REACTION TO MIKE MAZZEI ELECTION AS OKLAHOMA'S 29TH GOVERNOR.

IT'S A TOUGH NIGHT FOR REPUBLICANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT THANK THE LORD FOR OKLAHOMA.

OKLAHOMA AND TULSA COUNTIES.

GAVE US THE LARGEST VOTE FOR A DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE EVER, EVER.

DEMOCRATS CELEBRATE PICKING UP SIX SEATS IN THE STATE HOUSE.

IT'S THE BIGGEST SINGLE SHIFT TO THE RIGHT OR THE LEFT IN 24 YEARS IN OUR LEGISLATURE.

AN IN DEPTH CONVERSATION ON TUESDAY'S RESULTS WITH LONGTIME OKLAHOMA POLITICOS.

NUMBER ONE, OUR DELEGATION IS BRIGHT RED AND WASHINGTON IS NOW BRIGHT BLUE.

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK OUT.

IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.

AND MOST OF OKLAHOMA'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION HAS BEEN IN THE MINORITY BEFORE.

SO THEY KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.

THEY'RE NOT COMING IN COLD.

PART TWO OF OUR SPECIAL SERIES ON OKLAHOMA SONGWRITING LEGEND JIMMY WEBB.

YOU'RE YOUNG.

YOU HAVE NOTHING BUT ENERGY.

I USED TO WRITE 3 OR 4 SONGS A WEEK.

IT WAS LIKE A CONVEYOR BELT.

PLUS, STATE OF THE ART PEDIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH CARE IS NOW AVAILABLE IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

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

I'M TAELYR JACKSON.

RICHLANDS WILL RETURN NEXT WEEK.

WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH A SPECIAL POST-ELECTION RECAP OF THE RESULTS OF TUESDAY'S ELECTION AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR OKLAHOMANS IN THE FUTURE.

WE HAVE TEAM COVERAGE FOR YOU.

NOAH MACK REPORTS ON THE MAJOR RACES, INCLUDING WINNERS FOR THE U.S.

SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

STATE SUPERINTENDENT AND ATTORNEY GENERAL AND OTHERS.

JASON DOYLE HAS REACTION TO DEMOCRAT CYNDI MUNSON SIX POINT LOSS, WHICH WAS CLOSER THAN EXPECTED.

AND WE BEGIN WITH STEVE SHAW, WHO WAS IN TULSA ON TUESDAY NIGHT COVERING REPUBLICAN MIKE MASSIE'S VICTORY PARTY.

STEVE TAELYR MIKE MAISIE'S VICTORY PARTY TUESDAY NIGHT IN TULSA WAS SUBDUED EARLY UNTIL HE TOOK THE LEAD.

SUPPORTERS TELL ME WHAT MAISIE HAD TO OVERCOME EARLIER IN LIFE WILL HELP FUEL HIS FIRE.

AS OKLAHOMA'S 29TH GOVERNOR.

IT'S A TOUGH NIGHT FOR REPUBLICANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT THANK THE LORD FOR OKLAHOMA.

YOU QUICKLY LEARN MIKE MAZZEI INJECTS HUMOR INTO MUCH OF WHAT HE SAYS PUBLICLY.

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE RAISED TEENAGERS?

IT'S BEEN FUN TO TELL PEOPLE ALL OVER THE STATE, RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR IS NO BIG DEAL.

THE GOVERNOR ELECT WAS IN THE STATE SENATE 18 YEARS AGO, AND HE AND HIS WIFE, NOELLE, WERE ON THEIR WAY TO RAISING FIVE KIDS WHEN THEIR WORLD WAS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN.

MAISIE WAS REAR ENDED IN A HORRIBLE AUTO ACCIDENT THAT BROKE HIS BACK, CAUSED SERIOUS NERVE DAMAGE, AND LEFT HIM IN MIND NUMBING PAIN.

I COULDN'T WALK, STAND OR SIT WITHOUT PAIN FOR TEN YEARS.

BUT THROUGH FAITH AND FAMILY, WE PERSEVERED.

I HAD 50 PROCEDURES OVER FIVE YEARS.

NO MATTER WHAT HARD TIMES YOU ARE DEALING WITH, NEVER EVER GIVE UP.

HE HAS A HEART FOR SERVICE.

HE WANTS TO SERVE.

NORTHEAST TULSA RESIDENT DAVE MOORE HAS KNOWN THE GOVERNOR ELECT 36 YEARS.

LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

WHEN HE WAS HURT AND HE WAS HORIZONTAL FOR ALL THOSE YEARS, HE STILL PERFORMED HIS DUTIES AS A SENATOR.

HAMIL RYAN MILLER WORKED ON MAISIE'S FIRST STATE SENATE CAMPAIGN IN 2004.

HE'S FOUGHT THROUGH.

YOU KNOW, I'VE TOLD HIM THERE'S A LOT OF PUBLIC SERVANTS THAT WOULD HAVE MAILED IT IN, GOING THROUGH WHAT HE WENT THROUGH.

BUT HE CONDUCTED BUSINESS AS A STATE SENATOR AND IN VARIOUS ROLES WHERE HE WAS FLAT ON HIS BACK.

AND BUT HE HE ALWAYS PUT THE PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA FIRST.

VALERIE WALKER LIVES IN NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA CITY AND IS RETIRED FROM THE OKLAHOMA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT.

HE KNOWS HOW TO SURVIVE ADVERSITY.

HE KNOWS HIS NUMBERS.

HE HAS PLANS.

HE KNOWS HOW TO EXECUTE THEM AND IMPLEMENT THEM.

HE LISTENS TO THE PEOPLE.

HE TRULY IS.

WITH HIS EXPERIENCE AND HIS HEART FOR THE LORD AND HIS FAMILY, WHICH ARE OKLAHOMA STANDARDS AND VALUES, HE'S.

HE'S GOING TO DO WONDERFUL.

IN 2019, DURING HIS FIRST TERM, GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT MADE MAISIE.

THE STATE'S BUDGET SECRETARY.

MAISIE SAYS A BIG KEY TO OKLAHOMA'S FUTURE WILL BE TO IMPROVE EDUCATION.

THAT IS WHY I WILL HIRE A STATEWIDE LITERACY DIRECTOR TO FULLY IMPLEMENT THE MISSISSIPPI MODEL, WHICH TOOK THEM FROM 50TH TO FIRST IN READING OUTCOMES.

REAL VICTORY WILL COME WHEN THE PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA ENJOY MORE GREAT, HIGH PAYING JOBS, WITH WAGES THAT GROW FASTER THAN THE RATE OF INFLATION, SO THEY CAN AFFORD TO BUY A HOME.

THAT IS WHY WE MUST BECOME A NO INCOME TAX STATE.

VICTORY WILL COME WHEN SENIORS FEEL MORE SECURE IN RETIREMENT AND BE ABLE TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES.

THAT IS WHY WE MUST ABOLISH PROPERTY TAXES FOR SENIORS AND VETERANS.

FORMER TUTTLE MAYOR LONNIE PAXTON LEADS THE OKLAHOMA STATE SENATE AS PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE TUESDAY NIGHT.

HE SAID MAISIE'S TRACK RECORD SHOWS THE SOONER STATE IS IN GOOD HANDS.

HIS STRENGTHS ARE.

HE'S BEEN IN THE STATE SENATE FOR 12 YEARS.

HE.

HE LEFT IN 2016, THE SAME YEAR I GOT THERE.

SO WE NEVER SERVED TOGETHER, BUT I BUILT A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.

SO I'VE KNOWN HIM FOR TEN YEARS.

BUT HE HAS THE LEGISLATIVE EXPERIENCE, WHICH WILL BE A BIG HEAD START FOR HIM.

PAXTON SAYS THE STATE NEEDS TO SOLVE ITS EDUCATION PROBLEM.

LAST YEAR, WE GOT KIND OF SOME NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT WHEN WE WERE SHOWN AS BEING 50TH IN EDUCATION IN THE NATION.

WE HAVE TO FIX THAT.

AND SO HE'S AMBITIOUS TO FIX THAT.

PRESTON SMITH IS KNOWN MAISIE FOR TWO DECADES AND SAYS MAISIE'S PLEDGE TO PHASE OUT STATE INCOME TAX MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

YOU KNOW, TEXAS JUST TO OUR SOUTH IS A NO INCOME TAX STATE.

AND I THINK THAT HURTS US COMPETITIVELY.

TEXAS ECONOMY IS IS THRIVING WITH NO INCOME TAX.

AND AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, MIKE REALLY WANTS TO LOOK AND SEE IF WE CAN MIMIC THAT TAX POLICY.

MAISIE SAYS HE PLANS TO CUT FAT IN STATE AGENCIES AND CONTINUE TO CHASE OUT BAD ACTORS FROM CHINA AND MEXICO, DRUG CARTELS, WHO SEVERAL YEARS AGO TURNED A STUNNING AMOUNT OF OKLAHOMA FARMLAND INTO ILLEGAL MARIJUANA, GROWS.

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, MAISIE HELD HIS FIRST NEWS CONFERENCE AT THE STATE CAPITOL AS GOVERNOR ELECT, OKLAHOMA IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS TO OUR FELLOW AMERICANS IN TEXAS AND ELSEWHERE.

SHOCKED AND CONCERNED BY LAST NIGHT'S RESULTS AND WORRIED ABOUT HIGHER TAXES, THE SIREN SONG OF SOCIALISM, WHICH LEADS TO LESS FREEDOM, LOWER ENERGY SUPPLIES AND ECONOMIC DESTRUCTION.

WE BID YOU COME TO OKLAHOMA.

HERE WE STAND LIKE A BEACON OF LIGHT, HE ANNOUNCED.

HIS BROTHER, DAN MAZIE, WILL CHAIR HIS TRANSITION TEAM, AND HE PLANS TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH OKLAHOMA'S TRIBES.

I BELIEVE THAT THE 39 NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES OF OKLAHOMA ARE THE CROWN JEWEL OF THIS STATE.

GOVERNOR ELECT MAZIE TOOK A HANDFUL OF QUESTIONS FROM REPORTERS.

HE CALLED ON AT WEDNESDAY'S NEWS CONFERENCE.

TOWARDS THE END, A REPORTER HE DIDN'T CALL ON TRIED TO ASK HIM HIS VIEWS ON THE PROPOSED SMELTER PLANT IN INOLA, ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE STATE.

MAZIE IGNORED THE QUESTION.

TAELYR STEVE THINKS DEMOCRATS CYNDI MUNSON ONE, OKLAHOMA'S TWO LARGEST COUNTIES ON TUESDAY, PREVAILING IN OKLAHOMA CITY AND TULSA, AND THAT RESULTED IN A RESULT THAT WAS MUCH CLOSER THAN KEVIN STITT'S DEFEAT OF JOY HOFMEISTER FOUR YEARS AGO.

JASON DOYLE JOINS US FROM OUR NEWSROOM WITH MORE ON MUNSON'S REACTION.

JASON.

TAELYR WELL, CYNDI MUNSON DIDN'T MAKE IT OVER THE TOP IN THIS ELECTION.

SHE SAYS THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL STILL PROVED THAT DEMOCRATS CAN STILL SEND A STRONG MESSAGE TO OKLAHOMA THAT THEY'LL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR BETTER LIFE FOR OKLAHOMANS.

OKLAHOMA AND TULSA COUNTIES GAVE US THE LARGEST VOTE FOR A DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE EVER, EVER.

DESPITE THE GAINS, OKLAHOMANS WILL HAVE TO WAIT A BIT LONGER THAN TEXAS AND KANSAS TO GET THEIR NEXT GOVERNOR FROM THE DEMOCRAT PARTY.

THOSE ARE THE RESULTS.

AND THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT.

BUT WE HAVE SO MUCH TO BE PROUD OF.

SO MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS ACROSS THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA TO CELEBRATE TONIGHT.

STILL, CYNDI MUNSON SAYS MUCH HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.

THIS CAMPAIGN HAS RECEIVED THE LARGEST PERCENTAGE FROM A DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR IN AN OPEN SEAT IN OVER 30 YEARS.

IN FACT, YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO 1990 TO FIND A DEMOCRAT WHO SCORED MORE VOTES THAN MUNSON DID.

THAT WAS GOVERNOR DAVID WALTERS ON HIS SUCCESSFUL RUN TO SUCCEED TWO TERM REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR FRANK KEATING.

AND WHILE I MAY NOT SEE VICTORY, WE MAY NOT SEE VICTORY IN THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION THIS TIME AROUND.

WE HAVE SO MANY VICTORIES, SO MANY ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO CELEBRATE.

IF MUNSON HAD WON THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION, SENATE MINORITY LEADER JULIA KERR BELIEVES SHE WOULD HAVE FOUND A WAY TO WORK THE LEGISLATURE WITH A REPUBLICAN SUPERMAJORITY.

AND I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE WHO WERE IN THE LEGISLATURE BACK WHEN KEATING WAS GOVERNOR, AND IT WAS STILL RUN BY DEMOCRATS IN THE LEGISLATURE.

THEY FOUND GREAT WAYS TO COMPROMISE AND FIND GOOD SOLUTIONS FOR THIS STATE.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS.

AND I THINK YOU'LL SEE PEOPLE HAVE A CHOICE.

WE CAN'T LET OUR POLITICIANS BECOME COMPLACENT.

PEOPLE ARE SICK OF THE STATUS QUO, AND THEY WANT TO SEE THEIR POLITICIANS ACTUALLY DOING THE WORK.

FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND CURRENT OKLAHOMA AFL-CIO UNION PRESIDENT FORREST BENNETT MADE THE ARGUMENT THAT MUNSON WORKS BEYOND PARTY AND FOR THE PEOPLE.

I UNDERSTAND THAT CINDY UNDERSTANDS THAT WHEN SHE WORKS ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE, SHE'S WORKING ON BEHALF OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO PAY ATTENTION TO THEIR POLITICIANS BECAUSE THEY'RE WORRIED THAT THEY WILL SWINDLE THEM.

SHE IS THE KIND OF POLITICIAN THAT I, FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS, FEELING REALLY GUILTY THAT I WASN'T ABLE TO BE OUT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AND HELPING HER.

I KNEW THAT SHE WAS MEETING EVERY PERSON THAT SHE POSSIBLY COULD WHERE THEY WERE.

SENATOR KERRY HICKS SAYS THE LOSS DOESN'T TAKE AWAY THE MESSAGE MUNSON WAS TRYING TO DELIVER TO VOTERS IN OKLAHOMA.

YOU KNOW, I'M JUST SO INSPIRED BY THE RACE.

I MEAN, I THINK WHAT CYNDI MUNSON HAS PROVEN TO OKLAHOMA IS THAT IT'S WORTH FIGHTING FOR.

VISITING ALL 77 COUNTIES, LISTENING TO VOTERS ALL ACROSS THE STATE.

AND SO I'M JUST EXCITED TO SUPPORT A CAMPAIGN THAT BROUGHT A MESSAGE OF HOPE TO SO MANY PEOPLE WHO FEEL FORGOTTEN AND LEFT BEHIND.

THE PARTY SPIRIT EVEN STRUCK OKLAHOMA DEMOCRATIC PARTY TREASURER ALBERTO ALONSO SANDOVAL, THE TWIN BROTHER OF STATE REPRESENTATIVE ARTURO ALONSO SANDOVAL.

HE SHOWED OFF SOME OF HIS DANCE MOVES AS VOTE TOTALS WERE COMING IN.

YEAH, I FIGURED I'D GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF CULTURE, RIGHT?

HE TOLD THE CROWD.

EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE IN THE MINORITY, DEMOCRATS STILL TRY TO FIELD STRONG CANDIDATES.

IN OKLAHOMA, WE'VE HAD OVER 100 DEMOCRATS RUN FOR OFFICE UP AND DOWN THE BALLOT.

MUNSON SEEMS TO ALSO REACH SOME YOUNGER VOTERS, LIKE MATTHEW POLARIS.

THAT'S WHAT INSPIRES ME AND MYSELF.

TO GO OUT THERE IS TO INSPIRE THE YOUTH TO BE THE CHANGE THAT WE WANT TO SEE OUT THERE.

THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE FIGHT FOR EVERY DAY.

SO I'M NOT I KNOW THAT'S WHAT CINDY DOES TOO.

SO THAT'S WHY I LOVE HER, SUPPORT HER.

POLARIS SAYS IT WAS MUNSON'S STANCE ON THE ENOLA ALUMINUM SMELTER PROJECT, WHICH CONVINCED HIM TO VOTE FOR HER AS GOVERNOR.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO ME IS STOPPING THE ENOLA SMELTER.

I THINK THAT'S JUST A REALLY TERRIBLE DEAL.

IT INVOLVES, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE COUNTRIES AND THOSE COUNTRIES ARE INVOLVED IN SOME PRETTY BAD CORRUPT STUFF.

SO MUNSON IS THE ONLY ONE SPEAKING OUT AGAINST THAT.

MUNSON TOLD THE CROWD THAT IT WAS HER FAMILY GIVING HER THE STRENGTH TO CAMPAIGN FOR GOVERNOR IN THE FACE OF THE TALL ODDS OF WINNING AGAINST A REPUBLICAN IN OKLAHOMA.

I COULD NOT DO WHAT I DO EVERY SINGLE DAY, NOT JUST RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR, BUT THE 11 YEARS THAT I HAVE SERVED THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA AND WHO I AM TODAY AS CYNDI MUNSON WITHOUT THESE VERY PEOPLE STANDING NEXT TO ME, I'M THANKFUL.

IT'S THAT FAMILY CONNECTION THAT DREW JOHN FRAZIER TO SUPPORT MUNSON.

CINDY STANDS OUT TO ME SO MUCH BECAUSE SHE BASICALLY MIRRORS MY LIFE.

SHE WAS RAISED BY A SINGLE FATHER.

I WAS RAISED BY A SINGLE MOTHER.

YOU KNOW, SHE WAS RAISED IN LAWTON, OKLAHOMA.

I WAS RAISED IN CHICKASHA.

THAT'S MY GIRL RIGHT THERE.

SHE KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE, FRAZIER SAYS IT FEELS LIKE MUNSON TRULY CARES ABOUT THE ISSUES IMPACTING OKLAHOMANS SHE CARES ABOUT.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW SHE CARES ABOUT THE GROUNDWATER, JUST THE THE FARMERS JUST EVERYTHING IS GOING ON.

SHE CARES ABOUT OKLAHOMA.

THAT'S WHAT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME.

IT'S CARING ABOUT OKLAHOMA AND THE PEOPLE.

EVEN WITH THE ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT AT THE ELECTION NIGHT WATCH PARTY, NOT ENOUGH OF THE BLUE WAVE MADE IT TO OKLAHOMA TO PUT MUNSON OVER THE TOP.

AS OBSERVED BY OKLAHOMA WATCH REPORTER PAUL MONIZ NOTED ON OETA OKLAHOMA VOTES 2026.

YEAH, I THINK WE'RE SEEING, OBVIOUSLY, A LITTLE BIT OF THE PAST TREND KIND OF PLAY OUT A LITTLE BIT IN OKLAHOMA.

WE'VE GOT SOME SOME DIFFERENCES THERE, OBVIOUSLY, IN SOME OF THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS THAT ARE A LITTLE CLOSER THAN WE THOUGHT.

THE GOVERNOR'S RACE OBVIOUSLY WAS A LITTLE MORE WE THOUGHT MIGHT BE A LITTLE CLOSER, BUT IN THE END, I THINK MIKE MAZZEI PULLED AWAY A LITTLE BIT WITH THE HELP FROM RURAL AREAS AS WELL.

AT THE END OF THE NIGHT, MUNSON SAYS WHILE SHE'S NOT THE NEXT GOVERNOR, IT WAS STILL A NIGHT TO REMEMBER.

WE HAVE ALREADY MADE HISTORY.

WE MADE HISTORY A LONG, LONG TIME AGO AND WE'RE NOT STOPPING ANYTIME SOON.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

LET'S KEEP UP THE FIGHT.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

THE HISTORY MUNSON MENTIONED IS THAT SHE'S THE FIRST ASIAN AMERICAN WOMAN TO SERVE IN THE OKLAHOMA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WINNING A SEAT 12 YEARS AGO THAT WAS TRADITIONALLY HELD BY REPUBLICANS.

TAELYR.

JASON.

THANK YOU.

REPUBLICANS SWEPT ALL STATE OFFICES ON TUESDAY'S ELECTION, BUT DEMOCRATS DID MAKE INROADS IN THE STATE HOUSE, WINNING SIX SEATS, THEIR BIGGEST GAIN IN MORE THAN 20 YEARS.

NOAH MACK IS COVERING THOSE RESULTS FOR US AND JOINS US NOW.

NOAH.

WELL, TAYLOR, THE BLUE WAVE THAT SWEPT THE REST OF THE NATION AT A GLANCE DIDN'T SEEM TO QUITE MAKE IT TO OKLAHOMA.

BUT DEMOCRATS ARE CONFIDENT THAT POLITICAL SHIFTS ARE STILL HAPPENING DESPITE THE WINNERS AND LOSERS.

MEANWHILE, REPUBLICAN VICTORS PREPARE TO TAKE OFFICE.

OKLAHOMA IS SENDING A FULL REPUBLICAN DELEGATION TO CONGRESS AMID DEMOCRATS NATIONALLY CLINCHING CONTROL OF BOTH CHAMBERS.

THE STATE HAS ONE NEW SENATOR FORMALLY, REPRESENTATIVE KEVIN HERN, DECISIVELY WON AGAINST DEMOCRAT NIKAYLA JASMINE THOMAS.

I STAND FOR THE FREEDOMS OF AMERICA.

I CAME FROM A VERY, VERY POOR BACKGROUND.

THERE'S NO PLACE ELSE IN THE WORLD LIKE AMERICA THAT GIVES FOLKS LIKE ME THAT CAME FROM ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE TREMENDOUSLY SUCCESSFUL.

AND I'M PROUD OF THAT.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND THAT HOPE STAYS ALIVE IN AMERICA.

HE WILL ENTER THE SENATE LATER IN THE MONTH WHEN THE ELECTION RESULTS ARE CERTIFIED.

A FUNCTIONARY OF REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP IN THE HOUSE, HERN WILL ONLY ENJOY MAJORITY RULE FOR A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE REST OF THE NEWLY ELECTED SENATORS ARE SWORN IN.

THE SENATE REALLY HASN'T DONE ANYTHING SINCE LAST JULY, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I THINK THE SENATE IS IN TROUBLE RIGHT NOW.

THEY REALLY HAVEN'T PASSED ANY BILLS OVER THERE.

AND STATE LAWMAKER MARK TEDFORD REPLACING HERN IN DISTRICT ONE IN A TIGHTER THAN EXPECTED BATTLE AGAINST DEMOCRAT JOHN CROISSANT, THE REST OF OKLAHOMA'S INCUMBENT REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS WON REELECTION.

STEPHANIE BICE, HOWEVER, NOT WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT COMPETITION FROM CHALLENGER GINA NELSON.

WE ACTUALLY HAD TWO REALLY TIGHT CONGRESSIONAL RACES IN OKLAHOMA.

WE'RE NOT SURE WE'VE EVER HAD TWO IN THE SAME ELECTION CYCLE THAT WERE THAT CLOSE.

AT OKLAHOMA STATE, HOUSE, DEMOCRATS MADE GAINS, PICKING UP SIX NEW SEATS.

FIVE OF THOSE WINS UNSEATED REPUBLICAN INCUMBENTS SEEKING REELECTION.

THIS EATS AWAY AT THAT GOP SUPERMAJORITY.

CHAIR OF THE OKLAHOMA DEMOCRATIC PARTY AARON BREWER, CALLING IT THE BIGGEST SHIFT THE LEGISLATURE HAS HAD, REGARDLESS OF PARTY IN OVER TWO DECADES.

THESE CHANGES WE MADE IN OUR STATE LEGISLATURE ARE GOING TO HOLD MIKE MAZZEI IN CHECK.

SOME OF THE MORE EXTREME IDEAS THAT HE HAS.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS THAT ARE GOING TO THINK TWICE BEFORE THEY VOTE TO SUPPORT THOSE THINGS, BECAUSE THEY KNOW WE CAN BEAT THEM NOW.

WE SHOWED THAT WE CAN DO THAT.

OKLAHOMA ONCE AGAIN ELECTED A REPUBLICAN TO SERVE AS STATE SUPERINTENDENT, ALTHOUGH QUITE A DEVIATION FROM RYAN WALTERS.

KIDS NEED TO BE WATCHING SESAME STREET.

THAT'S A GREAT PLACE TO START.

HOW DO YOU GET THERE?

HOW DO YOU GET TO SESAME STREET?

HOW YOU GET TO SESAME STREET.

LET'S DO THIS.

THAT IS OETA SUNNY LEE WITH SUPERINTENDENT ELECT ROBERT FRANKLIN, WHO RAN ON AN EDUCATOR INSIDER POLITICAL OUTSIDER PLATFORM.

LET'S BE AUTHENTIC ABOUT HOW WE LIKE TO TALK TO ONE ANOTHER.

LET'S BE POLITE IN OUR IN OUR DISAGREEMENTS.

AND LET'S FOCUS AND LET'S FOCUS ON THE REAL ISSUE AT HAND.

WHERE ARE THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WE ARE?

WHAT ARE THE ASPIRATIONAL GOALS?

WHAT ARE THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE AS FAR AS THE OTHER STATEWIDE EXECUTIVE OFFICES GO?

FORMER OKLAHOMA SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE T.W.

SHANNON BECOMES LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.

I'VE KNOWN T.W.

SHANNON SINCE HE WAS A YOUNG MAN AT LAWTON HIGH SCHOOL.

I WAS HIS SENIOR CLASS SPONSOR BACK IN THE DAY, SO I'VE BEEN REALLY PROUD OF WATCHING HIM CLIMB.

AND SEASONED STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOHN ECCLES BEAT OUT FEDERAL PROSECUTOR NICK COFFEY FOR THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL SEAT.

TAXPAYERS SHOULD KNOW THAT WE'RE REALLY GOING TO BE WATCHING HOW THE MONEY IS SPENT AND DOING A GOOD JOB FOR THEM.

REPUBLICAN CINDY BIRD TAKING OVER AS STATE TREASURER WITH A STAGGERING 75% ONLY FACING A LIBERTARIAN RIVAL.

THE DEMOCRATS HAVE HAD TROUBLE FIELDING CANDIDATES FOR ALL THE STATEWIDE OFFICES FOR A NUMBER OF ELECTION CYCLES NOW.

STATE AUDITOR AND INSPECTOR BEING ONE OF THOSE.

SOME OTHERS, AND THIS TIME STATE TREASURER.

THE LIBERTARIANS ARE QUITE HAPPY WITH THAT BECAUSE THEY JUST NEED 5% OF A STATEWIDE VOTE TO KEEP ON THE BALLOT.

REPRESENTATIVE BRAD BOLES IS JOINING THE CORPORATION COMMISSION AS ITS NEWEST COMMISSIONER, VOWING TO CONTINUE THE WORK HE STARTED IN THE LEGISLATURE.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO DO IN YOUR NEW ROLE REGARDING DATA CENTERS?

WELL, IN THE LEGISLATURE THIS PAST YEAR, WE PASSED A HOUSE BILL 2992, WHICH BASICALLY REQUIRES A CORPORATION COMMISSION TO ENSURE THAT ALL THE DATA CENTERS THAT MAY BE COMING TO OKLAHOMA PAY FOR ALL THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS, ALL THEIR GENERATION, ALL THEIR SUBSTATION GRID CONNECTION COSTS.

THE COMMISSION'S GOT TO ENSURE THAT THAT HAPPENS.

AND SO THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IS MAKING SURE THAT IF A DATA CENTER COMES, THAT OUR RATEPAYERS IN OKLAHOMA WILL NOT BE PAYING FOR ANY OF THAT.

LONGTIME INSURANCE AGENT BOB SULLIVAN BEAT DEMOCRAT CRAIG MCINTYRE FOR OKLAHOMA INSURANCE COMMISSIONER.

IT'S WORKING ALONGSIDE CONSUMERS, WORKING ALONGSIDE HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS, FARMERS AND RANCHERS ALL ACROSS OKLAHOMA AND IN MANY OTHER STATES AS WELL.

FEELING THEIR PAIN DAY IN AND DAY OUT, SEEING WHAT A BIG INSURANCE RENEWAL DOES TO A BUSINESS'S BOTTOM LINE, TO THEIR ABILITY TO GROW, TO THEIR ABILITY TO SUCCEED, AND THEN SEEING HOW A CLAIM DENIAL OR A CLAIM SLOW PAYMENT AFFECTS A HOMEOWNER IN TERMS OF RESUMING NORMALCY IN THEIR LIVES.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT I'M GOING TO HAVE NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.

AND KEVIN WEST IS OKLAHOMA'S NEW LABOR COMMISSIONER ELECT.

ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SAY TO VOTERS?

WELL, I JUST WANT TO SAY TO THE VOTERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PUTTING YOUR CONFIDENCE AND YOUR FAITH AND YOUR TRUST IN ME TO LEAD THIS DEPARTMENT.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS A REAL PASSION FOR ME.

I'VE WORKED 40 YEARS IN CONSTRUCTION, SPENT TEN YEARS IN THE LEGISLATURE, AND I'M READY TO GET TO WORK FOR YOU.

OKLAHOMA AND OKLAHOMA VOTERS REJECTED TWO STATE QUESTIONS.

845 THAT WOULD HAVE MADE CHANGES TO THE JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION, AND 847 THAT WOULD HAVE PUT A CAP ON PROPERTY TAX INCREASES.

OKLAHOMANS VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY NO.

ON BOTH, OKLAHOMA REMAINED A REPUBLICAN STRONGHOLD, AS MANY OTHER ORDINARILY RED STATES TURNED BLUE, INCLUDING OUR NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN NEIGHBORS OF KANSAS AND TEXAS.

IN TEXAS, ALL STATEWIDE RACES GOING TO DEMOCRATS.

THE DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN EMPOWERED.

THIS YEAR.

IT'S BEEN A WHOLE DIFFERENT KIND OF A CYCLE.

MAYBE NOT A BAD THING.

MAYBE WAKES UP SOME REPUBLICANS.

WE'LL SEE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S A IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT DYNAMIC THIS YEAR.

SO MANY OF THESE ELECTED CANDIDATES ARE FOCUSING ON PUTTING TOGETHER A TRANSITION TEAM SET TO BE SWORN IN COME JANUARY.

TAELYR.

GREAT COVERAGE NOAH.

SO WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS MEAN AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO THE START OF THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION IN FEBRUARY?

WELL, THAT'S THE TOPIC OF OUR UPCOMING IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION.

AND WHO BETTER TO DISCUSS THAT THAN MODERATOR SUNNY LEE?

POLITICAL INSIDERS SCOTT MITCHELL AND SEAN ASHLEY, AND OKLAHOMA VOICE EDUCATION REPORTER NURIA MARTINEZ KEEL.

HERE'S A PREVIEW.

IT WILL BE 3 OR 4 DAYS BEFORE PEOPLE TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

RIGHT?

WAS IT AGAINST SOMETHING?

WAS IT FOR SOMETHING?

I THINK THE ONE THING WE CAN TAKE AWAY FROM IT IS THAT STATES AROUND OKLAHOMA CHANGED A LOT.

OKLAHOMA DIDN'T CHANGE A LOT.

HOW THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT THIS NEXT ADMINISTRATION IS YET TO BE SEEN.

OKLAHOMA DIDN'T CHANGE A LOT, BUT IT DID CHANGE A LITTLE.

HOUSE DEMOCRATS PICKED UP A SERIES OF SEATS THAT THEY TOOK FROM REPUBLICANS, SIX OF THEM, IT APPEARS.

AND WE ALSO SAW SOME DEMOCRATIC GAINS IN OKLAHOMA COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

SO THERE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN A BLUE TSUNAMI IN OKLAHOMA, BUT OKLAHOMA DID GET A LITTLE WET.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY FORMER COLLEGE PROFESSORS, JOEY SENATE, I SAW HIM DESCRIBE IT AS A BLUE WAVE.

ELSEWHERE BLUE DUE IN OKLAHOMA.

I THINK YOU GUYS ARE EXACTLY RIGHT.

FORMER STATE SUPERINTENDENT.

COMING UP LATER IN THE NEWSCAST, THE OKLAHOMA CHILDREN'S OU HEALTH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER HELD ITS GRAND OPENING IN OKLAHOMA CITY ON WEDNESDAY, THE $130 MILLION FACILITY HAS 72 BEDS AND WILL SERVICE THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE NEEDS OF CHILDREN'S AGES 5 TO 17.

MENTAL HEALTH DESERVES THE SAME URGENCY, THE SAME COMPASSION, AND THE SAME EXCELLENCE AS EVERY OTHER ASPECT OF A CHILD'S HEALTH.

THE NEED FOR THAT PROMISE HAS NEVER BEEN GREATER THAN TODAY.

ACROSS OKLAHOMA, 1 IN 5 CHILDREN STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS.

SUICIDE REMAINS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE, AND FAR, FAR TOO MANY FAMILIES HAVE FACED LONG WAITS FOR CARE OR HAVE HAD TO LEAVE OUR GREAT STATE TO FIND THE SERVICES THEIR CHILDREN NEED.

MORE THAN 400 EMPLOYEES WILL STAFF THE NEW THREE STORY HEALTH CARE CENTER.

OETA NEWS DIRECTOR RICK LENZ RECENTLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW LEGENDARY OKLAHOMA SONGWRITER JIMMY WEBB AND WHAT WAS EXPECTED TO BE A 15 OR 20 MINUTE CONVERSATION LASTED MORE THAN AN HOUR.

SO RICH HAS PUT TOGETHER A SPECIAL THREE PART SERIES, AND IN PART TWO THIS WEEK, WEBB REFLECTS ON THE LIFE OF A SONGWRITER.

A PROFESSIONAL SONGWRITER FOR HIRE IS KIND OF LIKE A GUNSLINGER.

ARMED ONLY WITH WORDS AND MELODIES, AND SOONER OR LATER, EVEN THE FINEST TUNESMITHS EVENTUALLY GET SHOT DOWN.

MY FEELINGS DON'T GET HURT WHEN SOMEBODY TURNS DOWN A SONG.

THAT'S THE TRUTH, TOO.

I MEAN, MY FEELINGS DON'T GET HURT.

SOMETIMES I GET ANGRY BECAUSE I GO, WHY THE HECK DID THEY TURN THAT DOWN?

BECAUSE IT WAS PERFECT, YOU KNOW?

BUT I DON'T GET HURT.

I DON'T YOU KNOW, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ANGRY AND HURT.

JIMMY WEBB, A THREE TIME GRAMMY WINNER AND MEMBER OF BOTH THE NATIONAL AND NASHVILLE SONGWRITER HALLS OF FAME, CAN TAKE SOLACE IN KNOWING THAT HE'S BEEN REJECTED BY SOME OF THE VERY BEST, INCLUDING OLD BLUE EYES HIMSELF.

BUT THEN LOST EVER AFTER.

LET ME GET MY OVERCOAT, AND ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH IT, HE WAS KIND OF SITTING WHERE YOU'RE SITTING, AND HE KIND OF LEANED OVER ON THE PIANO AND HE SAID, WELL, KID, HE SAID.

AND HE TOOK A DRINK OUT OF HIS JACK DANIELS, WHICH WAS MY BRAND, TOO.

BUT HE TOOK A DRINK AND HE SAID, THAT ONE ISN'T QUITE BAKED YET, IS IT, KID?

AND I WENT, OH, OH, GOD.

I JUST TRIED TO THROW A CURVEBALL TO TO, YOU KNOW, BABE RUTH.

AND HE JUST SMASHED IT OUT INTO THE NEXT COUNTY.

AND I WENT HOME SO HUMILIATED SEEDS.

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD WAS RARELY WRONG WHEN IT CAME TO A SONG.

I COULD HAVE GOTTEN THAT RECORD, BUT I, I, I JUMPED IN, I PLAYED IT TOO SOON.

THE LYRIC WASN'T QUITE RIGHT.

I DIDN'T KNOW IT WELL ENOUGH.

YOU KNOW, YOU GO THROUGH A WHOLE LIST OF RECRIMINATIONS, BUT THE UPSHOT OF IT IS YOU PUT THE SONG BEHIND YOU, YOU FORGET ABOUT IT.

YOU PUT IT WAY BACK THERE SOMEWHERE, AND YOU FORGE AHEAD.

THAT SONG, WINTER CLOTHES, IS ONE OF 13 WEBB ORIGINALS THAT HAVE BEEN REDISCOVERED AND RERECORDED FOR HIS FIRST NEW ALBUM IN YEARS, YOURS FOR THE TAKING, RELEASED ON OCTOBER 23RD.

FARTHER THAN THE EYES CAN SEE IS ANOTHER CUT ON THAT NEW DISC.

HOW MUCH LOVE DO YOU REALLY NEED?

THAT'S HOW MUCH LOVE I HAVE IN ME.

AND I STILL THINK IT WAS PERFECT FOR HER.

I MEAN, TO THIS DAY I THINK IT WAS PERFECT FOR HER.

BUT WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

WEBB IS REFERRING TO BARBRA STREISAND, AND WHILE SHE DID RECORD OTHER WEBB SONGS, SHE PASSED ON FARTHER THAN THE EYES CAN SEE MORE THAN ONCE.

AND SO ABOUT 2 OR 3 YEARS LATER, I KIND OF DISGUISED IT.

I SORT OF PUT IT IN A DIFFERENT OUTFIT, LIKE A. AND I PITCHED IT TO HER AGAIN.

SHE TURNED IT DOWN AGAIN.

THREE TIMES.

I TRIED TO GET IT PAST HER AND SHE TURNED IT DOWN ALL THREE TIMES.

THOSE MISSES WERE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

FOR A PROLIFIC YOUNG WRITER WHOSE CAREER LITERALLY TOOK OFF WHEN HE WROTE UP, UP AND AWAY, WINNING HIS FIRST GRAMMY FOR SONG OF THE YEAR WHEN HE WAS JUST 21 YEARS OLD.

UP, UP AND AWAY.

YOU'RE YOUNG.

YOU HAVE NOTHING BUT ENERGY.

I USED TO WRITE 3 OR 4 SONGS A WEEK.

IT WAS LIKE A CONVEYOR BELT.

IT WAS LIKE A, YOU KNOW, LIKE A TWINKIE FACTORY.

I MEAN, THE SONGS WERE ROLLING OUT AND SOME OF THE BEST TUNES HAVE THEIR ROOTS IN THE CHURCH.

WEBB IS THE SON OF A BAPTIST MINISTER BORN IN ELK CITY, OKLAHOMA, IN 1946.

IT'S LIKE A SONG LIKE ALL I KNOW, WHICH WAS LIKE ALMOST NUMBER ONE FOR ART GARFUNKEL, TO ME IS VERY HYMNIC.

IT'S.

LIKE YOU, YOU BRUISE ME.

WE BOTH GREW TO EACH.

LISTEN TO EACH HAYLEY TO LET IT SHOW I LOVE YOU AND THAT'S ALL I KNOW.

AND TO ME, THAT'S THAT'S, THAT'S VERY MUCH LIKE THE STUFF THAT I GREW UP WITH AND GROWING UP.

NEARBY WERE TWO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE NASHVILLE SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME.

TOBY KEITH USED TO SAY.

THAT IT WAS THE THAT BECKHAM COUNTY WAS THE WAS THE WAS WAS THE MAGIC TRIANGLE FOR SONGWRITERS BECAUSE, WELL, I WAS FROM THERE.

I WAS I WAS BORN IN ELK CITY, 12 MILES DOWN THE ROAD SOUTHWEST OF US IS ERIC.

AND THAT'S WHERE ROGER MILLER'S FROM.

ALSO, IT WAS ME AND ROGER AND TOBY AND TOBY KEITH WHO WERE ALL FROM BECKHAM COUNTY, THAT LITTLE LIKE POSTAGE STAMP THERE NOW.

GALVESTON.

I AM SO AFRAID OF DYING.

NEXT FRIDAY, THE THIRD AND FINAL INSTALLMENT OF OUR EXCLUSIVE SIT DOWN WITH ELK CITY'S FAVORITE SON, DEVOTED TO PERHAPS HIS TWO GREATEST SONGS, GALVESTON AND WICHITA LINEMAN.

THE COMPOSITION BOB DYLAN ONCE CALLED THE GREATEST SONG EVER WRITTEN, AND I'M DOING RICHLAND'S FINAL.

OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

LOOKING FORWARD TO PART THREE.

INTERIM DIRECTOR TGTJ.

DILL, OVERSEEING HIS FIRST MEETING OF THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ON MONDAY.

DILL REPLACES TIM GATZ, WHO RETIRED AFTER 37 YEARS ON OCTOBER 31ST.

ONE ORDER OF BUSINESS ACKNOWLEDGING THAT STREET REPAIRS AND POTHOLES AREN'T GOING AWAY ANY TIME SOON.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ABOUT A $33 BILLION BACKLOG AND WE ONLY INVEST ABOUT $1 BILLION.

I SAY ONLY $1 BILLION TAKES US A LONG WAY.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ENTIRETY OF THE SYSTEM, THE NEED IS 33 BILLION TODAY JUST TO MAKE IT TO A STATE OF GOOD REPAIR.

THAT'S NOT ADDING LANES, IT'S NOT PUTTING IN NEW INTERCHANGES.

THAT'S JUST BRINGING IT TO A STATE OF GOOD REPAIR AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY DONE 60, 70 YEARS AGO.

TWO OTHER RETIRING EMPLOYEES WERE RECOGNIZED AS WELL AT THE MEETING.

SEAN DAVIS IS STEPPING DOWN AS DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AFTER 37 YEARS, AND ODOT ENGINEER RON BROWN WAS ALSO HONORED AFTER 36 YEARS OF SERVICE.

IT WAS ANOTHER PROFITABLE QUARTER FOR PAYCOM, AND WE GET THE DETAILS FROM JASON DOYLE IN THIS WEEK'S OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

OKLAHOMA CITY BASED PAYCOM REPORTS THIRD QUARTER NET INCOME OF $133 MILLION.

THAT BEATS LAST YEAR'S THIRD QUARTER PROFITS OF NEARLY $111 MILLION.

THE COMPANY ALSO SAW A 10.2% INCREASE IN TOTAL REVENUES.

THE SOFTWARE COMPANY ALSO EXPECTS TOTAL REVENUES FOR 2026 TO GROW BY AROUND 8%.

OKLAHOMA CITY BASED GULFPORT ENERGY REPORTS NET INCOME OF $96.4 MILLION, WHICH IS DOWN COMPARED TO THE NET INCOME OF 111 MILLION DURING THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2025.

THE ENERGY EXPLORATION COMPANY SAYS IT HAS EXPANDED THROUGH LAND LEASE ACQUISITIONS TO HELP BOLSTER ITS PRODUCTION.

GULFPORT ALSO EXPANDED ITS STOCK BUYBACK PROGRAM BY 33% TO $2 BILLION.

DURING THE THIRD QUARTER, IT REPURCHASED NEARLY 219,000 SHARES OF ITS COMMON STOCK.

OKLAHOMA CITY BASED BIOSYN WILL BE IN CHICAGO OVER THE WEEKEND TO PRESENT ITS NEW FINDINGS ON ADVANCEMENTS IN THE PERFORMANCE OF ITS PROPRIETARY CUFFLESS BLOOD PRESSURE TECHNOLOGY TO THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION'S SCIENTIFIC SESSIONS 2026.

BIOGEN RECENTLY REACHED A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE WITH ITS TECHNOLOGY THIS YEAR, AS ONE OF ITS PRODUCTS RECEIVED FDA CLEARANCE FOR USE IN THE U.S.

REALTOR.COM.

OCTOBER HOUSING REPORT SHOWS THAT THE OKLAHOMA CITY MARKET IS FOLLOWING THE NATIONAL TREND OF FEWER HOMES BEING LISTED FOR SALE NATIONWIDE.

NEW LISTINGS FELL 7.5% LAST MONTH, AND OKLAHOMA CITY LISTINGS FELL 8.6%.

WHILE NEW LISTINGS HAVE FALLEN.

ACTIVE LISTINGS OF HOMES FOR SALE CONTINUES TO INCREASE.

IN OKLAHOMA CITY, ACTIVE LISTINGS ARE MORE THAN 10% HIGHER THAN THEY WERE LAST YEAR.

ON AVERAGE, A HOME HITTING THE MARKET IN OKLAHOMA CITY IS PRICED AT NEARLY $315,000, WHICH IS ABOUT 1.4% LOWER THAN THIS TIME LAST YEAR.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

ON JANUARY 11TH, 2027, FORMER STATE SENATOR MIKE MAZIE WILL BE SWORN IN AS OKLAHOMA'S 29TH GOVERNOR.

AND ONCE THAT HAPPENS, THE FIRST SESSION OF THE 61ST LEGISLATURE WILL BEGIN IN DEPTH.

MODERATOR SONNY LEE AND HER PANEL OF GUESTS DISCUSS WHAT THE NEW GOVERNOR CAN EXPECT.

SUNNY, THANK YOU.

TAELYR.

WELL, WITH THE MIDTERM RACES NOW OVER, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT HOW IT ALL PANNED OUT HERE IN OKLAHOMA.

AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO DISCUSS WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN GOING FORWARD NOW.

SO LET'S MEET OUR PANEL TODAY.

SEAN ASHLEY IS THE PUBLISHER OF QUORUM CALL, THE OKLAHOMA LEGISLATIVE AND GOVERNMENT NEWS TRACKING SERVICE.

HE'S ALSO A LONGTIME CAPITOL REPORTER AND FORMER STAFFER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

AND WE ARE ALSO JOINED BY SCOTT MITCHELL, LONGTIME POLITICAL ANALYST FOR GRIFFIN COMMUNICATIONS.

THANK YOU AS WELL.

I'M SURE YOU'RE TIRED TODAY, AS WE ALL ARE.

YES, YES.

AND NURIA MARTINEZ KEEL, A REPORTER WHO'S BEEN COVERING EDUCATION FOR OVER SEVEN YEARS, THREE OF WHICH SHE HAS SPENT AT OKLAHOMA VOICE AND A FIRST TIMER ON OUR PANEL.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

ALL RIGHT.

SO MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, I'M JUST HAPPY THAT THE POLITICAL ADS ARE OVER.

CAN I JUST SAY THAT 40% OF OKLAHOMANS SHOWED UP TO VOTE LAST NIGHT?

IT WAS A BLUE TSUNAMI THAT APPARENTLY JUST KIND OF STOPPED AT THE RED RIVER.

SO BEFORE WE GET GOING INTO OUR DEEPER TOPICS, LET ME JUST KIND OF GET A REACTION FROM YOU GUYS ABOUT LAST NIGHT.

IT'LL BE 3 OR 4 DAYS BEFORE PEOPLE TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

RIGHT?

WAS IT AGAINST SOMETHING?

WAS IT FOR SOMETHING?

BUT I THINK THE ONE THING WE CAN TAKE AWAY FROM IT IS THAT STATES AROUND OKLAHOMA CHANGED A LOT.

OKLAHOMA DIDN'T CHANGE A LOT.

HOW THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT THIS NEXT ADMINISTRATION'S YET TO BE SEEN.

OKAY, SEAN?

WELL, OKLAHOMA DIDN'T CHANGE A LOT, BUT IT DID CHANGE A LITTLE.

HOUSE DEMOCRATS PICKED UP A SERIES OF SEATS THAT THEY TOOK FROM REPUBLICANS, SIX OF THEM, IT APPEARS.

AND WE ALSO SAW SOME DEMOCRATIC GAINS IN OKLAHOMA COUNTY GOVERNMENT.

SO THERE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN A BLUE TSUNAMI IN OKLAHOMA, BUT OKLAHOMA DID GET A LITTLE WET.

AND AS SCOTT SUGGESTED, WE'LL HAVE TO SEE HOW THAT AFFECTS THINGS GOING FORWARD WITH AN ALL REPUBLICAN STATEWIDE OFFICIAL SLATE.

THAT ONE.

OKAY, I KNOW YOU COVER EDUCATION, BUT I MEAN, YOU PROBABLY STAYED UP LATE AND WATCHED SOME OF THE THE RESULTS AS WELL.

SO WHAT'S YOUR TAKEAWAY FROM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF MY FORMER COLLEGE PROFESSORS, JOEY SENATE, I SAW HIM DESCRIBE IT AS A BLUE WAVE ELSEWHERE, BLUE DUE IN OKLAHOMA.

I THINK YOU GUYS ARE EXACTLY RIGHT THAT WE SAW SOME HOUSE SEATS, FLIPPED SOME, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY IN OKLAHOMA COUNTY AND SOME OF THE SURROUNDING SUBURBAN AREAS IN THE IN THE LARGER METRO AREAS OF THE STATE, LARGELY THE TRENDS ARE THE SAME.

ALL STATEWIDE OFFICES ARE STILL STILL RED.

BUT WE SAW DEMOCRATS MAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE WAY OF VOTING GAINS THAN WE'VE SEEN PREVIOUSLY.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, SINCE NATIONAL CONTROL OF THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE HAS NOW FLIPPED, I'M GOING TO START WITH ASKING YOU HOW YOU THINK THAT WILL IMPACT OKLAHOMA'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION.

SO DO YOU SEE POLICY CHANGES THAT WILL IMPACT OUR STATE?

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE TRIBAL NATIONS AND ALSO MILITARY.

WE'RE GOING TO START WITH YOU, SEAN.

WELL, WE DO HAVE DIVIDED GOVERNMENT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL NOW, SO THAT'S GOING TO MAKE THINGS DIFFICULT, AS WE'VE SEEN WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, WHO IS A LAME DUCK NOW FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS, HE HAS NOT BEEN AFRAID TO USE THE EXECUTIVE ORDER AND TO GO AROUND CONGRESS ON A LOT OF ISSUES.

I SUSPECT THAT WILL CONTINUE.

BUT WHAT WE DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IS FOR DEMOCRATIC LAWMAKERS AND REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS TO TO WORK TOGETHER ON ON SOME ISSUES IF THEY WANT TO GET THAT ANYTHING ACCOMPLISHED.

AND AND MOST OF OKLAHOMA'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION HAS BEEN IN THE MINORITY BEFORE.

SO THEY KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.

THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT COMING IN COLD.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT APPEARS PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID ON CBS NEWS ON TUESDAY HE'S PREPARED TO BE MR.

VETO.

SO WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT THAT MEANS FOR ANY POLICY CHANGES GOING FORWARD.

WELL, NUMBER ONE, OUR DELEGATION IS BRIGHT RED AND WASHINGTON IS NOW BRIGHT BLUE.

SO I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S GOING TO WORK OUT.

IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THE GOODIES COMING DOWN.

BIGGEST ISSUE, OF COURSE, IS THAT TOM COLE IS NO LONGER APPROPRIATIONS CHAIR.

THAT'S A BIG DEAL.

THAT WAS A SETBACK FOR OKLAHOMA, MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT THAT.

SO FROM THAT STANDPOINT OF THE FEDERAL THE FEDERAL DELEGATION OF PRESIDENT, AS YOU SAY, SEAN CAN VETO STUFF, BUT HE AIN'T GOING TO GET MUCH DONE.

OKAY.

WITH WHAT'S GOING ON.

WE JUST DON'T KNOW HOW FAR THE PENDULUM WILL SWING.

DEMOCRATS TEND TO HAVE CIRCULAR FIRING SQUADS WHEN THEY GET IN POWER.

RIGHT.

AND THE THE SECOND YEAR AND THE THIRD AND FOURTH YEAR OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION GOING TOO FAR, WHETHER OR NOT WE SEE A LOT OF IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS, THAT SORT OF STUFF.

I MEAN, THAT'S GOING TO SET THE TONE.

IF THEY WANT TO GOVERN, THEY'LL REJECT THE EXTREMES AND JUST TRY TO GOVERN.

THAT WILL HAVE TO SEE.

I'M HOPING THAT MAYBE THE PRESIDENT HAS SIGNALED, YEAH, WE'LL GET SOME STUFF DONE.

BUT IF WE START GETTING INTO PARTIZAN BICKERING, WE'LL JUST HAVE TWO MORE YEARS OF NONSENSE.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.

AND I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO ASK BOTH OF YOU A LITTLE BIT LATER ABOUT THAT, ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER IF IT'S GOING TO BE JUST TWO YEARS OF STALEMATE.

BUT I DO WANT TO TOUCH ON EDUCATION, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OKLAHOMA, WE KEEP GETTING THESE REPORTS.

WE'RE 50TH, WE'RE LOWEST.

YOU KNOW, OKLAHOMA HAS A NEW SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION THAT'S GOING TO BE DOCTOR ROBERT FRANKLIN.

FORMER SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS HAD A RATHER VOLATILE RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR LAWMAKERS.

HOW DO YOU THINK THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE GOING FORWARD WITH DOCTOR FRANKLIN.

YEAH I THINK DOCTOR FRANKLIN I THINK HE PUT OUT A STATEMENT LAST NIGHT EVEN TALKING ABOUT HOW RESTORING RELATIONSHIPS IS GOING TO BE HIS FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS.

AND THAT MEANS, YOU KNOW, ESTABLISHING A POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR STATE HOUSE AND SENATE LEADERS.

HE ALSO IS GOING TO HAVE TO DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE INCOMING ADMINISTRATION.

I KNOW GOVERNOR ELECT MAZEY HAS SPOKEN A LOT ABOUT CHOOSING A STATEWIDE LITERACY DIRECTOR OR COORDINATOR TO HELP OVERSEE THE ROLLOUT OF OUR NEW READING LEGISLATION.

SO THAT'S ALL GOING TO BE A KEY FOR HIM, AS HE, FIRST OF ALL, ESTABLISHES HIS ADMINISTRATION AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ED, AND THEN ALSO TRIES TO SMOOTH OUT SOME OF THE WATERS.

YES, THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAD BECOME TURBULENT UNDER THE FORMER SUPERINTENDENT.

AND SOME OF THAT HAS STARTED TO BE SOMEWHAT REPAIRED.

WE HAVE SOMEBODY IN STATE SUPERINTENDENT LINDEL FIELDS, WHO HAS SORT OF BEEN A BRIDGE BETWEEN SUPERINTENDENT WALTERS AND NOW DOCTOR FRANKLIN.

NOT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN COMPLETELY SMOOTH THERE.

THERE STILL HAVE BEEN SOME DISAGREEMENTS, BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE HIS HIS, HIS HIS FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS.

I WAS ACTUALLY AT THAT WATCH PARTY LAST NIGHT IN LINDELL FIELD SHOWED UP.

AND SO IT WAS NICE.

THEY HAD A VERY PLEASANT EXCHANGE.

SO HOPEFULLY NOW STAYING STAYING WITH EDUCATION ON THIS.

NOW, DOCTOR FRANKLIN HAS OPENLY STATED THAT HE IS AGAINST ENDORSING RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS.

SO HE WAS AGAINST THE SAINT ISIDORE ISSUE THAT WAS VOTED DOWN.

ULTIMATELY, HOW DO YOU THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY THIS LEGISLATURE THAT'S COMING?

IT'S STILL VERY CONSERVATIVE LEGISLATURE.

THEY MIGHT BE PUSHING BIBLICAL THINGS IN THE CLASSROOM.

HOW DO YOU THINK HE'S GOING TO RESPOND TO THAT?

WELL, HE'S BEEN PRETTY OPEN THAT HE IS OPPOSED TO ANY TYPE OF EFFORT TOWARD INCORPORATING RELIGIOUS EDUCATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

I THINK HE HAS MADE HIS STANCE PRETTY CLEAR ON THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE THAT THAT IS A DIVIDE THAT HE HAS NO INTEREST IN BRIDGING.

IT'S INTERESTING THAT THE PREVIOUS EFFORTS TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE THE BIBLE A GREATER ROLE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOMS OR TO OPEN RELIGIOUS CHARTER SCHOOLS.

NOT A LOT OF THAT HAS COME FROM THE STATE LEGISLATURE, NECESSARILY.

THAT'S COME FROM OUR FORMER STATE SUPERINTENDENT, RYAN WALTERS.

AND IT'S ALSO COME FROM DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT HAVE TRIED TO APPLY AND OPEN RELIGIOUS CHARTER SCHOOLS THROUGH OUR STATEWIDE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD.

AS THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT, ROBERT FRANKLIN WILL HAVE A VOTE ON THAT BOARD, SO HE'LL POTENTIALLY HAVE THE CHANCE TO VOTE AGAINST IT AGAIN, AS HE HAS IN THE PAST.

AND THEN ALSO, THAT'S JUST NOT GOING TO BE A PRIORITY FOR HIS ADMINISTRATION.

WE SAW OUR FORMER STATE SUPERINTENDENT REALLY DEDICATE A LOT OF TIME AND OXYGEN TO THAT.

ROBERT FRANKLIN IS GOING TO HAVE OTHER PRIORITIES.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THAT ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, HE'S GOING TO BE WORKING WITH WITH MAZIE NOW.

AND SO STATE QUESTION 847 FAILED.

AND THEY WERE KIND OF, I THINK, COUNTING ON A LITTLE BIT OF THAT TAX BASE TO.

SO I'M SURE THE SCHOOLS ARE RATHER HAPPY WITH THAT.

BUT I KNOW THAT GOVERNOR ELECT MAZIE HAS MENTIONED ROLLING BACK PROPERTY TAXES FOR SENIORS AND VETERANS.

DO YOU THINK THAT WILL ACTUALLY MAKE IT TO FRUITION?

WELL, I'M CERTAINLY I'M CERTAIN WE WILL SEE THAT PROPOSAL BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE.

NOW, THE QUESTION WILL BE, ONE, WILL IT GET PASSED?

OF COURSE.

AND THEN IT WOULD HAVE TO GO TO A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE AS WELL.

AND AND THE PEOPLE TURNED OUT AND VOTED AGAINST THAT QUESTION IN IN TUESDAY'S ELECTION.

BUT YOU ARE DEALING WITH A DIFFERENT GROUP NOW.

YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT VETERANS AND SENIOR CITIZENS AND DOING THINGS THERE, AND THE PUBLIC MAY BE WILLING TO TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT AND PERHAPS APPROVE IT, RATHER THAN REJECTING IT LIKE THEY DID ON ON TUESDAY.

DO YOU HAVE THE SAME THOUGHT ON THAT?

YEAH, IT'S VERY IN THE WEEDS.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT'S WAY IN THE WEEDS.

AND WHAT HAS CHANGED TO ME IS THAT THERE'S A LOT LESS OF THE, YOU KNOW, IF YOU SEE PEOPLE START TO BRING A TENT TO TOWN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A CIRCUS AND THE CLOWNS COME.

SO A LOT OF THE CLOWNISH, PERFORMATIVE PEOPLE ARE GONE, ESPECIALLY IN THE SENATE.

RIGHT.

AND SO THERE COULD BE SOME MORE DELIBERATIVE ASPECTS OF THIS.

BUT LONNIE HILBERT AND LONNIE PAXTON AND KYLE HILBERT ARE GOING TO HAVE A LOT TO SAY.

THIS IS NOT A CONGRESS THAT DONALD TRUMP HAS BEEN ROLLING OVER FOR SIX YEARS.

THESE GENTLEMEN AND THEIR LEADERSHIP TEAMS HAVE THEIR OWN THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS.

AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE YOU GUYS WILL PROBABLY BE COVERING IT.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE DUELING ECONOMISTS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS GOING, THIS PLAN WON'T WORK BECAUSE OF THIS.

AND I THINK THAT'S OUR CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS IN IN TERMS OF CONSUMING MEDIA ARE GOING TO BE TAXED.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY ESOTERIC CONVERSATION AND WE'LL HAVE TO DO OUR HOMEWORK.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, THE FREEDOM CAUCUS LOST SOME OF THE POWER THIS ELECTION CYCLE.

YOU MENTIONED PAXTON.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT HE CAN EXPECT FOR WHEN THE SESSION BEGINS IN FEBRUARY?

DO YOU THINK THAT'LL CHANGE?

I THINK HE WILL.

HE COMES IN A BIT STRONGER, LACKING THE CHALLENGE THAT WAS BROUGHT FORTH BY THE FREEDOM CAUCUS IN HIS CHAMBER IN PARTICULAR, IT WAS NOT NEARLY AS STRONG IN THE HOUSE.

SO HOUSE SPEAKER KYLE HILBERT DIDN'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT QUITE SO MUCH.

ONE OF THE THINGS I FOUND INTERESTING WAS ON TUESDAY NIGHT THAT GOVERNOR ELECT MAZIE RECOGNIZED SHANE JETT, WHO'S THE OUTGOING CHAIR OF THE FREEDOM CAUCUS, WHO WAS AT MAISIE'S EVENT.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT ROLE, IF ANY, HE MIGHT PLAY NOW THAT HE'S OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE AS A RESULT OF TERM LIMITS.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WE SAW MAJOR ATTENTION AGAINST DATA CENTERS.

I MEAN, THAT WAS THAT WAS A REASON FOR A HUGE TURNOUT.

AND AGAINST THE INOLA SMELTER, DO YOU THINK, YOU KNOW, MIKE MAZZEI CHANGED HIS POSITION ONCE HE WAS OPPOSED TO IT, THEN HE WAS FOR IT.

DO YOU THINK THERE'S ANY CHANCE NOW THAT HE WILL FLIP BACK THE OTHER WAY ON, ON THE SMELTER OR ON DATA CENTERS?

WELL, DONALD TRUMP IS STILL THE PRESIDENT, AND HE STILL COMMANDS A SIZABLE INFLUENCE IN TERMS OF THE THE MAGA CONTEXT.

RIGHT.

I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT GOVERNOR ELECT MAZIE WOULD RUN BACKWARDS ON THIS ASPECT, BECAUSE THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE ECONOMIC ISSUE FOR THE PRESIDENT IS TRYING TO BRING THAT HERE.

THE LAW.

IT'S LITIGATION, SOMETHING THAT I'M GOING TO BE WATCHING.

I THINK THAT THE COURT IS GOING AFTER THE CITY.

YOU KNOW, THE CITY COULD BE BURIED WITH LEGAL BILLS.

I MEAN, I THINK THIS THING IS GOING TO HAPPEN JUST BECAUSE OF THE SHEER VOLUME OF THE PEOPLE THAT WANT THIS TO HAPPEN.

AND BUT IT'S GOING TO COME DOWN TO FLUORIDE.

I FEEL LIKE WE'RE BACK TO THE OLD DOCTOR STRANGELOVE ERA ABOUT FLUORIDE AND TOOTHPASTE.

BUT NO, I DO NOT SEE HIM BACKING UP ON THIS.

I THINK THE SHEER POWER OF ECONOMIC POLICY IN THE UNITED STATES, NOT JUST OKLAHOMA, IS TRYING TO GET THIS DONE.

I THINK IT'LL GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, SEAN?

MAZIE ONE ROGERS COUNTY WHERE ENOLA IS LOCATED.

WOW.

SO IT SEEMS LIKE EVEN THOUGH THERE IS THE DISPUTE WITHIN THE COUNTY ITSELF, THERE IS SUPPORT FOR HIS POSITION ON THE MATTER BECAUSE HE DID GET THE MOST VOTES THERE.

AND I AGREE WITH SCOTT.

I DON'T SEE HIM PULLING BACK ON THAT.

IT'S AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN PUT FORTH AS NOT ONLY AN ECONOMIC ISSUE, BUT A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE.

WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THE SAME DISCUSSION ON DATA CENTERS, TOO, AS A NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE, IN TERMS OF COMPETING WITH CHINA AND BEING THE LEADER IN ARTIFICIAL OR SUPERINTELLIGENCE, MAZIE HAS OUTLINED A FOUR POINT PLAN FOR HOW HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE DATA CENTERS REGULATED, PUSHING MOST OF THAT DOWN TO LOCAL DECISIONS.

THAT'S ANOTHER AREA.

WE'LL PROBABLY SEE SOME LEGISLATION.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, SPEAKING OF AI, DOCTOR FRANKLIN HAS SAID THAT HE'S HE'S COMFORTABLE WITH AI COMING IN TO HELP FOR MEDIA SPECIALISTS.

SCHOOLS ARE UNDERSTAFFED WITH MEDIA SPECIALISTS.

DO YOU THINK THE PARENTS AND TEACHERS WILL BE ON BOARD WITH HAVING SOME AI IMPLEMENTED ON THINGS LIKE LIKE MEDIA SPECIALISTS?

YOU KNOW, I HAVEN'T HEARD HEARD THAT SUGGESTED FOR THAT JOB POSITION SPECIFICALLY.

BUT IT IS TRUE THAT FINDING A SCHOOL LIBRARIANS AND MEDIA SPECIALISTS IS A CONSISTENT CHALLENGE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

WE'RE ALREADY SEEING AI FILTER INTO PUBLIC SCHOOLS ALREADY.

A LOT OF OUR, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR BENCHMARK QUIZZES THAT KIDS TAKE INCREMENTALLY THROUGH THE SCHOOL YEAR.

SOME OF THOSE ARE ALREADY AI BASED.

OUR STATE IS ABOUT TO SELECT A A SCREENING TOOL WHERE ALL KIDS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AROUND OKLAHOMA WILL BE TAKING THAT.

WE DON'T KNOW YET IF THAT WILL BE AI BASED OR NOT.

BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, HE SEEMS TO BE OPEN TO IT.

WHAT HE'S TOLD ME IS THAT THIS IS A REALITY THAT WE ARE NOW LIVING IN, AND WE HAVE TO BE READY FOR IT.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, WE ARE JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME, BUT I DO WANT TO LET EVERYBODY HAVE A FINAL THOUGHT ON THIS, AND I'LL LEAD INTO IT BY SAYING OVER 17,000 OKLAHOMANS CHANGED THEIR PARTY AFFILIATION THIS VOTING CYCLE.

MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS INDEPENDENTS JUST PICKING A SIDE.

BUT FINAL THOUGHTS ON ON THAT AND ON THE ELECTION OVERALL.

WELL, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO START SEEING PEOPLE START TALKING ABOUT THE STRAIGHT PARTY VOTING AND OPEN PRIMARIES THAT'S GOING TO COME BACK.

I THINK, SEAN, THERE'S STILL LITIGATION OUT THERE ON THIS.

AND SO THE OKLAHOMA WOULD CHANGE A LOT IF THAT HAPPENS.

AND I THINK WHY WE VOTE, WHY WE DON'T VOTE IS GOING TO BE FRONT AND CENTER FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, MAYBE NOT THE LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP, BUT REMEMBER, PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO THAT BALLOT BY THE PETITION INITIATIVE PETITION.

SO WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT, I THINK.

OKAY, SEAN.

YEAH.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS OF THE 17,000 WHO CHANGED IN THE END, THE RESULT WAS NOT PARTICULARLY LARGE GAINS FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

IN ADDITION TO INDEPENDENTS JOINING THE PARTY, YOU HAD REPUBLICANS BECOMING DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS BECOMING INDEPENDENTS, DEMOCRATS BECOMING REPUBLICANS AND AND DEMOCRATS BECOMING INDEPENDENTS.

SO THERE WAS BARELY A NET GAIN IN EITHER AREA.

ULTIMATELY, A GENERAL ELECTION.

EVERYBODY VOTES FOR EVERYTHING.

AND WE SAW OKLAHOMA'S OKLAHOMANS FEELINGS ON TUESDAY, A STATEWIDE REPUBLICAN SLATE.

BUT SOME PICKUPS IN THE HOUSE FROM DEMOCRATS.

WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT THAT MEANS NEXT YEAR.

ALL RIGHT.

FINAL QUESTION I HAVE FOR YOU.

IS OKLAHOMA GOING TO GET OUT OF THE 50TH SLOT?

I KNOW THAT'S A THAT'S ASKING YOU TO LOOK INTO A CRYSTAL BALL.

BUT DO YOU SEE GAINS IN THAT AREA?

WELL ON THE MATTER OF 50TH IT SORT OF DEPENDS ON ON WHAT METRIC YOU'RE LOOKING AT.

I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE HOPE SO THAT WE'VE BEEN ON A DOWNWARD OR STAGNANT TRAJECTORY FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW, AND THAT WAS WHY WE SAW SUCH MAJOR READING LEGISLATION PASSED THIS THIS SESSION.

THE NEEDLE WILL HAVE TO MOVE OR WE'RE GOING TO BE SEEING A LOT OF CHILDREN REPEATING THIRD GRADE.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, ALL OF YOU, FOR FOR JOINING US TODAY.

EVERY TIME A MAJOR HURRICANE ROLLS THROUGH LOUISIANA, HUNDREDS OF BOATS WIND UP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BAYOUS AND RIVERS.

AND CLEANING THEM UP IS AN ESSENTIAL IS ESSENTIAL FOR NAVIGATION AND SAFETY.

AND THIS WEEKS NATIONAL VIEW.

WE LEARN MORE FROM LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING REPORTER CHRISTINA JENSEN.

TAKE A LOOK BEHIND ME.

CREWS ARE REMOVING AN OLD BOAT, ONE OF 232 ABANDONED VESSELS IDENTIFIED ACROSS FOR TERREBONNE PARISH WATERWAYS.

SO THIS REMOVAL EFFORT IS HAPPENING OVER SEVERAL MONTHS ACROSS THE PARISH.

IT'S BEEN WORK THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS ALREADY, AND THEY'RE STILL MONTHS TO BE COMPLETED.

OUT IN CHAUVIN, CREWS ARE TACKLING A PROBLEM THAT'S HARD TO IGNORE.

ABANDONED BOATS LEFT TO ROT IN LOUISIANA'S BAYOUS.

WE GOT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR BODIES.

WE GOT TO CLEAN THEM UP, AND WE GOT TO MAINTAIN THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE WHO WE ARE DOWN HERE AND WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL.

BUT THE PROBLEM GOES BEYOND THE BOATS LEFT BEHIND.

IN 2021, HURRICANE IDA HIT THE REGION, MAKING THE PROBLEM EVEN MORE DIRE.

AFTER IDA, SOME BOATS SANK, SOME OWNERS LEFT THE AREA FOR GOOD, LEAVING THEIR VESSELS BEHIND.

IT'S NOT JUST A BOATING ISSUE, IT'S A HOUSING ISSUE.

SOME OF THESE BOATS ARE SOLD.

THEY'RE SOLD FOR A BUCK, TWO BUCKS, TEN BUCKS, AND PEOPLE USE THEM.

WHEN HOUSING IS NOT A SOLUTION THAT'S IN THEIR THEIR AREA.

AND THEN ESPECIALLY IN AREAS LIKE LOUISIANA WHERE YOU HAVE STORMS THAT WHEN A BOAT ISN'T PROPERLY MAINTAINED OR IS ON THE VERGE OF NOT BEING PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND A STORM COMES THROUGH, IT JUST EXACERBATES THE PROBLEM THAT'S HAPPENING.

TERREBONNE PARISH WAS ONE OF TEN LOCATIONS SELECTED FOR A BOAT U.S.

FOUNDATION GRANT PROGRAM FUNDED BY NOAA.

THE PARISH MATCHED ITS $1 MILLION AWARD WITH ANOTHER MILLION DOLLARS LOCALLY, PUTTING $2 MILLION TOWARD THE CLEANUP.

TO DATE, OFFICIALS SAY ABOUT 100 VESSELS HAVE BEEN REMOVED, WITH ANOTHER 30 TARGETED.

WE PUT OUT A CALL FOR APPLICATIONS IN 2024, AND WE RECEIVED OVER 100 APPLICATIONS TOTALING MORE THAN $200 MILLION IN FUNDING REQUESTS IN JUST TWO MONTHS.

THE DEMAND FOR FUNDING REFLECTS THE SCALE OF THE CHALLENGE AND THE COST OF REMOVING EVEN ONE BOAT.

THE FOUNDATION ESTIMATES ABOUT $25,000 ON AVERAGE TO REMOVE A 25 FOOT VESSEL.

EACH INDIVIDUAL REMOVAL EFFORT IS ITS OWN UNIQUE CHALLENGE, WHICH IS WHY THIS IS SUCH IMPORTANT WORK AND SUCH CHALLENGING WORK.

THIS TAKES PEOPLE WITH SPECIALIZED SKILLS, SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT, HEAVY EQUIPMENT, YEARS OF EXPERIENCE TO KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN WHEN YOU'RE REMOVING THESE BOATS, BECAUSE THINGS CAN CHANGE IN A MINUTE.

THIS ISN'T JUST AN ISOLATED ISSUE IN TERREBONNE PARISH.

IT'S A PROBLEM ACROSS LOUISIANA AND THE COUNTRY.

THE MASS PRODUCTION OF RECREATIONAL BOATS WITH FIBERGLASS HULLS HAS MADE IT CHEAPER TO OWN A BOAT, BUT IT'S ALSO MADE THEM MORE DIFFICULT TO GET RID OF.

THERE IS NO AFFORDABLE, SUSTAINABLE DISPOSAL OPTIONS FOR FIBERGLASS AT A LARGE SCALE.

SO THERE'S DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES DOING DIFFERENT THINGS.

BUT FOR THE MOST PART, A FIBERGLASS BOAT HAS TO GO TO THE LANDFILL.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE JUST NOT THERE YET TO FIND A CIRCULAR ECONOMY OR A SECOND LIFE FOR FIBERGLASS.

BUT THERE'S MANY PEOPLE WORKING ON THIS ISSUE.

ABANDONED BOATS CAN ALSO POSE ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS AS THEY BREAK DOWN.

THERE'S PLASTICS.

THERE'S POTENTIALLY CLEANING MATERIALS, THERE'S CUSHIONS.

SO ALL OF THIS ENDS UP BREAKING DOWN IN THE ENVIRONMENT OVER TIME.

THIS LEADS TO MICROPLASTICS MICROFIBERS, BUT ALSO LEACHING OF CHEMICALS FROM DIFFERENT CONTAINERS.

EVEN AFTER THE VESSEL IS REMOVED, THE CHALLENGE ISN'T OVER.

TERREBONNE PARISH OFFICIALS SAY KEEPING THE BAYOUS CLEAR WILL REQUIRE CONTINUED EFFORT.

GOAL IS ABSOLUTELY TO GET TO A POINT WHERE THERE'S NONE.

BUT THAT'S THAT'S A VERY LOFTY GOAL.

IT'S GOING TO BE A CONTINUING MAINTENANCE ISSUE THAT WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH.

THAT WORK ALSO MATTERS FOR BOATERS AND COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN NAVIGATING THE PARISH'S NARROW BAYOUS.

ABANDONED VESSELS CAN SHIFT AND BLOCK PASSAGE, CREATING ADDITIONAL HAZARDS ON THE WATER.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE, SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO MAKE OUR BAYOU SAFER FOR BOATERS, FOR COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN IS PARAMOUNT FOR TERREBONNE PARISH AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS LOUISIANA, REMOVING ABANDONED BOATS IS ABOUT MORE THAN CLEARING THE WATERWAYS.

IT'S ABOUT PROTECTING THE BAYOUS THAT SUPPORT LOCAL COMMERCE AND HELP DEFINE LIFE IN SOUTH LOUISIANA.

ON THE NEXT EDITION OF THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT, AN OKLAHOMA DOCTOR HAS RETURNED FROM UKRAINE AFTER HELPING PERFORM SURGERIES IN THAT WAR TORN COUNTRY.

I'LL SHARE HIS INSPIRING STORY NEXT FRIDAY AT 7 P.M.

WE'LL SAY SO LONG FOR NOW WITH A LOOK AT A NEW EXHIBIT AT THE OKLAHOMA CITY MUSEUM OF ART CALLED THE TRIUMPH OF NATURE, PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY OETA JASON STEWART.

FOR ALL OF US WHO PLAY A ROLE IN PUTTING THIS NEWSCAST ON AIR EACH WEEK, I'M TAELYR JACKSON.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

CONSUMERS TODAY WANT MORE INFORMATION ON WHERE THEIR FOOD COMES FROM ON FOOD SAFETY, ANIMAL WELFARE, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS.

AMERICA'S