Mexican consulate opening in OKC in spring 2023

GOVERNOR STITT ANNOUNCES MEXICAN CONSULATE COMING TO OKLAHOMA CITY IN SPRING 2023

Edurne Pineda to serve as first Head Consul

OKLAHOMA CITY (Dec. 13, 2022) – Today Governor Kevin Stitt announced a Mexican consulate is scheduled to open in Oklahoma City next spring. The Consulate of Mexico will provide consular services and assistance to the growing Mexican community in the state while promoting economic, commercial, educational, cultural, tourism, and community affairs relations between Mexican entities and Oklahoma stakeholders. Gov. Stitt has been advocating for the opening of this consulate and visited Mexico last year to present this proposal to the Government of Mexico. Over the past two years the governor has worked to embrace and address the needs of the Latino community and today’s announcement serves as a testament to the longevity of that commitment.

“As Oklahoma’s Mexican community grows, I’m glad that these Oklahomans can get the services they need right here in our state, rather driving hours across state lines for simple paperwork,” said Governor Stitt. “I am thankful for the collaboration and shared vision between Oklahoma and Mexico that made this a reality.”

Consul Edurne Pineda has been appointed as Head Consul of the cónsul. Consul Pineda is a Mexican career diplomat with a specialization in consular affairs and a long trajectory in this field. She has been working on the opening of the Consulate with the expectation to inaugurate its operation with full services by the end of the spring of 2023.  

“It has been an honor to work with Governor Stitt to establish the Mexican Consulate in Oklahoma City,” said Consul Edurne Pineda. “I am certain that we will be great partners towards forging a better development for the Mexican community in the state and a deeper and stronger relationship between Mexico and Oklahoma.”

The Mexican Consulate was brought to Oklahoma due to the efforts of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard, along with the approval of the federal government. Mayor David Holt as well as Mexican community leaders have also consistently manifested the need to have this consular representation in Oklahoma. 

“This is a great announcement for the people of Oklahoma City,” said Mayor David Holt. “There is a large population of Mexican Americans in our state, with more than 100,000 in Oklahoma City alone. Access to these services is important, and I congratulate the leaders in our Mexican American community who have advocated for this facility for many years.”

Roy Williams, President and CEO of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber said the Consulate is also important for the business community adding, “Mexico is an important trade partner for our state and the presence of these offices here will support continued growth.”

While the Consulate of Mexico in Oklahoma City opens its operation, the Consulates of Mexico in Little Rock and Kansas will continue to provide consular services to the Mexican community of Oklahoma. 

Hefner: OKC deserves better leadership

Oklahoma City Deserves Better Leadership

Letter To the Editor, Carol Hefner

I am a lifelong citizen of Oklahoma City, born and raised here. I am blessed, along with my husband Robert, to have raised our 5 children here. Today, our 10 grandchildren are the recipients of a 6-generation long history in this city. Our family has invested our time and talents in Oklahoma City, always honoring a gracious heritage and hopeful that our time volunteered to see OKC rise would be realized. 

It has been gut wrenching to watch the deterioration of our city’s morale and historic fabric of conservatism – the values which have built her. Oklahoma City has seen poor leadership through the pandemic. The suffering we have seen from lockdowns, layoffs, school shutdowns and poor outreach to our citizens has been imposed and encouraged by our career politician Mayor who seeks a higher rung on his personal ladder, setting his vision on his own goals of higher office. Our city has been pushed towards liberal socialism and a Biden agenda without regard for what government’s role truly is – the protection of life, liberty and property.  

What has made Oklahoma City the Shining City on the Prairie that it has become is not government. It is the heart and soul of her people who look after each other, and care for each other through good times and bad. It is the Oklahoma Standard that we are proud of that sets us apart from other large cities. Our rich heritage of living by the Golden Rule has buoyed us through oil booms and busts, through the horror of the Bomb, and into the era of prosperity we now enjoy. 

Now that rich heritage is threatened to its core. Our homeless rolls have swelled over the last two years as busloads of homeless arrive from LA, San Francisco, and other leftist cities with promises that our city will take care of them…increasing the burden on our city and taking advantage of our people’s goodwill without adding productive citizens. Meanwhile our city streets are crumbling. We’re mired in projects which have no value and generate no revenue. Our Mayor is obsessed with funding new social programs to address the same social ills that our private sector provision and faith community involvement have been masterfully adept at addressing for years…without the unnecessary intrusion of government. 

Our outstanding police department is under attack from the very same leftist forces that are behind the “defund the police” movement. They’ve faced massive riots and protests which vandalized downtown businesses for the first time in our city’s history, all while our Mayor marched with the same protestors that carried signs saying “Burn the city down.” The courageous men and women of the OKCPD deserve our undying support and encouragement…not a Mayor that kneels down before an anti-police mob shouting “Take a knee! Take a knee!” Instead of standing on the side of law and order, our Mayor used that opportunity to bring in a far-left organization rife with Obama appointees to advise the city on how to “fix the OKCPD” through endless bureaucracy designed to force de-escalation at every turn, while failing to address the fact that our police force is at least 300 officers shy of the number needed for a growing city our size. 

The deterioration of our beloved city is evident to anyone paying attention. We are at a crossroads. We can either continue on the direction we are headed and find ourselves turning into the same liberal cesspools that hard-working people are moving here to escape…or we can embrace a bold, new direction that recaptures the heart and soul of our proud heritage and sets a shining vision for the entire city, north to south, east to west, with no quadrant left behind.  

I am stepping up and stepping in to give our city a new vision, one without the encumbrance of special interests and one that will restore our values of Faith, Family and Freedom. It is time for rescue and rejuvenation across Oklahoma City. Time for a Mayor who will resist corruption, stand firm for our identity and be authentic in word and deed while upholding the true role of government.  

I am Carol Hefner, a wife, mother, businesswoman, Board member to many non-profits over the last 39 years and a woman with a backbone. I have a long, successful history of navigating complex negotiations, decision-making, and comprehending large scale projects that are necessary for a Mayor to have. Everything I have accomplished in my life has prepared me for this moment…for this mission. We do not have to lose our soul to be a successful, thriving city. We can enjoy the blessings of growth while maintaining the heart of what makes this such a great place to live. With your help and support, I truly believe our best days are ahead of us.

You can learn more about Hefner's campaign by visiting HefnerForMayor.com.

OKC Council rejects resolution supporting anti-Constitutional Carry petition

Yesterday, the Oklahoma City Council voted down a resolution that supported the initiative petition that seeks to stop implementation of Constitutional Carry in Oklahoma, charting a different course than OKC Mayor David Holt, who signed the petition a week ago.

From The Oklahoman:

The Oklahoma City council rejected a measure Tuesday to show support for a statewide vote on permitless carry in Oklahoma.

An effort is currently underway to gather enough signatures to halt a new law that would allow Oklahomans to carry a gun without a license or training. The petition seeks a statewide vote on the issue next year.

The council vote was five to four, with James Greiner, Larry McAtee, Mark Stonecipher, Todd Stone and David Greenwell voting against the measure.

Mayor David Holt joined JoBeth Hamon, Nikki Nice and James Cooper in supporting the measure.

Hamon had introduced the measure asking the council to publicly support the petition effort.

Opponents of the Constitutional Carry law have until 5pm Thursday to collect about 60,000 valid signatures in order to keep HB 2597 from going into law on November 1st and instead putting it to a statewide vote in 2020.

Tulsa Mayor Bynum: "I don’t jump into the fray on state initiative petitions"

File this under A Tale of Two Cities Mayors.

Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum weighed in the other day on the initiative petition that aims to stop permitless/Constitutional carry from going into law. His position? Not that of fellow Republican Mayor David Holt of Oklahoma City, who signed the petition.

Bynum won't jump in on the petition. Commenting about his aim to work as a bridge-builder among a diverse set of viewpoints and political positions, Bynum said "I don’t jump into the fray on state initiative petitions" or other political dividing lines, as it could negatively impact his efforts in city government.

Read his full statement below:


Bynum wrote:

Please pardon me for a lengthy but important aside. Some things don’t fit in sound bites...

When I ran for mayor, I pledged to the citizens of Tulsa that I would focus on bringing our city together to focus on our greatest challenges. We’ve done that, and I am incredibly proud of the way Tulsans have gone about it. Racial disparities, LGBTQ rights, welcoming immigrants, police/community relations, 1921 graves - these are all potential controversies but we are being transparent and working as a community to address them.

And we’re working together on basic municipal issue areas too. We have a bipartisan City Council working with a bipartisan Mayor’s Office as a team - an approach we haven’t historically enjoyed in Tulsa. The City and the County are working as a team - most notably during the recent flood. Tulsa and our suburbs are working as a team to grow our economy - we’re excited about Milo’s Tea in Owasso and the outlet mall in Jenks.

How do we do work together in such an unprecedented way on issues that historically were avoided due to controversy? My approach as mayor has been that we do that by picking our fights.

We recognize that good Tulsans voted for different gubernatorial candidates last year, and good Tulsans will vote for different presidential candidates next year.

Good people disagree. And it becomes harder and harder to work together if you continually point out your disagreements.

So if you’re in a job like mine, you focus on the things you can really make a difference on - and you bring together people who otherwise disagree on the other stuff to fix those things within your purview. You sacrifice your right to express your opinion on every issue in service to the job you’ve been given.

So, I know it makes some of my friends angry that I don’t weigh in on every Trump or AOC tweet. I don’t sign a group letter telling Jim Inhofe and James Lankford how they should vote on a bill in the US Senate. I don’t jump into the fray on state initiative petitions.

As a citizen, you should feel free to do all of these things. As a citizen, I have opinions on all of them too. But as mayor, I have a responsibility to pull our city together so we can move it forward.

Some think this is playing politics. Hate to break the news to those analysts, but the politics on all of these issues is pretty simple in Oklahoma. If that’s what I cared about, I’d just go with the flow.

But I love Tulsa like most people love their mom. I’ve got 473 days left in the term you gave me to channel the passion and energy of every Tulsan into making this the best city we can make it. And “every Tulsan” means all you awesome folks who are upset with one another about these other issues. We need your help in making this a safer city, a city of opportunity for everybody, a city we will be proud to leave to our kids.

I post this because it has become an issue in the last week, and I see it only getting more frequent as we head into next year’s national elections. I want you to know why I am doing what I’m doing. Feel free to disagree with my approach, but I hope you can at least see the reasoning behind it.

Most importantly: I hope you’ll join me in trying to make Tulsa a better place.

OKC Mayor Holt signs petition to repeal Constitutional Carry

OKC Mayor David Holt has signed on to the initiative petition that aims to repeal Oklahoma's pending permitless carry (aka Constitutional Carry) legislation that is set to go into effect in November.

"Many OKC residents have deep concerns about permitless carry, set to take effect 11/1," Holt said in a tweet yesterday. "Regardless of your stance, a vote settles the debate. A petition is being circulated to provide that option & I just added my name. If you want to sign it as well, Tweet @cackiness."

Oklahoma City has trended leftward politically in recent years, and leftist anti-gun activists had been calling on the moderate liberal Republican mayor to sign their petition. Moderately conservative when first elected to the State Senate, various conservative rating groups like the Oklahoma Constitution and the American Conservative Union tracked Holt trending to the center the longer he was in the Senate, and has continued trending to the left during his tenure as mayor.

Holt seems to be employing a policy of ambiguity on the topic, avoiding outright stating his position in favor or opposition to the petition's goal but signing it nonetheless, lending (at the least) tacit support for it. Much like King Saul in I Samuel 15, Holt can try the excuse that he signed the petition because "the people" asked him to.

It's similar to the "coward's strategy" oftentimes used in the legislature, where major policies are passed as state questions in order to "pass the buck" for the result to the state's voters, instead of taking the legislative responsibility on themselves. "I didn't vote for it [if it ends up being unpopular] or against it [if it ends up being popular], I just wanted 'the people' to have a say" goes the line.

Holt was first elected mayor in 2018, and won't be up for reelection until 2022.

Election Night: Coburn holds on, Holt and Murdock win

Muskogee Mayor Bob Coburn (hint for the media: he's Tom's cousin, not brother) eked out a narrow victory tonight over his ex-son-in-law Wayne Divelbiss. After polls closed, Divelbiss took an early lead, at one point nearly reaching 56%, but as the last precincts started to come in the gap narrowed.

Two precincts (including Coburn's home precinct) experienced voting machine problems; those ballots had to re-counted at the election board office. With 14 of 15 precincts reported, Divelbiss still led by over 50 votes. Coburn's home precinct was the last to be counted, and came in big for him, pushing him to a 71-vote victory.

Divelbiss ran against Coburn in the 2016 mayoral election, where Coburn defeated him 71% to 20%. This time, Coburn beat him by just 71 votes, or 2.38%.

In other Muskogee city elections, Ward I City Councilman Ivory Vann won reelection, and Jaime Stout won the open Ward II seat.

All municipal offices in Muskogee are technically nonpartisan, but Coburn, Divelbiss and Stout are registered Republicans; Vann is a prominent Democrat.

In Oklahoma City, State Sen. David Holt (R-OKC) cruised to 78% in his mayoral bid.

In the State Senate District 27 special election, State Rep. Casey Murdock (R-Felt) easily defeated his Democratic challenger.

Holt tops $350k in OKC mayoral race fundraising

Holt for OKC Mayor Campaign Logs Best Fundraising Quarter Yet, Tops $350,000

October 9, 2017 -- The campaign to elect David Holt the next Mayor of Oklahoma City announced that as of September 30th it has raised $358,546. In the third quarter of 2017, the campaign raised $150,953. Just four months remain till Election Day. 

The donations have come from a broad base of support, including 502 total donors from 58 different zip codes in the Oklahoma City metro.

Continuing the growing momentum of Holt’s campaign, the third quarter fundraising total of $150,953 represented the largest quarter yet for the campaign.   

“We are deeply grateful for the support we have received,” said Holt. “We still have a ways to go in putting together the resources we will need to deliver our optimistic message to the people of Oklahoma City, but we are inspired by the many donors so far who have committed to continuing the Oklahoma City renaissance."

The election to decide Oklahoma City’s next Mayor will be held February 13, 2018.   For more information about the campaign to elect David Holt the next Mayor of Oklahoma City, visit HoltForMayor.com.

Holt hits $250k mark in OKC mayoral campaign

Holt OKC Mayor Campaign Tops Quarter-Million Dollar Mark

July 31, 2017 -- The campaign to elect David Holt the next Mayor of Oklahoma City announced that as of July 31st it has raised over a quarter-million dollars ($261,961).   The campaign has only spent less than eight percent of that sum.   The donations have come from 308 donors and 50 zip codes in the Oklahoma City metro.

The $261,961 amount includes all donations received as of today.   The quarterly fundraising report filed by Holt’s campaign today with the Oklahoma City Clerk’s office only includes donations through June 30th.   The report filed today includes donations from dozens of longtime Oklahoma City champions, but most notably Ron Norick, legendary Oklahoma City Mayor and “father of MAPS”.

Continuing the momentum of Holt’s campaign, today’s fundraising announcement almost doubles the amount previously revealed in April, at which time Holt had a 4-to-1 fundraising advantage over the only other candidate.   Holt’s campaign has yet to hold an official fundraising event, but announcement of a kickoff event is expected soon.

The election to decide Oklahoma City’s next Mayor will be held February 13, 2018.   For more information about the campaign to elect David Holt the next Mayor of Oklahoma City, visit HoltForMayor.com.

Rep. Young (D) endorses Sen. Holt (R) for OKC Mayor

State Representative and Community Leader George Young Endorses David Holt for OKC Mayor

JUNE 12, 2017 --  Following the decision by Mayor Mick Cornett not to seek re-election, Oklahoma House Representative George Young publicly declared his exploration of a mayoral candidacy. Last week, Young announced he will instead seek election to the Oklahoma Senate in 2018. Today, he is announcing that he is endorsing David Holt to be the next Mayor of Oklahoma City.

"After considering a run myself for Oklahoma City Mayor and receiving great encouragement to do that, I have decided to pursue a different path and run for the Oklahoma Senate," said Young. "But I am still passionate about the future of Oklahoma City, and that is why I am endorsing David Holt to be the next Mayor. He is the best candidate. I have worked alongside David in the Legislature, and I know him to be someone who cares about many of the things I care about. I also know from his record of service that he will work hard to include all parts of our city in major decisions, and that's important to me. David and I both envision a strong working relationship in our future roles, and we will collaborate to move all of Oklahoma City forward.”

"George Young is someone I greatly respect and admire," said Holt. "There is probably no one more universally loved by his fellow legislators, and that affection comes from both sides of the aisle. I am deeply grateful that George believes in my campaign and is willing to give it his public support. George will be someone I turn to in the years ahead for advice and counsel. I am also very excited he is seeking election to the Senate, where we always need strong voices fighting for Oklahoma City."

Young is serving his second term in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and he is seeking election to Senate District 48 in 2018. Prior to his elected service, he was a prominent pastor in Oklahoma City, and also actively served as a community volunteer. Young served on the board of the American Red Cross of Central Oklahoma, the board of United Way of Greater Oklahoma City, and as commissioner for the Department of Human Services. Young is also a graduate of Leadership Oklahoma and Leadership Oklahoma City. Additionally, he has been nationally recognized for his legislative leadership from the Council of State Governments and the Southern Legislative Conference.

Young's endorsement of Holt continues the momentum of Holt's candidacy, which launched out of the gate with 450 bipartisan endorsements from across OKC, followed by subsequent announcements of support from Oklahoma City's firefighters and former OU football coach Barry Switzer. The election to choose Oklahoma City's next Mayor will be held February 13, 2018. For more information about David Holt's campaign for Mayor, visit holtformayor.com.

Barry Switzer Endorses David Holt for OKC Mayor

Barry Switzer Endorses David Holt for Mayor of Oklahoma City

(Oklahoma City, May 30th) -- For as long as anyone can remember, legendary OU and Dallas Cowboys football coach Barry Switzer has fought for Oklahoma City’s future.   In 1993, he stood next to Mayor Ron Norick and campaigned for passage of the original MAPS.   Ever since, whether it’s advocating for OKC’s kids, supporting new quality of life amenities, or simply handing out medals at the Memorial Marathon, Coach Switzer has always answered the call.   “The King” has always believed that what happens in Oklahoma City affects the whole state.

Now, Coach Switzer is asking the voters of Oklahoma City to continue Oklahoma City’s renaissance and elect David Holt the next Mayor of Oklahoma City.

“I strongly endorse David Holt to be Oklahoma City’s next Mayor,” said Coach Switzer.   "He is by far the most qualified candidate.   To keep the Oklahoma City renaissance going, let’s elect David Holt!"

“I am honored to receive Coach Switzer’s endorsement,” said Holt.  “There’s a short list of people who have been as committed to OKC for as long as Coach Switzer. I am humbled that Coach Switzer believes in our campaign.”  

The election to choose Oklahoma City’s next Mayor will be held February 13, 2018.   For more information about David Holt’s campaign, visit holtformayor.com.

Holt raises $142k in first month of OKC mayoral campaign

David Holt OKC Mayoral Campaign Tops $142,000 in 1st Month

With the election now ten months away, the campaign to elect David Holt the next Mayor of Oklahoma City announced today that it raised $142,841 in the first month since Holt’s announcement.    The geographically diverse support included donations from 36 different zip codes across the Oklahoma City metro.

The amount of $142,841 is what the campaign had received as of Friday, March 31st.   The end of March was the end of a quarter, meaning that in the coming weeks, as required by state law, the campaign will publicly file a detailed report of its fundraising through March 31st.   Still in its early stages, the campaign has not yet held a fundraising event or distributed a fundraising letter.

“We are so grateful for the support we have received in these early weeks,” said David Holt.   “The volunteer sign-ups, the endorsements, and the donations have overwhelmed us.   Specifically in regards to donations, we know that it will take major financial resources to get our optimistic message out to the people of Oklahoma City, and though we recognize we have a long way to go, we feel blessed by the support we have already received.   The donations have come from people from all walks of life and from all across Oklahoma City.  They all have in common that they want to see Oklahoma City’s renaissance continue.”

The campaign to elect David Holt the next Mayor of Oklahoma City kicked off with Holt’s announcement video on February 27th.   That was followed 48 hours later by the announcement of a first wave of 450 endorsements.   Both the video and the endorsement list can be viewed at holtformayor.com.

To donate, sign up to volunteer, receive a yard sign, or receive e-mail updates, visit holtformayor.com.   On social media, “like” Facebook.com/holtformayor or follow David on Twitter @davidfholt.

State Sen. David Holt to run for OKC Mayor

Following OKC Mayor Mick Cornett's announcement that he would not be seeking a fifth term as mayor next February, State Sen. David Holt (R-OKC) has thrown his hat into the ring:



The election will be February 13th, 2018.

Rubio adds Oklahoma endorsements, picks up most of Jeb's support

The Rubio Campaign Announces Oklahoma Leaders Supporting Marco

Today, the Marco Rubio for President campaign announced a growing list of Oklahoma leaders supporting Marco. Marco continues to build on his momentum, and conservative leaders across the country are joining him and helping him share his message.

“I’m so proud that my fellow legislators, Republican leaders, and Oklahoma entrepreneurs would stand with me in supporting Marco Rubio,” said State Senator David Holt, Rubio's Oklahoma campaign chairman. “Now is the time for true Oklahoma conservatives to rally behind Marco because a vote for anyone else is a vote for Donald Trump. With so many pressing issues facing our nation abroad and at home, we need a true conservative leader who is prepared, can win in November, can unite our country, and lead us into the future."

“I know that all of these leaders will be encouraging our friends, neighbors and constituents to vote for Marco this coming Tuesday, because if they do, we will get a nominee that can beat the Democrats and usher in a new American century,” said Sen. Holt.

Oklahoma Leaders Supporting Marco: [blogger's notes in brackets] 
State Senator David Holt, State Chairman
U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe
U.S. Congressman Markwayne Mullin
Former Governor Frank Keating
Former U.S. Congressman Steve Largent [new]
State Treasurer Ken Miller [new - previously Bush]
State Senator Larry Boggs
State Senator Corey Brooks [new - previously Bush]
State Senator Brian Crain [new]
State Senator Kim David
State Senator Eddie Fields
State Senator John Ford [new]
State Senator Jack Fry
State Senator A.J. Griffin
State Senator Darcy Jech [new]
State Senator Clark Jolley [new]
State Senator Mike Mazzei [new]
State Senator Ron Sharp [new]
State Senator Wayne Shaw
State Senator Frank Simpson
State Senator Jason Smalley
State Senator Roger Thompson
State Senator Ervin Yen
Representative Leslie Osborn
Representative Josh Cockroft
Representative Lee Denney [new - previously Bush]
Representative Randy Grau
Representative Katie Henke
Representative Dan Kirby
Representative Mark McBride [new - previously Bush]
Representative John Michael Montgomery [new - previously Bush]
Representative Casey Murdock [new - previously Bush]
Representative Terry O’Donnell
Representative Paul Wesselhoft
Representative Harold Wright
The Honorable [Agriculture Commissioner] Jim Reese
The Honorable [Secretary of State] Chris Benge [new]
Larry Nichols
Fred Hall
David Rainbolt
Bob Funk, Sr.
Dana Weber
Francis Rooney
Tom Love

More OK Legislators Endorse Rubio, Bring Total to 19

More OK Legislators Endorse Rubio, Bring Total to 19
When the Oklahoma Legislature reconvenes Monday, nearly one out of every five Republican legislators will be public supporters of Senator Marco Rubio’s campaign for President.

The Marco Rubio for President campaign today announced new endorsements from Oklahoma State Senators Larry Boggs and Ervin Yen. The support of these two strong conservative leaders adds to the Rubio campaign's already strong Oklahoma organization, led by state chairman Senator David Holt.

"Our state and our country need a strong conservative in the White House and that is what we will get with Marco Rubio," said Oklahoma State Senator Larry Boggs. "Marco is a next-generation leader that will restore our nation's founding principles and improve the lives of people across this country. I'm proud to be supporting him and hope Oklahomans will join with me in voting for him on March 1.”

"Marco Rubio is the one Republican running that can defeat Hillary Clinton and lead our country in a conservative direction," said Oklahoma State Senator Ervin Yen. "His uplifting message will inspire voters and his policies will ensure that the 21st Century is indeed an American Century. I'm happy to be joining an already impressive list of Oklahoma leaders backing Marco."

"We are so glad that leaders like Senator Boggs and Senator Yen are uniting around Marco Rubio's candidacy," said Jeremy Adler, regional spokesman for the Rubio campaign. "Marco is offering an optimistic message of a New American Century and having these individuals on our team to promote that positive vision will allow us to do well in Oklahoma.”

The full list of 19 Oklahoma legislators who have endorsed Senator Rubio is as follows:

Senator David Holt (R - Oklahoma City), State Chairman
Senator Larry Boggs (R - Wilburton)
Senator Kim David (R - Porter)
Senator Eddie Fields (R - Wynona)
Senator Jack Fry (R - Midwest City)
Senator A.J. Griffin (R - Guthrie)
Senator Wayne Shaw (R - Grove)
Senator Frank Simpson (R - Springer)
Senator Jason Smalley (R - Stroud)
Senator Roger Thompson (R - Okemah)
Senator Ervin Yen (R - Oklahoma City)
Rep. Josh Cockroft (R - Wanette)
Rep. Randy Grau (R - Edmond)
Rep. Katie Henke (R - Tulsa)
Rep. Dan Kirby (R - Tulsa)
Rep. Terry O’Donnell (R - Tulsa)
Rep. Leslie Osborn (R - Mustang)
Rep. Paul Wesselhoft (R - Moore)
Rep. Harold Wright (R - Weatherford)

Senator Rubio will be a candidate in the March 1st Oklahoma Republican presidential primary.  Oklahoma supporters of Senator Rubio’s campaign can receive updates from Senator Rubio's campaign in Oklahoma by following @TeamMarcoOK on Twitter or liking TeamMarcoOK on Facebook.

3 Oklahoma legislators endorse Rubio, bring total to 17

More OK Legislators Endorse Rubio, Bring Total to 17

The Marco Rubio for President Oklahoma State Chairman, Senator David Holt, has announced the names of three more Republican legislators who are endorsing U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s candidacy to become the next President of the United States.   The three join the 14 other Oklahoma legislators who have already endorsed Rubio, as well as U.S. Representative Markwayne Mullin.

The three new endorsers are Senator Frank Simpson (R - Springer), Rep. Dan Kirby (R - Tulsa), and Rep. Paul Wesselhoft (R - Moore).

“While the Democrats are stuck in the 1990s, Marco Rubio is prepared and ready to lead us into the 21st Century,” said Senator Simpson.

“Senator Marco Rubio is the most effective candidate for President, that is, if we really want to win, and not just make some political statement with another candidate,” said Rep. Wesselhoft.

Said Rep. Kirby, “Marco Rubio has the intelligence, experience and creative new ideas that are needed to move America forward.  He is a leader and will be an excellent President."

The full list of 17 Oklahoma legislators and one Oklahoma Congressman who have endorsed Senator Rubio is as follows:

• Senator David Holt (R - Oklahoma City), State Chairman
• U.S. Representative Markwayne Mullin (R)
• Senator Kim David (R - Porter)
• Senator Eddie Fields (R - Wynona)
• Senator Jack Fry (R - Midwest City)
• Senator A.J. Griffin (R - Guthrie)
• Senator Wayne Shaw (R - Grove)
• Senator Frank Simpson (R - Springer)
• Senator Jason Smalley (R - Stroud)
• Senator Roger Thompson (R - Okemah)
• Rep. Josh Cockroft (R - Wanette)
• Rep. Randy Grau (R - Edmond)
• Rep. Katie Henke (R - Tulsa)
• Rep. Dan Kirby (R - Tulsa)
• Rep. Terry O’Donnell (R - Tulsa)
• Rep. Leslie Osborn (R - Mustang)
• Rep. Paul Wesselhoft (R - Moore)
• Rep. Harold Wright (R - Weatherford)

With today’s announcement, Senator Rubio still has more publicly announced endorsements from Oklahoma legislators than any other candidate for President.

Senator Rubio will be a candidate in the March 1st, 2016 Oklahoma Republican presidential primary.  Senator Rubio most recently visited the state this Fall, when he paid his respects at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum and delivered a speech outlining his energy plan.  Oklahoma supporters of Senator Rubio’s campaign can receive updates from Senator Rubio's campaign in Oklahoma by following @TeamMarcoOK on Twitter or liking TeamMarcoOK on Facebook.

14 Oklahoma legislators endorse Rubio for President

Marco Rubio Oklahoma Chairman David Holt Announces 13 Legislative Endorsements

The Marco Rubio for President Oklahoma State Chairman, Senator David Holt, has announced the names of 13 other Republican legislators who are endorsing U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s candidacy to become the next President of the United States.  

“Marco’s candidacy is resonating with Oklahomans, as evidenced by this strong list of supporters from the Oklahoma Legislature,” said Senator David Holt.   “These folks come from across the state and from all walks of life, but like me, they all believe in Marco’s message.   I believe Marco will perform very strongly in Oklahoma’s Republican presidential primary, and then I know Marco will win Oklahoma next November on his way to becoming the next President of the United States."

The additional legislators endorsing Marco Rubio are:

Senator Kim David (R - Porter)
Senator Eddie Fields (R - Wynona)
Senator Jack Fry (R - Midwest City)
Senator A.J. Griffin (R - Guthrie)
Senator Wayne Shaw (R - Grove)
Senator Jason Smalley (R - Stroud)
Senator Roger Thompson (R - Okemah)
Rep. Josh Cockroft (R - Wanette)
Rep. Randy Grau (R - Edmond)
Rep. Katie Henke (R - Tulsa)
Rep. Terry O’Donnell (R - Tulsa)
Rep. Leslie Osborn (R - Mustang)
Rep. Harold Wright (R - Weatherford)

With today’s announcement, Senator Rubio has more publicly announced endorsements from Oklahoma legislators (14) than any other candidate for President.

Senator Rubio will be a candidate in the March 1st, 2016 Oklahoma Republican presidential primary.  Senator Rubio most recently visited the state last month, when he paid his respects at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum and delivered a speech outlining his energy plan.  Oklahoma supporters of Senator Rubio’s campaign can receive updates from Senator Rubio's campaign in Oklahoma by following @TeamMarcoOK on Twitter. 

Lankford endorsed by 4 Tulsa State Senators, Shannon by 4 OKC State Senators

In the past week, U.S. Senate candidates James Lankford and T.W. Shannon each gained endorsements from four metro state senators: Lankford was endorsed by four Tulsa-area senators, and Shannon was supported by four OKC-area senators.

Lankford's press released, posted on the McCarville Report:
Four Tulsa area state senators have endorsed Congressman James Lankford in his bid to win the Republican nomination for the U. S. Senate.

“I endorse James Lankford with confidence because I know he will fight for Oklahoma’s working families and small businesses during tough economic times, while standing up for Oklahoma values and the Right to Life at all times.”
Senator Rick Brinkley - District 34

“Oklahoma families have been presented with difficult decisions as the economy struggles to recover.  I know that James Lankford shares my belief that government should not make decisions even more challenging for our families, and I trust him to fight for lower taxes and responsible spending on behalf of Oklahoma taxpayers.”
Senator Mike Mazzei - District 25

“I’m excited to see the groundswell of support for James Lankford in our great state. More than ever, it’s critical that we send leaders to Washington, D.C. who understand what matters to Oklahomans because they’re listening to us and working on our behalf.  James Lankford will be that type of leader in the U.S. Senate.”
Senator Dan Newberry -District 37

“As a small business owner, I believe it is important to elect someone who will fight to keep federal agencies from burdening our businesses with massive regulations that are stifling economic growth and job creation in our state. Because of his managerial experience, his passion for our state, and his commitment to our hardworking families, I’m proud to endorse James Lankford.”
Senator Gary Stanislawski - District 35

Shannon's press release, posted on TheOkie:
Conservative Oklahoma state Senators David Holt (District 30), Kyle Loveless (District 45), Rob Johnson (District 22), and Ralph Shortey (District 44) today endorsed T.W. Shannon for U.S. Senate.

“Addressing our nation’s unprecedented challenges will require the kind of consensus we have rarely enjoyed the last three decades,” Senator Holt said. “Building that consensus will demand extraordinary leaders who can relate to the America of 2014. T.W. represents a new generation of leadership. He stands for common sense fiscal conservatism and free market values. He has a proven record of success as Oklahoma’s Speaker of the House. He is an Oklahoman, born and raised. He is a principled man of faith supported by a loving family. He has demonstrated his willingness to do what must be done, even if it makes some special interests uncomfortable.”

Senator Loveless said, “Having worked in Washington, D.C., and now as a state senator, I have worked with and known T.W. Shannon for over ten years. He is a conservative stalwart. He is a leader, he is a great dad, and he led the effort to ensure that those on welfare that were able-bodied had to work to get their benefits. As a small business owner, we need leaders like T.W. who have a background in business and who understand the burden the federal government is to economic growth in Oklahoma. He will be an excellent U.S. Senator for Oklahoma, I am proud to endorse T.W. Shannon for the U.S. Senate.”

“I have worked closely with T.W. in the legislature,” Senator Johnson said. “He’s a true conservative and a man of faith, vision and character. T.W. is a natural leader and we need him to bring that leadership and vision to Washington, D.C., as our next U.S. Senator.”

“I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with Speaker Shannon on many conservative issues,” Senator Shortey said. “Not only have I been impressed by his strong conservative principles but also by his leadership in advancing those principles. Whether it was by creating the States’ Rights Committee or standing against increasing bonded indebtedness in our state, T.W. has shown constant conservative leadership. I believe he is the conservative leader we need in the U.S. Senate and am honored to offer my support and endorsement.”

“Though still just a candidate,” said Senator Holt, “T.W. Shannon has already captured the imaginations of Oklahomans and Americans across the nation, and this is nothing for which he should apologize. T.W. possesses the rare gifts that make great leaders. T.W. Shannon is the man for this moment. It is an absolute certainty that he will be a national leader immediately upon his election. Our party needs that leader. Our nation needs that leader. Oklahoma can deliver that leader.”

“I’m humbled to receive the endorsements of my colleagues in the Senate,” Shannon said. “As conservative legislators we worked together in the fight to reduce debt, cut spending and reform welfare for Oklahoma.”