won a seat in the Oklahoma Senate to represent the massive District 27 that covers much of the northwestern region and the Panhandle.
Murdock, R-Felt, defeated Democrat Amber Jensen in a special election. The seat has been vacant since former state Sen. Bryce Marlatt resigned in September.
The final tally out of 9,098 votes cast was 67.97 percent to 32.03 percent.
Murdock has served in the House since 2014 and will leave his post as vice chair of the House Utilities Committee. He's known as an ardent supporter of agriculture interests and earned attention in recent years with bills limiting the use of drones over someone else's farm and ranch land.
He also supports Oklahoma's wind industry and voted against the Step Up Oklahoma tax plan on Monday that would have enacted a $1 per megawatt-hour charge on wind production. Wind companies support him, as well. The industry poured nearly $80,000 into his campaign for Senate.
Murdock faced outside opposition in the form of an Oklahoma nonprofit organization, Advancing Freedom, who spent more than $12,000. The group ran social media ads, sent mailers and made phone calls opposing Murdock, telling voters he was a "tax hog."
For the primary election in December, Murdock defeated five other Republicans to win the nomination. His new district stretches from the Oklahoma Panhandle eastward to near Enid.
The seat became open when Marlatt resigned after being charged with sexual battery stemming from an Uber driver's complaint. Marlatt's case is still pending.