THE ARTIST BEHIND THE WORK WITH GALLERY AMERICA.

THURSDAY EVENINGS AT SEVEN.

THE RACE TO REPLACE GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT IS NOW DOWN TO TWO CANDIDATES.

AFTER ENJOYING THIS NIGHT OF CELEBRATION, HOWEVER, WE WILL MOVE ON TO THE GENERAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.

HE'S BANKING ON THE PRESIDENT'S ENDORSEMENT.

HE'S BANKING ON EXTREMIST POLICIES THAT DO NOTHING FOR EVERYDAY WORKING PEOPLE.

A COMPLETE ELECTION RECAP, INCLUDING AN IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION ON WHAT IT ALL MEANS FOR NEXT NOVEMBER.

I THINK THAT IS A PROBLEM FOR ANY STATEWIDE DEMOCRAT RIGHT NOW.

THEY GET KILLED IN THE RURAL AREAS OF THE STATE.

RESULTS OF AN AUDIT DETAILING OKLAHOMA'S USE OF FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS.

THE WARNINGS WE HAVE GIVEN EACH YEAR FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS HAVE BEEN IGNORED IN MANY AGENCIES.

DENTISTS DONATING THEIR TIME AND SKILLS FOR THOSE IN NEED.

NO ONE WOULD HIRE ME.

IT AFFECTED MY LIVELIHOOD AND IT AFFECTED MY HEALTH.

A DYING MAN'S WISH COMES TRUE THANKS TO THE STAFF OF OU HEALTH.

I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL.

HE'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AND I'M JUST SO, SO GRATEFUL THAT HE'S ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY.

THOSE STORIES, PLUS LIFE LESSONS FOR NEW PARENTS.

NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

I'M RICH LENZ.

WE HAVE COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE OF TUESDAY NIGHT'S ELECTION, INCLUDING THE GOVERNOR'S RACE, WHICH WILL PIT REPUBLICAN MIKE MAZIE AGAINST DEMOCRAT EDDIE MUNSON IN NOVEMBER.

NOAH MACK HAS REACTION FROM BOTH CAMPS, AS WELL AS THE CONCESSION SPEECH OF GETTINGER DRUMMOND.

JASON DOYLE COVERS THE OTHER STATEWIDE RACES AND RESULTS OF THE TWO STATE QUESTIONS ON THE BALLOT.

AND LATER IN THIS NEWSCAST, OUR IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH MODERATOR SUSAN CADOTTE AND A PANEL OF POLITICAL ANALYSTS AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO THE GENERAL ELECTION.

BUT LET'S BEGIN WITH REPORTER NOAH MACK AND THE RACE TO REPLACE KEVIN STITT.

NOAH.

WELL, RICH, THIS REPUBLICAN PRIMARY RUNOFF IS ONE OF THE CLOSEST GUBERNATORIAL RACES THE STATE HAS EVER SEEN.

AFTER EVERY VOTE WAS COUNTED, MIKE MAZIE CAME OUT ON TOP AND HEADS HEADS TO CONTEND WITH DEMOCRAT CYNDI MUNSON.

BUT GENTNER DRUMMOND WASN'T QUICK TO THROW HIS SUPPORT BEHIND HIS PARTY'S NOMINEE.

SO WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY, THE MAN.

THE MYTH.

THE WALKING MIRACLE.

MIKE MAZIE.

AFTER A CLOSE RACE, A LATE NIGHT.

MIKE MAZIE, FORMER BUDGET SECRETARY AND STATE SENATOR, IS NOW THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE IN THE RACE FOR OKLAHOMA GOVERNOR.

WE WANTED TO KEEP YOU ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEATS FOR A LITTLE WHILE, OR AT LEAST ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT.

MAISIE'S VICTORY SPEECH ROLLED AROUND AT ABOUT 10:00 AT NIGHT, AFTER 100% OF THE VOTES WERE IN.

FOR A GUY WHO WENT THROUGH YEARS OF GREAT PAIN AND SUFFERING, MY STORY IS CERTAINLY A TESTIMONY THAT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE TRULY POSSIBLE.

THE WHOLE NIGHT, MAISIE AND HIS RUNOFF OPPONENT, ATTORNEY GENERAL GENTNER DRUMMOND, VIRTUALLY REMAINED WITHIN A PERCENTAGE POINT OF EACH OTHER, ENDING WITH A DIFFERENCE OF ONLY AROUND 2000 VOTES, ONE OF THE CLOSEST RACES OF ITS KIND.

THANK YOU TO EVERY OKLAHOMAN WHO VOTED FOR ME, DRUMMOND CONCEDED, BUT HAD A STERN MESSAGE FOR HIS PARTY'S NEW NOMINEE.

I BELIEVE DEEPLY IN THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO CHOOSE THEIR LEADERS.

SO TONIGHT, I RESPECT THEIR DECISIONS, MR.

MAISIE.

TONIGHT, I WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WELL.

NOW YOU HAVE TO SHOW UP.

THE GOVERNOR DOESN'T WORK FOR THE WEALTHY.

THE GOVERNOR DOESN'T WORK FOR SPECIAL INTERESTS.

THE GOVERNOR DOESN'T WORK FOR THE PEOPLE WHO CAN WRITE THE LARGEST CAMPAIGN CHECKS OR HIRE THE MOST EXPENSIVE LOBBYISTS.

THE GOVERNOR WORKS FOR THE PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA.

ALL OF THEM.

AND, MIKE, THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE SHOULD HOLD YOU TO THAT STANDARD.

FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL JOHN O'CONNOR AGREES.

MAZIE HAS SOME WORK TO DO WITHIN THE PARTY.

I KNOW A LOT OF GOOD OKLAHOMANS VOTED FOR HER AND VOTED FOR MIKE, AND MIKE'S GOT TO NOW PULL THEM ALL TOGETHER AND GIVE LEADERSHIP TO THE STATE.

SOME MAZIE VOTERS BELIEVE HIS FINANCE NERD PERSONA IS A NO BRAINER.

MAJORED IN MATH IN COLLEGE, WAS GRADUATED PHI BETA KAPPA.

THEY HAVE THAT BIG MATHEMATICAL MIND, RIGHT?

THAT APPROACH IS LIKE, DO THINGS THAT WORK, NOT THINGS THAT SOUND GOOD, RIGHT?

SO I THINK MIKE WILL BE FINE.

ONE OF THE MOST PERVASIVE PIECES OF IMAGERY AT MIKE MACY'S WATCH PARTY WAS THE MANY POINTS THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT WHERE THE VILLAGE PEOPLE'S YMCA SHUDDERED THROUGH THE LOUDSPEAKER.

THE ANTHEM, CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S RALLIES, HAD PEOPLE UP AND DANCING THROUGHOUT ELECTION NIGHT.

I'M SO WOUND UP, I'M READY TO GO DANCING, I AM.

I SEE IT.

MAZIE HAS TOUTED HIS ENDORSEMENT FROM THE PRESIDENT, MAKING IT A LINCHPIN IN HIS CAMPAIGN BRAND.

REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR GOVERNOR MIKE MAZIE THANKED TRUMP AT THE TOP OF HIS SPEECH.

BUT WHAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN IS WHETHER MACY'S MAGA TIES WILL HELP HIM OR HINDER HIM IN THE GENERAL ELECTION.

WELL, DONALD TRUMP'S HIS OWN MAN, AND SOME PEOPLE LOVE HIM AND SOME PEOPLE DETEST HIM.

LONG TIME REPUBLICAN MICHAEL FELL BELIEVES TRUMP'S BACKING REMAINS AN ASSET TO THE MESA CAMPAIGN.

DONALD TRUMP WON 77 COUNTIES, 3 IN 3 STRAIGHT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN OKLAHOMA.

I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HURT TO HAVE HIM ON ON MIKE'S SIDE AS PRESIDENT TRUMP'S APPROVAL RATING REMAINS LOW AND PRICES REMAIN HIGH.

OKLAHOMA'S DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR GOVERNOR HOPES TO ATTRACT ANYONE LOOKING FOR CHANGE.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW I'VE GOT SOME NEW FACES IN THE ROOM, WHICH I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT.

ONE OF THOSE NEW FACES IS JOHN WILKINSON, A REPUBLICAN.

MY PARTY HAS BEEN TAKEN OVER BY IDIOTS WITH PITCHFORKS.

HE HAS FOUND A SPOT IN THE CURRENT HOUSE MINORITY LEADER CINDI MUNSON'S CAMPAIGN FOR GOVERNOR, IN HOPES THAT SHE WILL REEL THE STATE BACK TOWARDS THE CENTER.

MY QUESTION FOR HER IS WHY SHOULD A MODERATE REPUBLICAN LIKE ME THINK THAT SHE IS CLOSER TO THE TRUTH IN THE MIDDLE THAN THE CANDIDATE ON THE OTHER SIDE?

AND I'M HOPING THAT SHE CAN CONVINCE ME BECAUSE I AM NOT IMPRESSED WITH WHAT MY PARTY HAS PUT FORWARD SO FAR.

MIKE MAZIE ADDRESSED MUNSON ON ELECTION NIGHT, ALTHOUGH NOT BY NAME, DRAWING DISTINCTION BETWEEN THEIR PLATFORMS.

MY DEMOCRAT OPPONENT BELIEVES IN HIGHER TAXES AND MORE GOVERNMENT SPENDING, NO RELIEF FROM UNFAIR PROPERTY TAXES, AND THAT BOYS SHOULD PLAY IN GIRLS SPORTS.

AS MUNSON WORKS TO APPEAL TO THE UNDECIDED, SHE IS FOCUSED ON A MESSAGE OF UNITY AND CIVILITY THAT SHE BELIEVES THE AVERAGE OKLAHOMAN CRAVES.

I GO TO THESE COMMUNITIES ACROSS OUR STATE, ESPECIALLY IN RURAL OKLAHOMA, WHERE OKLAHOMANS, REGARDLESS OF PARTY, HAVE TOLD ME, WE FEEL LEFT BEHIND.

WE FEEL UNSEEN AND UNHEARD.

AND THE REASON WE FEEL THAT WAY IS BECAUSE WE'RE FIGHTING FOR AN AMBULANCE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE PROTECT OUR WATER.

WE HAVE ONE STOPLIGHT LEFT IN OUR TOWN.

YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THINGS THAT FOLKS ARE LIVING THROUGH EVERY DAY, THEIR DAILY LIVES.

AND THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT PUBLIC SERVANTS AND OKLAHOMA'S NEXT GOVERNOR SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON VERSUS BEING DIVISIVE, TEARING PEOPLE APART, CALLING EACH OTHER NAMES.

INSTEAD, WE SHOULD BE BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND SOLVE THOSE ISSUES.

THE CLOSEST ANY GOVERNOR'S RACE HAS BEEN WAS IN 1970 BETWEEN DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGER DAVID HALL AND REPUBLICAN INCUMBENT DEWEY BARTLETT.

BUT THIS WEEK'S ELECTION CAME PRETTY CLOSE.

MUNSON AND MAZIE WILL FACE OFF IN NOVEMBER AGAINST THREE INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES.

RICH, NOAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO NOW WE TURN THINGS OVER TO JASON DOYLE IN OUR NEWSROOM WITH A DEEP DIVE INTO OTHER STATEWIDE RACES AND THE FATE OF TWO STATE QUESTIONS ON THE BALLOT, JASON.

RICH, THOSE DOWN BALLOT RACES DON'T GET THE PUBLICITY THE GOVERNOR'S RUNOFF DOES, BUT THEY DO NARROW DOWN THE FIELD FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION.

AT THE SAME TIME, VOTERS WERE SPLIT ON THE TWO STATE QUESTIONS.

YOU DID THIS.

JOYFUL TEARS ON TUESDAY NIGHT IN TULSA, AS ROBERT FRANKLIN SECURES THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION TO BE THE NEXT STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.

THIS WAS FRANKLIN'S REACTION WHEN THE NEWS REACHED HIS WATCH PARTY THAT HE HAD DEFEATED HIS REPUBLICAN OPPONENT, JAMES TAELYR, TO MOVE ON TO THE GENERAL ELECTION.

THAT'S A PRETTY THAT'S A PRETTY AMAZING THAT'S A PRETTY AMAZING ANNOUNCEMENT, GUYS.

FRANKLIN TOOK 55% OF THE REPUBLICAN VOTE IN THE RUNOFF.

HE'S LOOKING TO FOCUS ON ISSUES AS THE CAMPAIGN HEADS TO NOVEMBER.

WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO WASTE MOMENTS.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO WASTE MOMENTS ON DIVIDING PEOPLE, ON BEING UGLY AND DISRESPECTFUL TO PEOPLE.

WE'RE GOING TO WORK AS HARD AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

JUST LIKE MY GRANDPARENTS AND MY PARENTS REMINDED US OF, PUT THE BEST FOOT FORWARD, DO EVERYTHING YOU POSSIBLY CAN TO LIFT SOMEBODY UP, AND LET'S SEE HOW FAR THAT WILL TAKE.

US SUPPORTER ELLA PASCAL BELIEVES FRANKLIN IS THE RIGHT PERSON TO HELP SCHOOLS IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES, AND TO GET OKLAHOMA EDUCATION OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE CLASS.

I THINK LOVING ON OUR TEACHERS, SUPPORTING OUR TEACHERS, SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS IS REALLY WHAT'S GOING TO GET US OUT OF THERE.

AND ELECTING THE RIGHT OFFICIAL, LIKE ROBERT FRANKLIN IS REALLY GOING TO GET US OUT OF 50TH IN EDUCATION.

FRANKLIN NOW FACES DEMOCRAT AND FORMER TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD MEMBER JEANETTE MARSHALL IN THE GENERAL ELECTION.

LET'S GO.

LET'S GET IT TOGETHER.

WE CAN DO IT.

WE CAN DO.

WE CAN DO HARD THINGS.

TEACHERS HAVE ALWAYS DONE HARD THINGS.

ALWAYS.

DEMOCRATS HAD ONE STATEWIDE RACE TO DECIDE THIS WEEK WHO WOULD FACE REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN KEVIN HERN FOR THE OPEN U.S.

SENATE SEAT.

THE RUNOFF WAS BETWEEN ATTORNEY JIM PRIEST AND POLITICAL NEWCOMER AND PROFESSIONAL NURSE MICAELA JASMINE THOMAS, WITH THOMAS MOVING ON TO THE GENERAL ELECTION BEFORE THE RESULTS STARTED COMING IN, THOMAS'S SUPPORTERS WELCOMED HER ARRIVAL AT HER ELECTION NIGHT WATCH PARTY.

OUR GIRL.

DON'T MAKE ME CRY.

SHE WON THE PRIMARY RUNOFF WITH PRIEST RECEIVING 61% OF THE VOTE.

WE'RE ACTUALLY SPEAKING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION, BUT I MEAN, I JUST FEEL I FEEL HOPEFUL, I FEEL ENCOURAGED, I FEEL LIKE NOW THIS IS, I GUESS, ROUND TWO OF GETTING MYSELF DIRTY, GETTING EVERYONE ELSE DIRTY HERE, AND FINALLY JUST MEETING EVERYONE WHERE THEY'RE AT.

AFTERWARDS.

SPREAD THAT THOMAS HAD SECURED THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION FOR U.S.

SENATE.

CONGRESSMAN HERN ISSUED A SHARP STATEMENT ABOUT HER CANDIDACY, SAYING IN PART WITH MICAELA JASMINE THOMAS'S VICTORY IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY RUNOFF, OKLAHOMANS NOW HAVE A CLEAR CHOICE IN NOVEMBER BETWEEN TWO FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT VISIONS FOR OUR STATE AND OUR COUNTRY.

THOMAS REPRESENTS THE FAR LEFT SOCIALIST WING OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

WHILE I'M COMMITTED TO ADVANCING COMMON SENSE CONSERVATIVE POLICIES THAT DELIVER RESULTS AND PUT AMERICA FIRST, THOMAS TOLD HER SUPPORTERS SHE'S READY TO TAKE ON THE HERN CHALLENGE.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME.

THIS IS ABOUT.

WE SEE IN NOVEMBER.

WHILE MOST OF THE RACES WERE PARTIZAN RUNOFFS FOR VARIOUS NOMINATIONS, ALL VOTERS HAD THE CHANCE TO DECIDE THE FATE OF TWO STATE QUESTIONS PUT ON THE BALLOT BY THE LEGISLATURE.

STATE QUESTION 844 FAILED BY A MARGIN OF 74% TO 26%.

IT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE LEGISLATURE TO CHANGE THE WAY LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE REIMBURSED.

WHEN A MANUFACTURER RECEIVES AN AD VALOREM TAX BREAK.

THE OTHER LEGISLATIVE REFERENDUM WAS STATE QUESTION 846.

IT ENSHRINES A VOTER ID LAW INTO THE STATE CONSTITUTION, WHILE ALLOWING STATE LAWMAKERS TO DEFINE WHAT IDENTIFICATION OF VOTER CAN USE AT THE POLLS.

IT PASSED 55% TO 45% IN TULSA.

BOB SULLIVAN CAME OUT ON TOP FOR THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION IN THE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER RACE, WHICH NORMALLY DOESN'T GET A LOT OF ATTENTION.

HOWEVER, OKLAHOMANS KNOW THEY'VE BEEN PAYING SOME OF THE HIGHEST HOME INSURANCE PREMIUMS IN THE COUNTRY.

IF HE WINS IN NOVEMBER, SULLIVAN WANTS TO USE THE OFFICE TO MAKE THE INSURANCE MARKETPLACE MORE COMPETITIVE FOR CONSUMERS.

CERTAINLY, WE NEED TO HAVE MORE COMPETITION IN OUR MARKETPLACE HERE IN OKLAHOMA, BOTH IN THE HOMEOWNERS AND PERSONAL LINES MARKET, BUT ALSO IN THE COMMERCIAL SPACE AS WELL, BRINGING NEW CARRIERS INTO THE OKLAHOMA MARKETPLACE WHO MAY BE OPERATING IN SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING STATES, WOULD BE A KEY FOCUS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND BRING THOSE COMPANIES INTO THE STATE TO INCREASE COMPETITION AND BRING RATES DOWN.

SULLIVAN ALSO IS PAYING ATTENTION TO THE DEVELOPMENTS AROUND THE ONGOING STATE FARM LAWSUITS.

CERTAINLY A TROUBLING THING TO ME AS A FUTURE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER IN OKLAHOMA, TO KNOW THAT AN INSURANCE COMPANY OR 2 OR 3 ARE ALLEGED TO BE RUNNING AWAY WITHOUT PAYING CLAIMS, SO TO SPEAK, OR SHYING AWAY FROM PAYING CLAIMS THAT THEY'RE RIGHTFULLY REQUIRED TO DO.

CERTAINLY THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO KNOW MORE ABOUT AS THOSE CASES DEVELOP.

SULLIVAN WILL FACE DEMOCRAT CRAIG MCINTYRE IN THE GENERAL ELECTION IN THE LABOR COMMISSIONER'S RACE.

THE WINNER OF THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION IS STATE REPRESENTATIVE KEVIN WEST, WHO IS FACING HIS FELLOW HOUSE MEMBER, JOHN PIFER.

WE'VE WORKED VERY CLOSELY TOGETHER.

WE'RE ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD FRIENDS.

ONE THING I THINK WAS REALLY REFRESHING FOR OKLAHOMANS WAS WE NEVER REALLY GOT CHIPPY WITH EACH OTHER.

YOU KNOW, THERE WERE THINGS THAT WE DISAGREED ON.

BUT, YOU KNOW, NOTHING LIKE SOME OF THOSE OTHER RACES.

WEST TOOK IN 58% OF THE VOTE TO WIN THE NOMINATION.

IF HE GOES ON TO WIN THE OFFICE, A TOP PRIORITY IS TO CONTINUE PUSHING FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY FOR THE TRADES.

IT DOESN'T TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE WORKFORCE GAPS.

WE HAVE AN AGING WORKFORCE, AND NOT A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE COMING IN TO REPLACE THEM.

WEST FACES LIBERTARIAN MIKE HALL AND DEMOCRAT KEVIN DAWSON THIS NOVEMBER.

AND AS THE GENERAL ELECTION APPROACHES, THE NEWLY MINTED NOMINEES ARE READY TO FACE THEIR PARTIZAN CHALLENGERS.

WE'RE NOT FINISHED YET.

WE'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH NOVEMBER, BUT WE'RE GOING TO WORK AS HARD AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, JUST LIKE WE HAVE THUS FAR.

WE SHOULD GET A BREAK FROM THE POLITICAL COMMERCIALS FOR A BIT, BUT NOVEMBER 3RD WILL BE HERE BEFORE YOU KNOW IT.

DECIDING THE STATEWIDE RACES AND THE MAKEUP OF THE NEXT OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE.

RICH, JASON, GREAT JOB AS ALWAYS.

THANK YOU.

WELL, THE WINNERS ON TUESDAY NIGHT AREN'T THE ONLY ONES ALREADY LOOKING AHEAD TO THE NOVEMBER 3RD GENERAL ELECTION.

IN OUR UPCOMING IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION, MODERATOR SUSAN KUDO IS JOINED BY A PANEL OF OKLAHOMA POLITICAL EXPERTS TO DISCUSS WHAT HAPPENS BETWEEN THEN AND NOW.

HERE'S A PREVIEW OF THAT DISCUSSION.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A PERCENTAGE OF DRUMMOND VOTERS WHO JUST DON'T SHOW UP IN THE GENERAL ELECTION.

I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER PERCENTAGE THAT MAY BE MORE INCLINED TO VOTE FOR THE DEMOCRAT.

AS FOR THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE, I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA OF HOW LARGE OF A PERCENTAGE THOSE VOTERS ARE.

THE LARGER THEY ARE, THE MORE MUNSON HAS A CHANCE TO ATTRACT THEM TO HER SIDE.

THE CONSENSUS IS THAT SHE HAS AN UPHILL BATTLE.

NOW, THERE ARE SOME BIG DEMOCRATS HERE IN THE STATE THAT HAVE BEEN SHOWING AROUND TOWN SURVEYS THAT SHOW IF MAZIE IS THE NOMINEE, THEN THEN THEN CYNDI MUNSON HAS A CHANCE.

WELL, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE.

FOUR YEARS AGO, WHEN GOING DOWN THE STRETCH, EVERYBODY THOUGHT JOY HOFMEISTER HAD A SHOT.

I THINK WE ALREADY HAD IT IN STATUTE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

AND SO THEY JUST ENSHRINED IN THE CONSTITUTION NOW.

BUT IT DOES LEAVE THE LEGISLATURE SOME LEEWAY TO DEFINE WHAT EXACTLY IDENTIFICATION IS.

AND SO THAT MIGHT BE AN ISSUE WE SEE IN THE NEXT KIND OF SESSION TO KIND OF PUT MORE BONES AROUND THAT AND KIND OF PUT MORE STRICTER REQUIREMENTS ON THAT.

THE REST OF THAT CONVERSATION COMING UP IN JUST A FEW MINUTES, AN AUDIT OF ROUGHLY $14 BILLION IN FEDERAL AID REVEALS ABOUT $25 MILLION IN QUESTIONABLE SPENDING FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2024.

THAT'S THE DETERMINATION OF OKLAHOMA STATE AUDITOR AND INSPECTOR CINDY BIRD, WHO RELEASED HER FINDINGS AT A NEWS CONFERENCE IN OKLAHOMA CITY ON MONDAY.

QUESTIONABLE COSTS INCLUDE.

THOSE THAT DON'T COMPLY WITH THE LAW CANNOT BE DOCUMENTED OR APPEAR UNETHICAL.

NOW, JUST TO PUT THIS IN PERSPECTIVE, BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, OKLAHOMA'S QUESTION COSTS WERE ROUTINELY.

THEY WERE ROUTINELY AVERAGED AROUND $5 MILLION PER YEAR.

AFTER THE PANDEMIC, THE AVERAGE HAS BEEN CLOSER TO $30 MILLION PER YEAR.

QUESTION COSTS PEAKED AT $93 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 23, WHEN COVID SPENDING ALSO REACHED A HIGH POINT.

HOWEVER, WHILE EXPENDITURES ARE LEVELING OFF, THE RISK OF WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE IS AS HIGH AS EVER, BIRD SAYS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN DEMAND REPAYMENT OF AROUND $200 MILLION IN QUESTIONABLE SPENDING UNCOVERED IN THE LAST FIVE FEDERAL AUDITS THAT SHE'S OVERSEEN.

A COMANCHE COUNTY JUDGE HAS ORDERED THE PARTIAL RELEASE OF WHAT ARE KNOWN AS THE HOT DOCUMENTS INVOLVING INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN STATE FARM INSURANCE EXECUTIVES AND EMPLOYEES.

DISTRICT JUDGE GRANT SHEPHERD ORDERED 31 OF THE DOCUMENTS TO BE RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC AND LAWYERS FOR POLICY OWNERS SUING THE NATION'S LARGEST HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE COMPANY SAY THE DOCUMENTS PROVE STATE FARM ALLEGEDLY CONSPIRED TO DENY OR LOWBALL CLAIMS FOR HAYLEY AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.

THEY SAY.

THE DOCUMENTS SHOW STATE FARM MADE ALMOST A BILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS BY DENYING CLAIMS, AND THAT 39% OF WIND AND HAIL CLAIMS WERE DENIED, THE INTERNAL EMAILS CONTEND STATE FARM SAVED $15,000 PER CUSTOMER DENIED OR UNDERPAID CLAIM.

IN RESPONSE, STATE FARM RELEASED THIS STATEMENT THAT READS IN PART OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS ALONE, STATE FARM HAS PAID MORE THAN $1 BILLION TO OKLAHOMA CUSTOMERS FOR WIND AND HAIL, DAMAGE TO THEIR HOMES AND PROPERTY.

EFFORTS BY TRIAL LAWYERS TO TURN DISPUTED ALLEGATIONS INTO BROAD, MISLEADING CONCLUSIONS ABOUT STATE FARM'S CLAIMS PRACTICES CREATES CONFUSION FOR CUSTOMERS, AGENTS AND COMMUNITIES THAT DEPEND ON STRONG AND STABLE INSURANCE MARKETS.

AFTER SEVERE WEATHER, HEALTHY BODIES REQUIRE A HEALTHY MOUTH.

HAVING GOOD TEETH AND GUMS PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN A PERSON'S OVERALL WELL-BEING.

AND YET, SOME OKLAHOMANS SIMPLY CAN'T AFFORD MUCH NEEDED DENTAL WORK.

BUT A NONPROFIT IN THE TULSA AREA IS DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

STEVE SHAW JOINS US NOW TO EXPLAIN.

STEVE RICH, EASTERN OKLAHOMA DONATED DENTAL SERVICES WAS FOUNDED 23 YEARS AGO IN TULSA.

SINCE THAT TIME, MORE THAN 400 DENTISTS AND THEIR STAFFS HAVE DONATED CARE TO MORE THAN 30,000 PATIENTS ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE STATE.

HEY, HOW ARE YOU?

GOOD.

HOW ARE YOU?

I'M DOING WELL.

WHAT'S GOING ON TODAY?

I MEAN, ON MY BOTTOM LEFT OR BOTTOM RIGHT?

PARTIAL.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, LET'S DO THIS.

LET'S GET YOU READY HERE.

JORDAN LEWIS IS A 2015 SAPULPA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU COULDN'T DIDN'T HAVE THIS RESOURCE?

I DON'T KNOW, I WOULD HAVE NO TEETH.

WHO HAD A TERRIBLE TIME WITH HER TEETH.

THAT STARTED AT A YOUNG AGE AND THEY JUST ROTTED AWAY.

I HAVE A TOP PARTIAL, A BOTTOM PARTIAL.

I HAVE A BRIDGE AND MY FRONT TEETH ON MY BOTTOM ARE ALL CAPS AS WELL AS MY UPPER TOP RIGHT TEETH.

SIX YEARS AGO, THROUGH THE NONPROFIT EASTERN OKLAHOMA DONATED DENTAL SERVICES, LEWIS FOUND DENTIST JUSTIN YOUNG, WHO MIGHT HAVE JUST SAVED HER LIFE.

BACK BEFORE I HAD ALL OF THIS, ALL THE WORK DONE, AND NO ONE WOULD HIRE ME, IT AFFECTED MY LIVELIHOOD AND IT AFFECTED MY HEALTH.

I HAD HAD A TOOTH INFECTION SO BAD THAT I ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE OF IT.

YOUNG IS AN OU DENTAL SCHOOL GRADUATE.

HE'S BEEN A DENTIST FOR TEN YEARS AND HAS VOLUNTEERED FOR EASTERN OKLAHOMA DONATED DENTAL SERVICES EACH OF THOSE TEN YEARS.

IT'S BEEN A FANTASTIC AVENUE TO REALLY HELP TREAT PEOPLE, AND I GET TO DO IT WITHIN THE COURSE OF MY REGULAR DAY.

I GET TO MOVE THEM IN AND OUT.

JUST LIKE REGULAR PATIENTS.

THEY FEEL LIKE REGULAR PATIENTS.

THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE IT'S, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING DIFFERENT.

OTHERWISE KNOWN AS EODDS, THE NONPROFIT ORIGINALLY EXISTED AS A RESOURCE FOR SENIORS, BUT SPREAD TO ADULTS OVER 18 WHO DON'T HAVE THE INSURANCE OR THE MEANS TO PAY FOR DENTAL CARE.

FEBRUARY TO MARCH, 77 YEAR OLD WILMA JEAN HARRIS CAME TO EODDS2 YEARS AGO.

OKAY, SO SHOW ME AGAIN WHERE WHERE YOUR SPOTS ARE.

I HAVE ONE HERE.

OKAY.

AND THEN ONE ON THE INSIDE, UNDER MY TONGUE.

OKAY.

WILMA SAYS IN HER WORKING YEARS, SHE HAD DENTAL INSURANCE THAT SHE SAYS COVERED PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING.

TWO YEARS AGO, SHE FOUND DOCTOR ANDREW CARLETTI AT CARLETTI DENTISTRY AND ASSOCIATES BECAUSE I HAD TO HAVE PULLED ALL MY TEETH OUT.

SO YOU HAVE DENTURES, RIGHT?

I'M TALKING ABOUT WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?

WHAT IS IT?

WHAT HAS THIS MEANT FOR YOU?

OH, WHEN I GOT MY DENTAL, IT FELT BETTER.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT CAN ESTABLISH THE NEED FOR THE PERSON AND FIND A DENTIST FOR THEM.

SO IT WAS KIND OF A FULL SERVICE THING.

IT IS.

WE ALSO HAVE A GROUP OF LABS THAT DONATE THEIR SERVICES E, D, D S PATIENTS AND THEIR STAFFS HAVE DONATED MORE THAN 46,000 HOURS AND A SAVINGS OF $62 MILLION TO THE PATIENTS THEY SERVE.

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO SEE THEIR THEIR EYES LIGHT UP WHEN THEY LOOK AT THEIR SMILE?

OH THAT'S EVERYTHING.

YEAH.

WHEN YOU TAKE SOMEONE THAT WAS A LOT OF THEM ARE IN A PRETTY HOPELESS SITUATION.

THEY DON'T KNOW HOW.

THEY KNOW THEY HAVE NEEDS, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET THOSE NEEDS FULFILLED.

AND THEY'RE IN PAIN.

A LOT OF TIMES.

SOMETIMES THEY'RE IN PAIN, SOMETIMES IT'S EMOTIONAL TRAUMA.

SOMETIMES IT'S THEY CAN'T GET A JOB.

THEY, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE, THEY'RE EMBARRASSED TO BE OUT IN PUBLIC.

WILMA HARRIS SAYS WHEN SHE TELLS FELLOW SENIORS ABOUT EODDS MOST STILL NEED MORE CONVINCING.

AND I TOLD THEM THERE'S NO REASON TO GO AROUND WITH NO TEETH.

I TOLD THEM ABOUT NORTHEASTERN DONATED DENTAL SERVICE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I'VE TALKED.

NIIYA BROWN IS A DENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE FOR EODDS AND IS INVOLVED IN THE PATIENT SCREENING PROCESS.

SOMETIMES PATIENTS, THEY HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THEIR HEALTH AND GROCERIES.

SO TO KNOW THAT WE'RE ABLE TO HELP TO MEET THE NEED AND THEY CAN UTILIZE THE MONIES FOR OTHER NECESSITIES.

OKAY, LET'S LOOK AT 29 OR 21 AND 20.

I THINK TO ME, IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS JUST A POINT CONTACT AT THE TOP.

ADRIENNE MOROSINI IS AN OFFICE MANAGER OF A TULSA VETERANS CENTER.

SHE'S A SINGLE MOM OF AN EIGHT YEAR OLD.

TWO YEARS AGO, SHE WAS AT HER WIT'S END WHEN NICOLE BROWN REACHED OUT TO HER.

WHEN THEY CALLED ME, I HAD JUST GONE TO THE DENTIST.

I GOT A QUOTE FOR $26,000 TO FIX MY TEETH, AND I CRIED IN THE OFFICE BECAUSE THERE'S JUST NO WAY, THERE'S NO WAY THAT I COULD HAVE AFFORDED THAT.

SHE BELIEVES IT WAS A GOD THING.

IT PUT ME AT PEACE, AND I JUST KNEW THAT I WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

AND I MEAN, THAT'S REALLY SHOWN TO BE TRUE.

DOCTOR JOHN FONDER IS ADRIAN'S DENTIST.

IF YOU GOT ISSUES WITH YOUR TEETH, GUMS, WHATEVER, IT'S NOT THE PROBLEM'S NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.

NO.

AND IT CAUSES SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS TO PEOPLE THAT IGNORE ORAL HEALTH, ESPECIALLY INFECTIONS.

IT CAN AFFECT YOUR HEART AND THE WHOLE YOUR WHOLE BODY.

REMEMBER JORDAN LEWIS, I'M ACTUALLY IN SCHOOL TO BE AN RN.

THAT'S A NOBLE PROFESSION.

YEAH.

SO AND THAT WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE IF I DIDN'T HAVE DOCTOR YOUNG ABLE TO FIX MY TEETH.

SHE'S A FIRST YEAR NURSING STUDENTS AT TULSA COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

BEFORE THAT, I'D WAS A NURSE AIDE.

SO I'VE ALREADY KIND OF HAD MY FOOT IN THE DOOR.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, NURSING.

WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH NURSES.

WE REALLY DON'T.

AND THEY'RE KIND OF THE BACKBONE OF THE HEALTH FIELD.

A YOUNG LADY LIKE THAT, HAVING TROUBLE WITH DENTAL PROBLEMS AND TRYING TO BE ABLE TO CORRECT OVER THE LAST COURSE OF THE YEARS, JUST TRYING TO HELP HER OUT AND GIVE HER A GOOD SMILE BACK BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO BE A NURSE.

ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH.

IT'S A IT'S A BIG, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE IN THE FACE OF PEOPLE EVERY DAY, IF YOU DON'T, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T HAVE TEETH OR HAVE MISSING, LIKE PEOPLE PRE-JUDGE YOU, UNFORTUNATELY.

AND BEING ABLE TO FULFILL THOSE NEEDS HAS BEEN REALLY REWARDING.

GOTCHA.

EASTERN OKLAHOMA DONATED DENTAL SERVICES GETS MUCH OF ITS FUNDING FROM GRANTS, PRIVATE DONATIONS AND FUNDRAISING EVENTS.

RICH.

GREAT STORY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, STEVE.

AND WE HAVE ANOTHER POSITIVE, HEARTWARMING HEALTH CARE STORY TO SHARE WITH YOU FROM OKLAHOMA CITY.

YOU KNOW, COUPLES SPEND MONTHS, SOMETIMES YEARS, PLANNING THEIR WEDDING, BUT SOMETIMES LIFE INTERVENES TO ALTER THOSE PLANS.

AND SOMETIMES IT WORKS OUT FOR THE BEST.

THAT WAS THE CASE FOR SHAINA BUNTZ, WHO RECENTLY EXCHANGED I DO'S IN AN UNLIKELY BUT ULTIMATELY BEAUTIFUL VENUE.

GIVE YOU JUSTIN, GIVE YOU JUSTIN.

THIS RING IS A SYMBOL OF MY LOVE AND COMMITMENT.

THIS RING AS A SIGN OF MY LOVE AND COMMITMENT.

SHAINA BUNTZ EXCHANGING VOWS WITH HER SOON TO BE HUSBAND JUSTIN IN A SMALL HOSPITAL CHAPEL AT OU HEALTH BACK ON JULY 2ND.

IT IS MY GREAT HONOR TO PRONOUNCE YOU HUSBAND AND WIFE.

YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT NOT WHAT WE PLANNED, BUT WE'RE BLESSED.

THIS PLAN WAS THE BRAINCHILD OF A CARING CRITICAL CARE NURSE AND AN ATTENDING PHYSICIAN.

YOU KNOW WE NEED TO BE HERE FOR OUR PATIENTS, ADVOCATE FOR OUR PATIENTS, MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE WHAT THEY NEED, NOT JUST PHYSICALLY, BUT EMOTIONALLY.

ALSO, IT HELPS US CONNECT BACK TO OUR WHY REALLY, WHY DID WE GO INTO MEDICINE IN THE FIRST PLACE?

YES, CLICHE ENOUGH, WE WENT IN TO HELP OTHERS, BUT REALLY WE WENT WITH THE GOAL OF CARING FOR THEIR NEEDS AND WHAT THEIR PATIENT, MICHAEL BUNCE WANTED MORE THAN ANYTHING, WAS TO WALK HIS DAUGHTER DOWN THE AISLE.

AND TIME WAS OF THE ESSENCE.

IT'S BEEN HARD.

IT'S SAD.

HE'S HAD A ROUGH TIME, BUT HE'S ALWAYS PLEASURABLE, ALWAYS SMILING.

EXCEPT FOR WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HIS DAUGHTER'S WEDDING AND HE CRIES, HE CRIES A LOT.

HE REALLY WANTED TO GO TO HIS DAUGHTER'S WEDDING.

YEAH, HE'S HE'S BEEN THROUGH A LOT, SO HE DESERVES TO HAVE A SPOTLIGHT AND A GOOD DAY.

YEAH.

AND SO DOCTOR SKAGGS, NURSE PRICE, AND MANY OTHERS CHIPPED IN TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

THERE IS SO MANY PEOPLE VOLUNTEERING.

I CAN DO THIS, I CAN DO THIS.

I CAN GET A CAKE.

I CAN GET FLOWERS.

YOU KNOW, I CAN BRING DECORATIONS.

IT WAS LIKE THE WHOLE TEAM.

AND THEY WERE MESSAGING BACK AND TELLING ME WHO THEY WERE.

AND I WAS SHOCKED AT THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE OUT OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT WERE ALL COMING TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS ONE PATIENT EXPERIENCE THE BEST IT COULD BE.

AND YES, TEARS OF JOY DID FLOW FREELY, BUT THERE WERE PLENTY OF SMILES, TOO.

THERE WE GO.

CARING FOR CRITICALLY AND OR TERMINALLY ILL PATIENTS IS NOT EASY.

AND THE OU HEALTH SYSTEM'S 11,000 EMPLOYEES AND MORE THAN 1300 DOCTORS SERVING ALL 77 OKLAHOMA COUNTIES EXCEL AT IT.

AND SO HOW WE WORK TOGETHER AS NURSES, PROVIDERS, PHYSICIANS, DIETARY RESPIRATORY THERAPY, REHAB SERVICES, ALL OF US WORKING TOGETHER TO TAKE CARE NOT ONLY OF THE PATIENT AND THEIR MEDICAL NEEDS, BUT THEIR HOLISTIC NEEDS, WHETHER THAT BE THEIR SPIRITUAL CARE NEEDS OR MAYBE PERHAPS THE NEEDS OF THEIR SOCIAL OR THEIR FAMILY.

AND REALLY LISTENING TO WHAT IS THE THING THAT'S MOST IMPORTANT TO THEM.

FOR SHAYNA BUNCE, IT WAS SHARING THIS MOMENT WITH HER FATHER, MICHAEL, JUST A FEW WEEKS BEFORE HE PASSED AWAY.

IT MEANS A LOT.

I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT THIS CAME TOGETHER TODAY.

I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL.

HE'S VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AND I'M JUST SO GRATEFUL THAT HE'S ABLE TO BE HERE TODAY.

AND HE'S THIS IS BEING SET UP FOR US.

I'M SO GREAT.

THIS IS WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU ALL.

WELL, WE HAVE BEEN DOING SEVERAL STORIES RECENTLY ON THE OU HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF VERY GOOD, INNOVATIVE WORK, ESPECIALLY IN THE FIELD OF PEDIATRICS.

TAELYR JACKSON JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON THAT.

TAELYR RICH OKLAHOMA CHILDREN'S TRANSITIONAL CARE PROGRAM HELPS PREPARE FAMILIES FOR WHEN THEY TAKE HOME A CHILD WITH COMPLEX CARE NEEDS.

WE SPOKE WITH A FAMILY THAT SAYS THE SKILLS THAT THEY LEARNED HELPED SAVE THEIR BABY'S LIFE CRITICALLY LOW.

OKAY, I'M GOING TO SECTION.

OH, I CAN'T PASS IT.

OKAY, OKAY.

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES LIKE THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME.

FOR A FAMILY WITH A CHILD THAT HAS COMPLEX MEDICAL NEEDS, IT CAN BE A TERRIFYING SCENE WHEN YOU AREN'T FULLY PREPARED.

WHENEVER IT CAME TO EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, EVEN THOUGH WE HAD REVIEWED VERBALLY AND WHAT TO DO, WE REVIEWED VERBALLY WHAT TO DO IN EMERGENCIES, AND THEY WERE FINDING THEY WOULD COME UP ON AN EMERGENCY AND KNOW WHAT TO DO, BUT THEY WOULD FREEZE BECAUSE THEY'D NEVER DONE IT BEFORE.

AND THESE ARE THINGS THAT CAN VERY QUICKLY BECOME LIFE OR DEATH SITUATIONS FOR THESE FAMILIES.

THIS LED TO OKLAHOMA CHILDREN'S STARTING A SIMULATION PROGRAM TO TEACH FAMILIES WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

OKLAHOMA CHILDREN'S DIRECTOR OF COMPLEX CARE DOCTOR AMANDA PAGE HELPED CREATE THE PROGRAM, SO WE REACHED OUT TO THE SIMULATION CENTER OVER HERE.

AND WITH THE DIRECTOR, THERE'S A PHYSICIAN WHO WORKS IN THE CHILDREN'S EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT WHO'S AND THEIR, THEIR MEDICAL DIRECTOR AND SAID, HEY, WE HAVE THIS SITUATION.

WE KNOW IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

I KNOW AS A MEDICAL STUDENT HERE AT OU, I HAD RUN THROUGH SIMULATIONS HERE AND THE SIM CENTER.

I SAID, I KNOW YOU'LL DO TEACHING WITH MED STUDENTS.

I KNOW YOU DO.

RESIDENTS AND FELLOWS.

WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO WORK WITH FAMILIES WHO ARE WORKING TOWARDS DISCHARGING FROM THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL?

AND THEY IMMEDIATELY SAID, YES.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

SARAH AND REN CONTRERAS ARE ONE OF THE FAMILIES THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH THE PROGRAM.

THEY COMPLETED MORE THAN 40 HOURS OF TRAINING.

THERE'S NO WAY I WOULD BE AS CONFIDENT HAVING HIM AT HOME IF IT WASN'T FOR THIS.

THE SIMULATION RUNS THROUGH VARIOUS WORST CASE SCENARIOS FAMILIES MIGHT EXPERIENCE WITH A TRACHEOSTOMY.

PARENTS GET HANDS ON PRACTICE ON HOW TO HANDLE EACH SITUATION AS IF THEY WERE AT HOME.

SO TRACHEOSTOMIES ARE BASICALLY A WAY THAT WE CAN BYPASS THEIR THE BABY'S NORMAL AIRWAY.

A LOT OF KIDS WHO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THEIR AIRWAY, THEIR TRACHEA NEED TRACHEOSTOMY, BUT ALSO BABIES WHO NEED THE VENTILATOR LONG TERM.

AND SO THAT'S A WAY WE CAN ALLOW THEM TO HAVE ACCESS TO THE VENTILATOR WITH, WITH THAT TUBE IN THEIR NECK.

THOSE SCENARIOS INCLUDE FIXING A CLOGGED TUBE AND WHAT TO DO IF THE TUBE COMES OUT.

THE CONTRERAS FAMILY HAS ALREADY HAD TO PUT THE SKILLS THEY LEARNED INTO ACTION AT HOME.

SO THERE'S BEEN TWO INSTANCES WHERE WE'VE SAVED HIS LIFE, AND IT'S BEEN BECAUSE OF THIS TRAINING.

THE FIRST WAS ACTUALLY WHEN HE WAS STILL INPATIENT AND HE HAD A PLUG IN HIS TRACHE, AND WE HAD TO BAG HIM TO BE ABLE TO BRING HIM BACK.

AND WE DID.

AND IT WAS REALLY SMOOTH.

AND THEN AT HOME, HIS TRACHE SLIPPED OUT AND WE HAD TO DO AN EMERGENCY TRACHE CHANGE.

BABY BENTON WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CONGENITAL CONTRACTURES OF LIMBS AND FACE HYPOTONIA AND DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY, A RARE GENETIC CONDITION THAT IMPACTS BREATHING, MUSCLE TONE AND DEVELOPMENT.

BENTON WAS DIAGNOSED A FEW WEEKS AFTER HE WAS BORN, AND AS A RESULT, HE SPENT THREE MONTHS IN THE NICU.

THERE IS NOT A TREATMENT PLAN BECAUSE ALL IDENTIFIED PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION JUST HAVE DIFFERENT, SOMETIMES OVERLAPPING CONDITIONS, AND WE JUST TREAT THE SYMPTOMS.

SO THAT JUST BECAME OUR GAME PLAN FOR BENNY, THE LARGEST NEED WAS RESPIRATORY.

AND WE ULTIMATELY MADE THE DECISION TO HAVE A TRACHEOSTOMY DONE FOR HIM.

AND THAT ENDED UP BEING THE SORT OF CATAPULT FOR THE CATALYST FOR HIM TO START DEVELOPING.

OTHERWISE, SARAH, A PROUD MOTHER OF TWO, SAYS SHE KNEW HER PREGNANCY WITH BENTON WAS DIFFERENT THAN HER FIRST PREGNANCY.

WE KNEW THERE WAS A LOT GOING ON AND WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS PROBABLY THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF LIKE ABNORMALITIES GOING ON.

WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW THE SOURCE OF IT, AND WE DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL WE GOT GENETIC TESTING BACK.

CLIFFORD SYNDROME IS CAUSED BY A MUTATION IN THE NALCN GENE.

THE CONDITION IS EXTREMELY RARE, AND BENTON IS ONE OF LESS THAN 60 CHILDREN LIVING WITH THE CONDITION.

IT'S FLIPPED OUR LIVES UPSIDE DOWN FOR SURE.

BUT THE BIGGEST THING IS ADAPTING.

SO WE HAVE TO ADAPT EVERY SINGLE THING THAT WE DO.

WE, THANK GOODNESS, HAVE HAD SO MUCH SUPPORT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO FIND WAYS TO REALLY GET HIM CONNECTED WITH OUR FAMILY, WITH OUR FRIENDS, OUR DAILY LIFESTYLE, REN SAYS.

EVEN SMALL THINGS LIKE TAKING A FAMILY TRIP TAKE MUCH MORE PLANNING WHEN YOUR CHILD HAS MEDICAL NEEDS.

I HAD TO CARRY ALL OF HIS MEDICAL EQUIPMENT ONTO THE FLIGHT BECAUSE IF THERE WERE AN EMERGENCY, I'M NOT GETTING INTO THE CARGO BAY UNDER THE PLANE.

I HAVE TO HAVE IT IN ARM'S REACH.

SO JUST PHYSICALLY CARRYING THINGS ONTO THE PLANE WAS A BIG OBSTACLE.

WORKING WITH GATE AGENTS AND THEN ALSO WORKING WITH THE AIRLINE OVER THE PHONE AHEAD OF TIME.

REN SAYS BABY BENTON HAS MADE SOME IMPROVEMENTS SINCE THEY FIRST BROUGHT HIM HOME, AND AFTER A RECENT SLEEP STUDY, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ONE YEAR OLD BENTON NO LONGER NEEDED THE VENTILATOR.

WE'RE SUPER PROUD OF HIM, SUPER EXCITED BECAUSE HE JUST IS FINALLY STRONG ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN HIS RESPIRATORY SYSTEM ON HIS OWN, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.

THE CONTRERAS FAMILY ENCOURAGES OTHERS TO BETTER INTERACT WITH THOSE WHO ARE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES.

IT DEPENDS ON THE FAMILY, BUT LIKE, I'M OKAY WITH QUESTIONS.

OR IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, JUST SAY HI.

OR LIKE, WHAT'S WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

WHAT'S THEIR NAME?

KIND OF INTRODUCING THAT.

SO THAT WAY YOU'RE MAKING IT LIKE NORMAL FOR PEOPLE.

ALTHOUGH BENTON'S CONDITION IS RARE, SARAH HAS FOUND COMMUNITY AND THE CHANNELING HOPE FOUNDATION IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT CONNECTS FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH THE NALCN GENETIC MUTATION.

RICH TAELYR.

THANK YOU AND GOOD LUCK TO BENTON.

OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY SAYS ITS ENROLLMENT HAS HIT AN ALL TIME HIGH, WITH THE LARGEST NUMBER OF IN-STATE STUDENTS TAKING CLASSES IN MORE THAN FOUR DECADES, FULL TIME AND ONLINE STUDENTS AT OSU'S FIVE STATEWIDE CAMPUSES TOTALING 37,411.

MORE THAN 23,000 OF THEM ARE FULL TIME.

THAT'S A RECORD, AND 18,000 OF THEM HAIL FROM OKLAHOMA, THE MOST SINCE 1984.

EARLIER IN THIS NEWSCAST, WE SHARE THE ELECTION RESULTS FROM SEVERAL IMPORTANT STATEWIDE RACES, AS WELL AS THE OUTCOME OF TWO STATE QUESTIONS.

NOW LET'S FIND OUT WHAT THE RESULTS MIGHT MEAN FOR THE NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION COMING UP IN JUST OVER THREE MONTHS.

HERE'S MODERATOR SUSAN GUIDO WITH THIS WEEK'S IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION.

SUSAN.

RICH JOINING US TO BREAK DOWN THE RUNOFF ELECTIONS, OUR OKLAHOMA WATCH REPORTER, PAUL MONEZ.

DOCTOR JAMES DAVENPORT, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR FOR THE CENTER OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AT ROSE STATE COLLEGE.

AND FINALLY JOINING US VIA ZOOM FROM ORLANDO, FLORIDA, EYES OVER TECHNOLOGIES VICE PRESIDENT KYLE LOVELACE.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

YOU'RE UP, YOU'RE UP.

YOU'RE HERE AFTER RUNOFF ELECTIONS.

HOORAY!

IT'S OVER.

BUT LET'S BREAK IT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT HOW EVERYTHING WENT.

AND FIRST OF ALL, LET'S JUST GO AHEAD AND START WITH THE GOVERNOR'S RACE.

THERE WAS A RUNOFF, A VERY IMPORTANT RUNOFF FOR THE REPUBLICAN CONTENDER THERE.

PAUL, I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HOW THAT PLAYED OUT AND HOW DID IT PLAY OUT?

YEAH, WELL, OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS THE CLOSEST RACE OF THE NIGHT THAT WE SAW.

IT WAS ENDED UP BEING ABOUT 2000 VOTES DIFFERENCE, PERCENTAGE POINTS DIFFERENCE.

LESS THAN A 10TH OF A PERCENTAGE POINT BETWEEN THE TWO.

BUT ULTIMATELY, MIKE MAISIE, FORMER STATE SENATOR FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND THEN A FINANCIAL PLANNER FOR A LONG TIME, PRIVATE SECTOR, WON THAT RUNOFF AND WILL NOW FACE CINDY MUNSON AND THREE INDEPENDENTS IN THE GENERAL ELECTION.

WHAT DO YOU THINK MADE THE DIFFERENCE, JAMES, BETWEEN MAISIE AND DRUMMOND?

A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY, WELL, IT WAS THE TRUMP ENDORSEMENT.

I'M SURE THAT HAD SOME EFFECT, BUT THE MARGIN WAS SO SLIM, AS PAUL MENTIONED, THAT TRYING TO DIG IN AND SEE WHAT EXACTLY MOVED CERTAIN VOTERS, CERTAIN DIRECTIONS, IT MIGHT TAKE US A LITTLE TIME TO REALLY FIGURE THAT OUT.

IT IS TRUE, THOUGH, THAT, YOU KNOW.

MAISIE HAD A REALLY STRONG SUPPORT KIND OF IN THE SOUTHEAST PART OF THE STATE THAT WAS EVEN IN THE COUNTIES THAT SAY THAT DRUMMOND WON HIS VICTORY, THERE WAS MUCH NARROWER THAN IN SOME OF THE COUNTIES THAT THAT MAISIE WON.

AND SO SOMETHING ABOUT RURAL VOTERS IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTRY.

NOW, DRUMMOND HAD A LOT OF RURAL VOTERS IN LIKE THE NORTHWEST, BUT SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE IN THE SOUTH AND THE EAST PART OF THE STATE, REALLY.

MAISIE CONNECTED THEM IN A WAY THAT THAT DRUMMOND DID NOT.

WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO GO TO KYLE ABOUT.

I SAW A MAP, KYLE, AND IT WAS REALLY KIND OF.

I SAW MORE VOTES FOR DRUMMOND IN MORE OF THE METROPOLITAN TYPE COUNTIES AND DISTRICTS IN OKLAHOMA.

IS THAT THE CASE?

IS IT A RURAL URBAN ISSUE?

IT IS, BUT NOT COMPLETELY.

WE'VE HAD THOSE RACES IN THE PAST WHERE CERTAIN CANDIDATES DID WELL IN THE URBAN AND SUBURBAN AREAS, AND THEN IN RURAL COUNTIES, NOT SO MUCH.

BUT IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE CUT AS THAT ANYMORE.

IT'S MORE IF YOU LOOK AT IT AND IT'S NOT COMPLETELY THIS WAY, BUT THE I-44 CORRIDOR, THOSE THAT WERE LEFT SOUTH OF I-44, THOSE WENT PRIMARILY FOR MAISIE.

THOSE THAT WENT NORTH WENT PRIMARILY FOR DRUMMOND.

SO IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE WE'VE NEVER REALLY HAD YOU HAVE HAD OKLAHOMA CITY AND TULSA GOING DIFFERENT WAYS AND YOU HAVE HAD THE URBAN RURAL.

SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I CAN REMEMBER WHERE LITERALLY THEY CAN CUT A LINE ACROSS THE STATE, ALONG THE TURNPIKE.

AND THAT'S WHERE THE KIND OF THE LINES WERE, EXCEPT OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA COUNTY AND TULSA COUNTY WERE, WERE THE BATTLEGROUNDS.

SO, KYLE, I DO WANT TO STAY WITH YOU FOR A MOMENT.

WAS IT A MATTER OF SPENDING?

DID YOU TRACK WHERE ADVERTISEMENTS WERE MOST PUT FROM EACH OF THESE CAMPAIGNS?

DID THAT TURN THE TIDE?

WELL, THAT IS A QUESTION THAT I THINK JAMES AND I AND OTHERS WOULD AGREE.

THE LEVEL OF SPENDING WAS OFF.

WE'VE NEVER IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T SEEN BEFORE.

YOU KNOW, MAISIE PUT IN 11 MILLION OF HIS OWN MONEY THAT NOBODY A YEAR AGO THOUGHT HE EVEN HAD.

AND SO AND SO THAT THAT COMBINED WITH THE SUPER PAC MONEY, THE DARK MONEY THAT'S GOING TO BE THAT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO UNRAVEL AND LOOK THROUGH.

I'M GOING TO COME TO PAUL.

MONEY'S ON THIS.

DO YOU THINK IT'S A MATTER OF SPENDING?

AND LET'S LOOK FORWARD TO THE GENERAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.

PAUL, WHAT DOES MACEY HAVE TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO WINNING THAT ELECTION?

YEAH, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, LIKE KYLE SAID, THIS IS A BIG MONEY RACE WHEN WE HADN'T REALLY SEEN BEFORE, ESPECIALLY IN THE PRIMARIES.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO.

WE COULD SEE A GENERAL ELECTION FOR GOVERNOR, WHERE THE CANDIDATES WERE SPENDING AT MOST $5 MILLION FOR A GENERAL.

AND SO YOU KIND OF SEE THIS YEAR, DEFINITELY WITH A CROWDED PRIMARY, A TERM LIMITED GOVERNOR.

AND KEVIN STITT, WHO IS, YOU KNOW, OUT OF OFFICE, WIDE OPEN FIELD FOR A LOT OF REPUBLICANS.

AND WE SAW THAT IN JUNE WITH A LOT OF THEM COMING OUT, SPENDING HARD AGAINST EACH OTHER WITH THE CANDIDATES IN THERE.

AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN BACK TO JUNE, YOU THINK IT WASN'T IT WAS FAIRLY CLOSE BETWEEN MACEY AND DRUMMOND IN JUNE, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE TOP TWO.

AND SO YOU KIND OF SAW THE REST OF THE SUPPORT MAYBE KIND OF COMING, MAKING DECISIONS IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.

BUT YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF SAW DRUMMOND PULLING OUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT KIND OF AREAS WHERE HE WAS GOING TO GO ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.

HE HIT KIND OF A LITTLE BIT IN TERMS OF LATE IN THE GAME ABOUT SOME OF THE ISSUES WITH THE MEAT AND LIVESTOCK THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS DOING FOR IMPORTS.

THAT'S NOT VERY POPULAR IN A LOT OF RURAL OKLAHOMA AND AMONG RANCHERS.

AND OF COURSE, HE'S HIT ON THE SMELTER THE WHOLE TIME AS WELL.

I MEAN, HE KIND OF SAID, LOOK, I'M THE FINANCIAL GUY.

AND HE EVEN HAD HIS PROXIES KIND OF COME OUT AND SAY, LOOK, MACEY MIGHT BE A LITTLE ODD TO TAKE SOME TIMES AT FACE VALUE, BUT HE'S THE FINANCIAL GUY.

HE'S A NUMBERS GUY, AND WE KIND OF TRUST HIS PLAN FOR OKLAHOMA.

AND THE DRUMMOND CAMPAIGN KIND OF CAME OUT AND SAID, LOOK, DRUMMOND IS HIS OWN GUY.

ESSENTIALLY.

YOU MAY NOT LIKE EVERY DECISION.

HE MIGHT BE A PAIN IN THE BUTT SOMETIMES, BUT HE'S OUR PAIN IN THE BUTT.

AND THAT WAS KIND OF THEIR CLOSING MESSAGE.

AND SO YOU KIND OF SAW THAT KIND OF PLAY OUT.

BUT MONEY, I'M SURE WITH THE NONSTOP COMMERCIALS ON TV, ONLINE, AND KIND OF OTHER KINDS OF FOCUS, THAT KIND OF DEFINITELY MADE A DIFFERENCE FOR MAYBE TURNOUT TOO, AS WELL.

SO JAMES, LET'S TALK ABOUT CYNDI MUNSON, THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE.

WHAT DOES SHE NEED TO DO?

I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S A WHOLE LOT SHE CAN DO, RIGHT?

JUST JUST STARTING AT VOTER REGISTRATION, THE ODDS ARE AGAINST ANY STATEWIDE DEMOCRAT.

SIGNIFICANTLY, HOWEVER, I THINK THIS PRIMARY ELECTION AND THE RUNOFF AND I THINK THE RESULT IS PROBABLY THE BEST OUTCOME THEY COULD HOPE FOR.

AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE I THINK MACY'S THERE'S GOING TO BE A PERCENTAGE OF DRUMMOND VOTERS WHO JUST DON'T SHOW UP IN THE GENERAL ELECTION.

I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER PERCENTAGE THAT MAY BE MORE INCLINED TO VOTE FOR THE DEMOCRAT.

AS FOR THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE, I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA OF HOW LARGE A PERCENTAGE THOSE VOTERS ARE.

THE LARGER THEY ARE, THE MORE MUNSON HAS A CHANCE TO ATTRACT THEM TO HER SIDE, AND THAT'S WHAT SHE'S GOING TO HAVE TO DO.

SO IF THE RURAL CONTINGENT RULES IN OKLAHOMA DOES THAT FAVOR MACEY, I THINK THAT IS A PROBLEM FOR ANY STATEWIDE DEMOCRAT RIGHT NOW.

THEY GET KILLED IN THE RURAL AREAS OF THE STATE, AND MUNSON IS GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOME WORK IN TRYING TO CONVINCE THOSE VOTERS THAT WHATEVER THEY WHATEVER IDEA THEY HAVE OF A DEMOCRAT, SHE'S NOT THAT IDEA.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A HUGE CHALLENGE BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU MACEY IS GOING TO BE OUT THERE SAYING, SHE'S EVERYTHING THAT YOU FEAR.

AND HIS ADS ARE GOING TO SAY THAT.

AND, AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE THE CHALLENGE THAT THAT ULTIMATELY CYNDI MUNSON HAS TO OVERCOME.

AND I IT'S REALLY HARD.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO TO DO THAT.

OKAY.

WELL THEN, KYLE, LET'S TURN TO YOU.

WHAT WOULD YOU ADVISE A DEMOCRATIC OPPONENT IN A GENERAL GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION TO DO WHERE THE RURAL VOTE SEEMS TO RULE?

WELL, I THINK EVERYONE THE CONSENSUS IS THAT SHE HAS AN UPHILL BATTLE.

NOW, THERE ARE SOME BIG DEMOCRATS HERE IN THE STATE THAT HAVE BEEN SHOWING AROUND TOWN SURVEYS THAT SHOW IF MAZIE IS THE NOMINEE, THEN THEN THEN CYNDI MUNSON HAS A CHANCE.

WELL, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE.

FOUR YEARS AGO, WHEN GOING DOWN THE STRETCH, EVERYBODY THOUGHT JOY HOFMEISTER HAD A SHOT.

SO THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT CINDY MUNSON'S USED TO WINNING PEOPLE OVER IN HER HOUSE DISTRICT.

THE REPUBLICANS IN QUAIL CREEK ARE NOT THE SAME REPUBLICANS IN WOODWARD AND IN LAWTON AND IN MCALESTER.

SO THOSE IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF REPUBLICAN.

IT'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ATTITUDE.

THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC BRAND IS GOING TO SEEP INTO OUR INTO THE DEBATE.

ALL RIGHT.

NOW LET'S MOVE ON QUICKLY TO THE STATE QUESTIONS.

THERE WERE TWO STATE QUESTIONS ON THE BALLOT.

LET'S BEGIN WITH VOTER IDENTIFICATION.

THAT STATE QUESTION WAS PASSED BY A MARGIN OF 54% TO 45%.

WHAT IS THAT?

WHAT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, PAUL.

YEAH, I MEAN, THAT ONE DEFINITELY KIND OF PUT THE BALL BACK IN THE LEGISLATURE'S COURT FOR THAT TO DEFINE.

AND SO IT WAS ONE THAT WAS OUT THERE.

I THINK WE ALREADY HAD IT IN STATUTE, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

AND SO THEY JUST ENSHRINED IN THE CONSTITUTION NOW.

BUT IT DOES LEAVE THE LEGISLATURE SOME LEEWAY TO DEFINE WHAT EXACTLY IDENTIFICATION IS.

AND SO THAT MIGHT BE AN ISSUE WE SEE IN THE NEXT KIND OF SESSION TO KIND OF PUT MORE BONES AROUND THAT AND KIND OF PUT MORE STRICTER REQUIREMENTS ON THAT.

YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT IN OKLAHOMA, A TRIBAL ID ALSO COUNTS AS WELL.

AND SO THERE'S SOME ISSUES THAT YOU HAVE TO MAYBE GO AROUND ON THAT SIDE TOO.

AND SO DEFINING THAT FROM THE LEGISLATURE WILL BE THEIR JOB.

OBVIOUSLY.

NOW THE WORRY NOW IS THAT THAT WILL BE USED TO KIND OF TURN DOWN THE CRANK AND KIND OF SUPPRESS SOME OF THE REGISTRATION EFFORTS IN THE FIRST PLACE.

AND THAT WAS ALWAYS THE KIND OF PUSHBACK, DEFINITELY WHEN IT WENT THROUGH AS A PROPOSED STATE LEGISLATIVE QUESTION IN BACK IN THE SPRING, THERE WAS SOME THOUGHT TO AT THAT TIME THAT IT WAS KIND OF MORE OF A TURNOUT BASIS KIND OF THING TO KIND OF GET FOLKS OUT TO THE POLLS.

THERE WAS OTHER STATE QUESTIONS THAT DIDN'T QUITE SURVIVE FOR THAT AUGUST RUNOFF PRIMARY, BUT THAT WAS DEFINITELY THE ONE THAT WAS KIND OF THOUGHT WAS, WELL, THAT WILL GET SOME FOLKS OUT TO THE POLLS THAT MIGHT VOTE OUR WAY ON DIFFERENT CANDIDATES.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, GOOD OR BAD, JAMES?

YEAH, I THINK PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, VOTERS ARE GOING TO NOTICE MUCH DIFFERENCE.

WE ALREADY HAVE A STATE VOTER ID LAW THAT IS BY STATUTE.

THE LEGISLATURE COULD CHANGE THAT STATUTE AND CHANGE THE ID REQUIREMENT ANYTIME THEY WANTED.

ALL THIS DOES IS SAY, IN THE OKLAHOMA CONSTITUTION, WE WILL HAVE AN ID REQUIREMENT, AND THEN THE LEGISLATURE CAN DETERMINE WHAT THAT IS.

SO I THINK, PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, WE'RE NOT GOING TO SEE A LOT OF CHANGE.

I AGREE WITH PAUL.

THIS WAS A GOOD ISSUE TO PUT ON A REPUBLICAN RUNOFF BALLOT TO GIN PEOPLE UP, BUT VOTER ID IS PRETTY POPULAR WITH REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS ALIKE.

AND SO I THINK IT JUST REAFFIRMED THAT.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER ISSUE, THOUGH I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT MUNSON SAID IF SHE EVER TOOK A POSITION ON THAT QUESTION.

BUT IF IT WAS OUT OF LINE WITH THE VOTE, I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER THING THAT THAT MAISIE'S CAMPAIGN WILL WILL ATTEMPT TO HIT HIT HER WITH.

SO LET'S KYLE, I'M GOING TO COME TO YOU AND YOU CAN PASS THE BALL ON THIS ONE STATE.

QUESTION 844 CONFUSED THE TAR OUT OF ME.

SO IT'S REIMBURSING GOVERNMENTS FOR ANY LOSS OF TAX BREAKS GIVEN TO INDUSTRIES.

SO I THINK THAT THAT WAS ONE I, I READ IT SEVERAL TIMES MYSELF AND HAD SEVERAL RELATIVES AND FRIENDS CALL ME AND LIKE, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THIS?

AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN TO SOMEONE WHO IS USED TO 32ND COMMERCIALS AND, YOU KNOW, SOUND BITES.

IT IS NOT THE IT IS A VERY COMPLEX.

AND SO EVEN THE GIST OF IT ON THAT WAS ON THE BALLOT DID NOT DO IT SERVICE.

SO MOST PEOPLE THAT I KNOW JUST THOUGHT OF IT AS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS.

I'M HAPPY WITH WAY IT IS.

SO NO.

AND SO THAT'S I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S BEEN PRETTY CLEAR THAT THE THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM COME OUT OF IT IS NOBODY UNDERSTOOD WHAT IT WAS OR WHAT THE NEED WAS.

SO I WANT TO ASK WHO WRITES THE STATE QUESTIONS THAT GO?

WHO WRITES THAT?

I READ IT OVER AND OVER.

AND THIS WAS A REFERENDUM, RIGHT.

SO THE LEGISLATURE PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT.

BUT ON ANY STATE QUESTION, THERE'S THERE'S LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OF WHAT HAS TO BE CONTAINED IN THE STATE QUESTION THAT'S GOING TO BE ON THE BALLOT.

AND AND THE QUESTIONS ARE WRITTEN TO SATISFY THAT LEGAL REQUIREMENT.

FIRST, NOT NECESSARILY TO BE OVERLY EXPLICIT WITH THE VOTER WHO'S ASKED TO ANSWER THE QUESTION ABOUT WHAT IT'S ACTUALLY SAYING.

AND SO I THINK THAT'S A PROBLEM IS THAT IF YOU IF THE FIRST TIME YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT IS WHEN YOU'RE IN THE POLLING BOOTH, YOU'RE GOING TO STRUGGLE.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE SAW, RIGHT?

PEOPLE WERE LIKE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS.

I'M NOT SURE I LIKE IT.

I'M JUST GOING TO VOTE NO.

RIGHT.

I THINK WHAT KYLE SAID IS SPOT ON.

RIGHT.

KYLE DON'T UNDERSTAND IT.

EVERYTHING'S FINE.

I THINK ALSO USUALLY STATE QUESTIONS.

WE'RE USED TO IT BEING A SIMPLE THOUGHT PROCESS.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA, YOU KNOW, MEDICAID EXPANSION.

YOU KNOW, THESE TYPES OF MINIMUM WAGE, OPEN PRIMARIES, THESE ARE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN THINK ABOUT.

AND WHEN IT'S JUST WRITTEN OUT, WE CAN, OH YEAH, I'M FOR THAT OR I'M AGAINST THAT.

AND THIS ONE, IT WAS JUST LIKE, WHAT ARE THEY WANTING AND WHY?

AND SO YEAH, THE CONFUSION IS WHAT, WHAT DOOMED THAT ONE FROM THE BEGINNING.

YEAH.

OKAY.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF MINUTES LEFT AND WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER RACES TO TALK ABOUT.

BUT IF WE IF WE LOOK AT, LET'S SAY, THE INSURANCE COMMISSIONER RACE, ANY SURPRISES ON THAT ONE THAT BOB SULLIVAN WON?

I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK QUESTIONS ABOUT RESIDENCY DOGGED MARTY QUINN FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THE CAMPAIGN.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THAT MADE A DIFFERENCE.

BUT I DO KNOW THAT WAS THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT QUITE FREQUENTLY.

SO I THINK THERE WAS THAT ISSUE.

SULLIVAN CAME PRETTY MUCH DIRECTLY OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE.

QUINN HAD BEEN OUT FOR A LITTLE BIT, AND SO NOT QUITE AS HIGH NAME ID.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING WITH THAT IS A LOT OF VOTERS JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT OFFICE DOES, BUT THEY'RE MAD AT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH INSURANCE.

WE'RE MAD ABOUT IT.

RIGHT?

RIGHT.

YEAH.

AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS SULLIVAN JUST MADE THE BETTER CASE THAT HE CAN ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS.

REPUBLICANS CHOSE ROBERT FRANKLIN OVER JAMES TAYLOR AS THE NOMINEE FOR THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.

PAUL POTTS THERE.

YEAH, THAT WAS A BIG, YOU KNOW, FOR FOR A DOWN BALLOT RACE.

THAT WAS A VERY HIGH PROFILE FOR THIS CYCLE, FOR REPUBLICAN RUNOFF.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, THAT ATTRACTED A LOT OF ATTENTION.

YOU KNOW, IT KIND OF BROKE DOWN A LOT ON THE KIND OF TRADITIONAL ESTABLISHMENT EDUCATION FOLKS FOR REPUBLICANS VERSUS MAYBE SOME MORE OF THE SCHOOL CHOICE FOLKS WHO WERE MAYBE ON MORE ON, ON TAYLOR'S SIDE.

BUT BUT FRANKLIN PULLED AWAY.

AND ACTUALLY IT WAS A BIGGER MARGIN THAN I EXPECTED MYSELF.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS GOING TO BE A CLOSER RACE.

MUCH LIKE THE GOVERNOR'S RUNOFF THE REPUBLICANS WERE.

BUT THAT WASN'T AS CLOSE AS I EXPECTED.

BUT THAT WAS DEFINITELY ONE THAT PEOPLE WERE WATCHING.

GIVEN THE LAST CYCLE WITH THE WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENT, WITH RYAN WALTERS, WHO RESIGNED ALMOST IN MID MIDTERM.

BUT AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIX THAT WITH LINDELL HUDSON RIGHT NOW.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A FRESH START.

AND OBVIOUSLY THERE'S STILL A GENERAL ELECTION RACE FOR THAT THAT THAT POST.

RIGHT.

KYLE I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE LAST WORD SINCE YOU'RE FAR AWAY ON YOUR TAKE OVERALL ON THE RUNOFF ELECTIONS AND WHAT WE CAN EXPECT IN NOVEMBER.

WELL, I THINK THE BIG, BIG PICTURE, 300 ZERO SQUARE FOOT PICTURE IS THAT REPUBLICANS DON'T DESPITE WHAT PEOPLE THINK, REPUBLICANS DON'T VOTE IN BLOCK BECAUSE YOU HAD LITERALLY A A CONSERVATIVE VERSUS MODERATE IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE, THEN, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THESE CANDIDATES THAT WERE ENDORSED BY THE PARTY.

ONE LOST, ONE DIDN'T SO AND SO.

AND THEN TAYLOR LOST TO FRANKLIN IN A LARGE MARGIN.

EVEN THOUGH FRANKLIN WAS CAMPAIGNING AS A MAGA REPUBLICAN.

SO YOU SO YOU REPUBLICANS DIDN'T REALLY ACT ONE WAY.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND TIME AND PEEL BACK THE ONIONS TO FIGURE IT OUT.

ALL RIGHT.

I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR INSIGHT.

AND EVERYBODY TAKE A REST.

NOVEMBER WILL BE HERE BEFORE WE KNOW IT.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

SUSAN.

THANK YOU.

GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT TAKES ACTION AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCES HE WILL IMPORT UP TO 300 MILLION TONS OF BEEF, TEAR FREE AND BELOW MARKET COST.

THAT STORY TOPS THIS WEEK'S OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW, WITH JASON DOYLE.

GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT EXECUTIVE ORDER CREATES THE OKLAHOMA BEEF INDUSTRY ADVISORY COUNCIL AND TAPPED SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE BLAYNE ARTHUR TO CHAIR.

THE PURPOSE IS TO CREATE RECOMMENDATIONS TO PROTECT AND GROW THE STATE'S BEEF INDUSTRY.

FOLLOWING PRESIDENT TRUMP'S PLANS TO IMPORT BEEF, STITT SAYS IF WASHINGTON WANTS TO LOWER PRICES FOR AMERICANS, IT SHOULD FOCUS ON FREE MARKET SOLUTIONS THAT REMOVE BARRIERS THAT DRIVE UP COSTS, NOT UNDERCUT THE AMERICAN RANCHERS WHO FEED OUR COUNTRY.

OKLAHOMA'S GUARANTEED TO RECEIVE NEARLY $236 MILLION OF THE $17 BILLION MULTISTATE SETTLEMENT WITH META.

THE SETTLEMENT STEMS FROM A LAWSUIT ACCUSING THE TECH GIANT OF NEGLECTING PROTECTIONS FOR UNDERAGE USERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA SITES.

FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM.

OKLAHOMA ATTORNEY GENERAL GENTNER DRUMMOND CALLS THE SETTLEMENT A MONUMENTAL VICTORY FOR THE PROTECTION OF OUR CHILDREN, AND IT WILL FUNDAMENTALLY TRANSFORM HOW THE SOCIAL MEDIA INDUSTRY DESIGNS PLATFORMS FOR KIDS AND TEENS.

META WILL BE PUTTING IN ADDITIONAL SAFEGUARDS FOR FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS, AND CALLS ON OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS TO ALSO REACH A SETTLEMENT IN THE FEDERAL LAWSUIT.

AI IS COMING TO THE OIL PATCH THANKS TO OKLAHOMA CITY BASED ROAM AI.

THE TECH COMPANY RECEIVED A PATENT FOR ITS AI SYSTEM THAT OPTIMIZES BACK PRESSURE ON PRODUCING OIL WELLS.

ROAM AI'S TECHNOLOGY HAS ALREADY BEEN DEPLOYED TO OIL FIELDS, INCLUDING THE PERMIAN BASIN IN TEXAS AND THE WILLISTON BASIN IN THE NORTH CENTRAL PART OF THE U.S.

OKLAHOMA CITY BASED BANK SEVEN IS NUMBER TWO IN THE 2026 RANKING.

BANKING STUDY BANK DIRECTOR CONDUCTS THE ANNUAL STUDY RANKING THE 300 LARGEST PUBLICLY TRADED BANKS, SCORING THEM ON RETURN.

ON AVERAGE, TOTAL ASSETS RETURN ON AVERAGE.

TANGIBLE COMMON EQUITY, TANGIBLE COMMON EQUITY TO TANGIBLE ASSETS, AND NON-PERFORMING ASSETS TO LOANS AND OTHER REAL ESTATE OWNED BY THE BANK.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

JASON.

THANK YOU.

WE'RE GOING TO SAY SO LONG FOR NOW WITH A LOOK AT THE HISTORIC COLEMAN THEATER IN MIAMI, OKLAHOMA, PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY OETA JASON STEWART.

FOR ALL OF US WHO PLAY A ROLE IN PUTTING THIS NEWSCAST ON THE AIR EACH WEEK.

I'M RICH LENZ.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

OKLAHOMA!

AGRICULTURE STARTS AT SUNUP.

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