By Bailey Garza
Student Reporter
As you know the 2018 elections are coming up soon. Oklahoma has three candidates running for governor this year.
Drew Edmondson, Chris Powell and Kevin Stitt are the three candidates that are running for Oklahoma governor in the upcoming election.
Democrat Drew Edmonson is an American lawyer and politician . Edmondson attended college at the University of Tulsa and Northeastern State University.
Edmondson’s official website drewforoklahoma.com, he talks about his plans for Oklahoma and what he wants to change. His No.1 issue he wants fix is the education in Oklahoma. “Our kids are our future and we are failing them” said Edmondson.
On his website he says that teachers in Oklahoma need more than one pay raise in ten years. “Our state needs to compensate them fairly for the hard work they do for our kids and our state” Edmondson said.
Edmondson’s No.2 issue he wants to fix is “our broken government.” He states that the budget should be written for Oklahomans not for Lobbyists. “I’ll close corporate tax loopholes in the state and expand tax deductions for middle-class Oklahomans and small businesses” said Edmondson.
The No.3 issue Edmondson feels he needs to change is the tax increase on Oklahoma families. Edmondson would not increase taxes on Oklahoma families. “It’s not the fault of Oklahoma families that we’re in this mess, and I’m sure not going to make them shoulder the load to fix it.
My plan pays for investments in education without raising taxes on Oklahoma families” said Edmondson.
Edmondson wants to end the special tax break for oil and gas corporations by restoring the gross production tax on horizontally drilled wells to where it was before: 7 percent and end the capital gains deduction loophole that mostly benefits taxpayers making over $1 million per year.
He also wants to add a 50 cent per pack increase to the cigarette tax and give no tax increase to the income tax.
Edmondson’s final issue he wants to change is healthcare. He says that every Oklahoman should be free to choose the best health care for themselves. “Our governor’s decision to reject Medicaid expansion not only robbed tens of thousands of health care, it created an insurance monopoly that robbed Oklahomans of choice and let the insurance companies set sky-high rates” said Edmondson.
The second candidate is Libertarian Chris Powell. Powell is the former state chair of the Oklahoma Libertarian Party.
For Powell, he believes that education is the most important to voters in this election. “Most of the focus has been on funding and salary increases, but funding alone will not improve our schools” Powell said.
Powell said that we must reduce the power of the politicians and bureacrats at the capitol and increase authority and responsibility at the local level within reach of parents and teachers. “As long as education is dictatced as one-size-fits all pogrom from 23rd & Lincoln we will continue to have high-pressure testing that undermines teachers and undervalues students” Powell said.
“We need to reverse the trend and trust the education professionals who know their students” said Powell.
He said that we will improve outcomes when our teachers once again have authority in the classroom and respect in the community.
Powell said that Oklahomans want change. “Like most voters in our state, I have a regular job and a family and understand the daily lives of ordinary people in ways that my opponents, a career politician and a multi-millionaire CEO, never will” said powell.
Powell said that he is committed to reducing the power of politicians and bureaucrats in order to increase your ability to live, work, pray and play as you see fit, so long as you don’t harm others.
He also said that he has years of experience participating in the political process but is not part of the two-party political establishment. “If you’re ready for a new direction for Oklahoma I am the top choice on your ballot” Powell said.
As Governor I will put liberty and the people of Oklahoma first” said Powell. He said the when it is in the best interest of our state he will work with the President, and when it is in the best interest of our state he will stand up to the President, regardless of who holds that office. And he is committed to opposing federal overreach in any and all areas.
The last candidate is Republican Kevin Stitt. Stitt is an American businessman and politician from Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a degree in accounting. Stitt is also the founder and chairman of Gateway Mortgage.
Kevin Stitt said that the most important issue is government accountability and transparency.
“As governor, my priority will be to deliver reform that makes our state government accountable and transparent to Oklahoman” said Stitt. He said that he will ask the Legislature to give the governor authority to fire underperforming agency heads.
Stitt said that right now, many boards and agencies are untouchable and they are unaccountable to elected officials. He said that this has to change. “I will also work with new agency leaders to provide performance metrics so that Oklahomans can see how agencies are delivering core services and to drive efficiency” Stitt said.
He said that finally, a Stitt Administration will put Oklahoma’s checkbook online to ensure agencies are transparent and accountable for how they spend taxpayers’ dollars.
Stitt said that Oklahoma is ready for change, but he believes that this change will never come if we keep electing the same career politicians. “I am a successful businessman, proven leader, and political outsider” said Stitt
“It’s time for a governor who understands that this position is not about how they can further their political career, but how they can serve their state for four to eight years with no reservations” Stitt said. He said that is ready to be that governor.
“As governor, I will work with President Trump, and support his agenda for a strong national defense, strong border security, strong economy, and robust infrastructure” Stitt said. He said that President Trump’s tax cuts are also leveling the playing field for America to compete in the global market place and ushering in economic opportunity.
Stitt said that with companies moving jobs back to the U.S. and repatriating dollars, Oklahoma is prime to attract this opportunity with the right kind of leadership. “I will use my professional business experience to recruit and retain these job creators to our state” said Stitt.
“Through this, we will capitalize on the economic momentum fostered by the Trump Administration in order to grow and diversify our economy in Oklahoma” Stitt said.
These are your 2018 Oklahoma Governor Candidates. Election day is Tuesday Nov. 6.