Democrats flip 1 more seat in Oklahoma’s GOP-led Legislature
By Sean Murphy | AP November 15 at 5:35 PM
OKLAHOMA CITY — Democrats have flipped another statehouse seat in deeply conservative Oklahoma amid growing frustration over years of state budget shortfalls and recent scandals that led to the resignation of Republican incumbents.
Democrat Allison Ikley-Freeman defeated Republican Brian O’Hara in Tuesday’s special election for a state Senate seat representing parts of Tulsa. Complete but unofficial election results show that Ikley-Freeman, who is a therapist at a nonprofit mental health agency, won by 31 votes.
That seat was vacated after Republican Sen. Dan Newberry said he would step down early to focus on his career in banking.
Ikley-Freeman’s win marks the fourth pickup for state Democrats in special elections this year in Oklahoma, where Republicans have dominated state politics in recent years. The GOP still has a 39-8 advantage over Democrats in the Senate, a 72-28 edge in the House and controls every statewide and congressional office.
The 26-year-old said Oklahoma’s continuing state budget problems were a big concern of voters she spoke with during the campaign.
“Everyone I was engaging with depends in some way or another on basic needs that are provided through the state budget,” Ikley-Freeman said. “People started to feel scared.”
more:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/democrats-add-to-win-column-in-deep-red-oklahoma/2017/11/14/023da920-c9b7-11e7-b506-8a10ed11ecf5_story.html?utm_term=.919fa5043cf3
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