GOP Senator Larry Boggs, who lost in runoff, endorses Democrat over Republican

State Senator Larry Boggs (R-Wilburton) lost his re-election bid in the State Senate District 7 GOP runoff to upstart challenger Warren Hamilton. Hamilton was supported by Oklahoma abortion abolitionist community, and won in a hard-fought contest.

It's not unusual for there to be hard feelings after a rough primary season. What is unusual is for incumbent Republicans to follow that up by endorsing liberal Democrats. That's what Larry Boggs has now done.

Runoff: 3 GOP State Senators lose, 2 abortion abolitionists win, Bice tops Neese

The votes are in, and there were is some big news out of yesterday's runoff election. Let's get into the top stories.

'OK Baptists for Abolishing Abortion' endorses Warren Hamilton for State Senate

Oklahoma Baptists for Abolishing Abortion Endorses Warren Hamilton for District 7 Oklahoma Senate

Owasso— August 18, 2020 — Oklahoma Baptists for Abolishing Abortion wholeheartedly endorses Warren Hamilton for the District 7 Senate seat. ‪On Tuesday, August 25th‬ voters living in Oklahoma State Senate District 7 have a great opportunity to choose a principled statesman over a political swamp creature by voting FOR challenger Warren Hamilton over eight-year incumbent Senator Larry Boggs.

We are very disappointed to see the Boggs’ campaign resorting to half-truths and outright lies about Warren Hamilton. As Oklahoma Baptists we want everyone to know that Warren Hamilton is a member in good standing of an Oklahoma Southern Baptist congregation. Any suggestion that he is part of a cult would be laughable if it were not such a libelous lie. We need more people like Warren Hamilton in the Oklahoma Legislature. Warren Hamilton is a convictional conservative who has endorsed the Southern Baptist Resolution on Abolishing Abortion, and less people like Larry Boggs (who will say or do anything to hang onto his political power).

Attendees at Haskell County GOP meeting rebuke Boggs for mistruths (plus my take)

Among the runoff elections being held on August 25th is the GOP contest in State Senate District 7 between incumbent Larry Boggs and challenger Warren Hamilton. Hamilton is campaigning as a strong conservative and an ardent abolitionist, believing that Oklahoma ought to make a stand for the unborn and stop regulating abortion and treat it as the murder of innocent human life that it truly is.

Abolition of abortion has been somewhat of a flashpoint in the SD7 race, as Sen. Boggs did not vote to hear Senate Bill 13 (the abolition bill) on the Senate floor, which was not brought up for an actual hearing because 30 Republicans and 8 Democrats voted to table while only 4 Republicans voted to hear the bill. Boggs missed the vote because he was not in the chamber at the time (allegedly having a conversation outside in the rotunda, I believe).

There was a meeting of the Haskell County Republicans on July 14th that ended in some fireworks, with Sen. Boggs coming rather... unhinged and getting into a heated argument with some abolitionist supporters of Hamilton's, to the point that Boggs had to be physically restrained.

The following cartoon pretty accurately sums up Boggs' demeanor as shown in multiple videos:

After the meeting, both sides came out with their story of what went down (including some absolute garbage from one camp, as I detail further down). Some days later, a group of Haskell County Republicans ran the following statement as an advertisement in newspapers throughout SD7, specifically not endorsing any candidate, but correcting what they deemed to be serious mistruths and efforts by one candidate about what went on that night.

I'll post my thoughts on the whole saga below this. There's some stuff that needs to be said about individuals on both ends of the kerfluffle.

Hamilton introduces candidacy to SD7 voters with fiery video, statement

Warren Hamilton is running for State Senate District 7. A veteran of the Iraq War (AH-1W Cobra pilot) and graduate from West Point, Hamilton is running in the GOP primary against incumbent Sen. Larry Boggs (R-Red Oak). Two Democrats and a third Republican are also running.

Hamilton has this fiery video on his campaign social media, introducing himself to voters.

Surplus hospital beds secured for McAlester Regional Health Center

Surplus Beds Secured for McAlester Regional Health Center

MCALESTER -- State Rep Jim Grego (R-Wilburton) and State Sen.  Larry Boggs (R-Wilburton) announced Thursday that a load of surplus hospital beds from the Talihina Veterans Center had been shipped to the McAlester Regional Health Center in McAlester.

“McAlester Regional officials reached out to their elected delegation expressing difficulty in obtaining some additional equipment in order to restock a previously closed wing of the hospital in anticipation of a surge of patients in the coming weeks due to COVID-19,” Grego said.

Grego said he worked with State Rep. Chris Kannady (R-Oklahoma City) along with Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs Joel Kintsel and Deputy Director Sarah Lane. They were able to confirm the existence of the beds, which had been taken out of service and deemed surplus. The beds then were made available to McAlester Regional Health Center.

Pittsburg County Commissioner Ross Selman secured a truck along with a van trailer loaned by Big V Feeds Inc. of McAlester to provide transportation.

“This is the way government is supposed to work,” Grego said. “You have an identified need, locate a source, then connect the transportation to make it happen. We had state, county and local officials along with private entities involved.

“While this equipment is now positioned where it can do the maximum good, the hopes and prayers are that it will not be necessary to use.”

Jim Grego represents District 17 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, which includes parts of Latimer, LeFlore and Pittsburg counties.

State Sen. Boggs endorses Costello for Labor Commissioner

SEN. LARRY BOGGS ENDORSES CATHY COSTELLO AS BEST FOR RURAL OKLAHOMA

    State Senator Larry Boggs is endorsing fellow conservative, Cathy Costello, in the race for Oklahoma Labor Commissioner.  Larry Boggs is the former Director of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau and he is encouraging all rural Oklahomans to vote for Costello.

   “Cathy Costello best represents the conservative values of rural Oklahoma and she knows what it takes to create good jobs,” Sen. Larry Boggs (R-Wilburton) says.  “She wants to get rid of unnecessary occupational licensing that puts a disproportionate burden on people who work in rural areas.  She wants to address mental health issues in the workplace, including substance abuse and addiction, that hold back rural Oklahomans from getting and keeping quality jobs.  Cathy is the only candidate talking about Oklahoma’s high workplace fatality rates — especially in agriculture.  Southeast Oklahoma has all the potential for an economic boom and the right Labor Commissioner can make the difference.  She wants to build our workers to be ready for jobs in agriculture, energy and the emerging markets of tomorrow.  Cathy Costello will help us develop the workforce we need.”

    Cathy Costello is a co-founder of several businesses, both domestic and international, and is a sought-after national speaker and advocate on issues of mental health.  She has been instrumental in passing major state and federal legislation to improve how employers address mental health needs in the workplace.

    The Republican primary runoff for Labor Commissioner is scheduled for August 28 and the general election will be held November 6, 2018.

    For more information on Cathy Costello's campaign for Oklahoma Labor Commissioner, visit her website at www.CostelloForOK.com.

Inhofe endorses State Sen. Larry Boggs for re-election

SEN. JIM INHOFE ENDORSES STATE SENATOR LARRY BOGGS

Cites Valuable Partnership Inhofe and Boggs have on 

issues pertaining to state and the nation

U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) hosted an endorsement luncheon at Pete's Place in Krebs last Monday. A key reason State Sen. Larry Boggs (R-Wilburton) has earned Senator Inhofe's endorsement is because of the valuable partnership Inhofe and Boggs have on issues pertaining to the state and the nation. Boggs serves on both the veterans and transportation committees in the State Senate, while Inhofe is chairman on the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and the senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee.

"As a member of Oklahoma's Senate Transportation committee, Larry Boggs was been instrumental in providing input on what was needed locally in his district, which helped to secure much-needed funding to improve U.S. 69," said US Senator Inhofe.  "Larry Boggs has prioritized the urgent need to upgrade the highway, working collaboratively with city officials and ODOT to help keep the project on track.”

U.S. 69 is slated to get a new bridge, new highway surface, grading and drainage work. The project will bring more than $13 million to the area.  The improvement will stretch from Peaceable Road to Wade Watts Boulevard and is expected to take a little more than a year to be completed.

“This major highway upgrade is vital to helping keep our area economically competitive and attractive for new businesses and residents. I am glad to help make it happen," Sen. Boggs said. "Working behind the scenes in politics to help put pieces in place for the right overall decisions to be made might not be glamorous but it gets the job done."
 
"Larry Boggs and I are cut from the same conservative cloth,” Inhofe said. “I urge voters to send Larry back to the State Capitol because he has proven that he will faithfully represent the district's rural interests while promoting the core values important to the people of Southeast Oklahoma."
   
Larry Boggs is a lifelong resident of Southeastern Oklahoma, successful business owner and rancher.
On Monday, October 24, Lt. Governor Lamb will host an endorsement luncheon in Larry Boggs' honor at Pete's Place, 120 SW 8th Street in Krebs at 12 noon. To RSVP, please email info@boggsforsenate.com.

NRA endorses State Sen. Larry Boggs for re-election

NRA Endorses Sen. Larry Boggs in District 7 race

September 30, 2016 --  Sen. Larry Boggs (R-Wilburton) is proud to announce the endorsement of the National Rifle Association in his District 7 re-election campaign.  The NRA gives Boggs an A rating for his pro-Second Amendment voting record.

   According to the NRA, Senator Boggs is a "solidly pro-gun candidate."

   The NRA says an A rating means Boggs is "a candidate who has supported NRA positions on key votes in elective office or a candidate with a demonstrated record of support on key issues."

    Boggs co-authored a gun rights bill, SB-2614, which was signed into law by Governor Fallin in 2014.

    Larry Boggs is a lifetime member of the NRA and believes this endorsement will have a strong influence on voters in November.  The Democrat challenging Boggs refused to return the NRA questionnaire which the NRA considers "an indication of indifference, if not outright hostility, to gun owners' and sportsmen's rights."

    "I will always support and defend the Second Amendment," says Sen. Boggs.  "It's a right that voters in Southeastern Oklahoma take very seriously so I consider the endorsement of the NRA an honor.  It lets voters know I will always be a vigilant leader when it comes to defending our constitutional rights."

    Larry Boggs is a lifelong resident of Southeastern Oklahoma, successful business owner and rancher.  For details on his plans for Oklahoma visit www.BoggsForSenate.com.