Edmondson Says $5 Million Loan Repayment Should Worry Voters

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oct. 30, 2018 – Gubernatorial candidate Drew Edmondson issued a warning to voters today after Kevin Stitt’s most recent ethics filing shows he has poured $5 million of his own money into the governor’s race.

“Candidates are allowed, by law, to loan their own campaigns money,” Edmondson said. “It is also legal for campaigns to solicit contributions at the end of the campaign to retire debt, but $5 million is an excessive amount of debt.

“If Mr. Stitt is elected, there is no doubt that the special interest groups will pay him back every penny, and he will start day one in office beholden to the same billionaires that got our schools into the mess they’re in. We need change, and that won’t come if the same special interests that brought us Gov. Fallin are playing piggybank and puppeteer for Kevin Stitt.”

Corporate dark money organizations and out-of-state special interest groups are fueling a barrage of attacks against Edmondson. They want four more years of politics as usual and are fearful Edmondson will change the status quo.

Edmondson said Stitt is already beholden to the special interests and it will only be more apparent if he is elected governor.

“The governor’s office shouldn’t be bought and sold like a subprime mortgage,” Edmondson said. “Oklahomans deserve better.”

Edmondson’s campaign has seen a surge in donations in recent weeks. Edmondson’s ethics report for this quarter shows $1.9 million in donations from more than 7,000 individual contributions. Almost 900 of those individual contributions come from teachers.

“I am grateful to Oklahomans from across our state who have stepped up to volunteer, knock doors, make phone calls and donate their hard-earned dollars to support our campaign,” Edmondson said. “The excitement and energy are real. Oklahomans want a governor who will put people ahead of the special interests. That’s the type of governor I’ll be. Oklahoma will come first, for a change.”

Edmondson has loaned his campaign a total of $60,000.

A Navy veteran who served our country in Vietnam, Edmondson received his teaching degree from Northeastern State College and law degree from the University of Tulsa School of Law. He is a former public school teacher, Oklahoma attorney general and Muskogee County district attorney. Learn more at www.drewforoklahoma.com.

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Legendary Lawmen Tout Edmondson’s Second Amendment Support

Legendary lawman Harvey Pratt and others are pushing back against National Rifle Association ads that claim Drew Edmondson is anti-gun.

The ads are running in Oklahoma as part of a half-million-dollar media buy placed by the Washington, D.C. special interest group in support of Kevin Stitt’s candidacy.

Pratt, whose 50-year career in law enforcement included work for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, the Midwest City Police Department and the U.S. Marine Corps says Edmondson is, without a doubt, a Second Amendment supporter.

“Drew Edmondson is a Vietnam Veteran and a member of the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Hall of Fame,” Pratt said. “He is a strong second amendment supporter. To claim otherwise is just plain false.”

Edmondson was inducted into the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2015. Pratt currently serves on the Board of Directors for that organization.

As Attorney General Edmondson was A-rated by the NRA.

“I have not changed,” Edmondson said. “This is pure politics, and it’s disappointing.”

Former Muskogee Police Chief Gary Sturm, who also worked as an investigator when Edmondson served as Muskogee County District Attorney also reiterated Edmondson’s Second Amendment credentials.

“I’ve known Drew for more than 40 years,” said Gary Sturm, former Muskogee Police Chief. “Not only is he a Second Amendment supporter, but I have personally served search warrants and worked crime scenes with him. When we went in a door, I always knew he had my back.”

The NRA media buy is part of a sudden flood of national donors who have entered the airwaves in recent days on behalf of Stitt.

Dark money groups apparently funded by the Republican Governors Association, big oil and gas corporations and others have already spent nearly $3 million in Oklahoma to oppose Edmondson.

“Washington special interest groups are flooding the airwaves with false ads to try to bail Kevin Stitt out,” Edmondson said. “Voters do not want four more years of Mary Fallin, and that’s what a Stitt administration would be. The special interest groups can stay in Washington. I’ll stand with Oklahomans.”

Drew Edmondson is a Vietnam Veteran. He started his career as a schoolteacher, before serving as district attorney and attorney general. He has been married to his wife, Linda, for 51 years. Together, they have two children and two grandchildren.

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A former vice chairman of the Oklahoma Tax Commission is blowing holes in Kevin Stitt’s latest plan to fund education.

On his website, Stitt says, “I like the policy proposed by a conservative group of House legislators to give schools the flexibility to use part of their current property tax revenue on teacher pay instead of being restricted to buildings and infrastructure.”

Despite offering few specifics, Stitt said he has a plan to get us to #1 in the region for teacher salaries. The only revenue Stitt has mentioned in his plan would come from property tax increases.

“But if Mr. Stitt thinks the teacher walkout was just about a pay raise, he wasn’t listening to the teachers,” Edmondson said. “We need to get more money in classrooms. We need text books that weren’t written in the last century, and we need to invest in our kids the way the states around us do.”

For Oklahoma to get to #1 in the region on student spending is a huge lift. According to the National Education Association, in 2017 per pupil spending in Oklahoma was $9,219, putting Oklahoma last in the region and 47th in the country.

Former Tax Commission Vice Chairman Jerry Johnson, who was appointed to his post by Republican Governor Frank Keating, says to hit #1 in the region for per pupil spending, Oklahoma would need an additional $1.9 billion in revenue.

“Raising that kind of revenue off property taxes would require a 50 percent tax hike on all property owners,” Johnson said.

“Stitt’s plan would require drawing property tax revenue away from infrastructure to pay teachers and fund per pupil expenditures,” Edmondson said. “I have yet to talk to a single teacher or school administrator who thinks that’s a good idea. School buildings are already crumbling.

“Kevin Stitt would rather raise property taxes on Oklahoma families than require big oil and gas companies to pay the same gross production tax they’re already paying in Texas,” Edmondson said. “Enough is enough. We’ve heard for eight years now that our schools have enough money. That’s just not true.”

Edmondson’s plan would require no new taxes on Oklahoma families. Instead, he’ll restore the gross production tax to its previous rate of 7 percent, eliminate a capital gains exemption that primarily benefits millionaires and increase the price of a pack of cigarettes by 50 cents.

“As governor, I’ll put kids first,” Edmondson said. “I supported the teacher walkout while Mr. Stitt sided with Gov. Fallin against it. Our students and our schools cannot afford another four years of those failed policies.”

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OKLAHOMA CITY, Aug. 29, 2018 – With public education in crisis and rural hospitals closing their doors, Democrat Drew Edmondson is finding unlikely allies from across the aisle. Today, Edmondson’s campaign released a made-for-Facebook ad featuring teachers, parents and, yes, Republicans who are supporting his candidacy for governor.

“Remember how bad Mary Fallin was for education,” the ad begins.

“Yea, but at least she signed the teacher pay raise,” Emily Edwards, a teacher from Tulsa responds.

“Kevin Stitt sided with big oil and gas over our kids,” said Republican teacher Britni Hartsfield.

The ad closes with a series of Republican voters vowing to vote for Edmondson on Nov. 6.

“Yea, I’m a Republican, but I’m voting for Drew,” says Kenny Ward, Human Resources Director for Bridge Creek Public Schools.

Bipartisan support for Edmondson’s campaign has continued to grow since the teacher walkout last April. Edmondson, a former public school teacher, walked with the teachers and publicly supported the teacher pay raise plan that passed.

Stitt, whose company has been disciplined or banned in at least eight states, opposed the teacher pay raise plan and said he would’ve vetoed the bill. Since then, the only revenue plan Stitt has proposed would require local districts to increase property taxes.

Citing Stitt’s proposal that would hike property taxes, a group of family farmers and ranchers from across the state announced their support for Edmondson this week.

“Our way of life in rural Oklahoma is worth preserving,” said Joe Ogle, a rancher and member of the council. “Mary Fallin endorsed Stitt. We can’t take four more years of Mary Fallin policies. That’s what got us into this mess. And with Stitt, that’s just what we will get! His only plan to fund local schools is to raise property taxes. That is a sure plan to cause ag folks to pay more AND consolidate your local school. That isn’t an accident. That’s been the Fallin goal and is now the Stitt goal.”

“The bipartisan support for Drew is like nothing I’ve ever seen in Oklahoma,” said Russell Griffin, Field Director for Edmondson’s campaign. “We received more than 5,000 yard sign requests the week after the Republican runoff. Republicans, by and large, are not excited about Stitt’s candidacy. They want real change, and they recognize that Stitt’s talking points have been taken straight from Mary Fallin’s playbook.”

A Navy veteran, Edmondson taught speech and debate at Muskogee Central High School after returning from service in Vietnam. He is a graduate of Northeastern State College and the University of Tulsa School of Law. He is a former Oklahoma attorney general and Muskogee County district attorney.

“The time for partisanship has passed,” Edmondson said. “If we don’t pull together, we’ll end up with eight more years of the same failed policies we’ve seen from the Fallin administration. Whether it’s access to a quality education or affordable health care, we can’t allow a generation of Oklahomans to be shortchanged. I’m ready to make Oklahoma work again. This is our time. This is our chance.”

The digital ad is available here.

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Concerned with the issues of agricultural profitability, funding and fear of consolidation of rural public schools and the erosion of Oklahoma’s rural health care structure, a group of family farmers, ranchers, and ag professionals has formed a coalition to advise and support Drew Edmondson for governor.

The Rural Oklahoma Farmers and Ranchers Council, which is being led by Jerry McPeak, consists of more than a dozen family farmers and ranchers from across the state.

“There are two candidates in this race with drastically different ideas on how to fund education, health care, veterans services and infrastructure,” McPeak said. “Drew Edmondson has a history of standing up for family farmers in the face of giant corporations. He’ll make sure corporations pay their fair share, and he will not increase taxes on Oklahoma families. That’s important, particularly in rural areas, where our schools and our hospitals are really struggling. Drew’s wife, Linda, grew up on a wheat farm and cattle operation in Ellis County, and Drew is from Muskogee. He will fight for rural Oklahoma. We’re with Drew.”

Edmondson opposes increasing property taxes and income taxes. Stitt will fund education “locally” which is political speak for raising your property taxes. On the other hand, Edmondson will improve funding to public education, health care, and other core services by restoring the gross production tax (GPT) to its previous rate of 7 percent.

“Oklahoma families are already paying their fair share,” Edmondson said. “It’s time for big corporations to do the same. If we restore the GPT to 7 percent, we can provide better teacher pay and smaller class sizes, and we can put more money into our classrooms. It’s just common sense.”

Edmondson has pledged, as governor, to accept Oklahoma’s share of the federal Medicaid funding to help keep rural hospitals open. He has also proposed creating a Family Farmers Bill of Rights that highlights issues important to rural Oklahomans. That includes a Fair Repair Act requiring manufacturers to release repair information and sell parts necessary so farmers can repair their own equipment.

Individual members of the council have been advising Edmondson informally for months. The Rural Oklahoma Farmers Council will now formally advise Edmondson on issues pertaining to agriculture for the remainder of the campaign. Edmondson said he hopes the coalition will remain active if he is elected, providing regular feedback on issues pertaining to farming and rural Oklahoma.

“Our way of life in rural Oklahoma is worth preserving,” said Joe Ogle, a rancher and member of the council. “Mary Fallin endorsed Stitt. We can’t take four more years of Mary Fallin policies. That’s what got us into this mess. And with Stitt, that’s just what we will get! His only plan to fund local schools is to raise property taxes. That is a sure plan to cause ag folks to pay more AND consolidate your local school. That isn’t an accident. That’s been the Fallin goal and is now the Stitt goal.”

“Whether you agree with him or disagree with him, Drew Edmondson has always been open and honest about his positions,” said council member Steve Kouplen, a rancher from Beggs. “He has a record of standing up to big business in favor of everyday Oklahomans. He is a leader who will listen, and he represents real change from the failed policies of the Fallin administration. That’s what we need – now more than ever.”

Members of the Rural Oklahoma Farmers and Ranchers Council are:

Jerry McPeak, Chairman
Jerry & Veda McPeak, Warner
Steve Kouplen, Beggs
Byron & Gertrude Bohanon, Tuskahoma
Emily Sewell, Woodward
Jerry Shoemake, Morris
Bud Smithson, Sallisaw
Joe & Judy Ogle, Kinta
Terry Peach, Mooreland
Kenneth & Kris-Ann Moyer, Fargo
Brent Pearce, Porum
Bruce Ragsdale, Ft. Gibson
Monte Womack, Okemah
John & Jo Ann Ogden, Wainwright
Jim Shelton, Vinita

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OKLAHOMA CITY, Oct. 11, 2018 – Drew Edmondson received a powerful bipartisan endorsement today, as the Oklahoma Education Association Fund for Children and Public Education (OEA) officially endorsed him in the race for governor.

The group cited Edmondson’s bipartisan leadership, his classroom experience and his support for the teacher pay raise plan that passed as a result of the teacher walkout last April.

“Drew has supported public education every day of his career, beginning when he taught for Muskogee Public Schools,” said Alicia Priest, OEA President. “Most importantly, Drew is the only candidate who has an actual plan to increase funding for Oklahoma’s schools.”

Edmondson opposes raising the income tax on Oklahoma families. To increase funding for education, health care, services for veterans and other core services, he has advocated for restoring the gross production tax on oil and gas to its previous rate of seven percent. He has also called for eliminating the capital gains loophole for millionaires and adding .50 per pack to the price of cigarettes, which will help keep kids from smoking.

“Drew Edmondson stood with educators every day of the walkout, and he supported HB 1010xx,” Priest said. “Kevin Stitt said as governor he would not have signed it. We need a leader who can help both Republicans and Democrats find new bipartisan agreements in the coming legislative session. That leader is Drew Edmondson.”

OEA has 25,000 members, including 18,000 classroom teachers, in communities across Oklahoma. Members of the group come from all political parties, including Republicans, Democrats, Independents and Libertarians.

“It’s time to set partisanship aside and do what’s right for our kids. People of all political parties recognize the importance of public education and the critical impact it will have on our state’s future,” Edmondson said. “Public education will be my top priority in the governor’s office. I am proud to have this endorsement and the support of teachers and parents throughout the state.”

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In February I posted a story here about a man I met in Sequoyah County who told me he was hoping to vote for Drew. He had asked for an absentee ballot for all the elections this year in case he couldn’t get to the polls. He told me he had cancer and the doctors were not sure how long he had to live.

We heard from him the other day. He got his absentee ballot for the November 6 election, voted it, got it notarized, and mailed it in. He has voted. There are tears in my eyes as I’m writing this. Thank you, sir!

Everywhere we go on the campaign trail people ask what they can do to help Drew get elected. I’ve made a list. Turnout is going to give us the victory, so everything we are doing is aimed at getting our supporters to vote.

Here are some things you can do now to help us win in November:

1. Be sure you are registered to vote and your registration is up to date. Check on the State Election Board website, for all the information.

2. If you are not registered, you must do so by October 12! You cannot register on Election Day; you have to do it by the 12th. Don’t wait!

3. Be sure your family and friends are registered and their information is up to date. Help those you know who support Drew make a plan to vote. That plan starts with checking their registration.

4. If you want to vote early by mail your request for an absentee ballot must be received at your county election board by 5:00 on Wednesday, October 31. You do not have to be out of town or sick to use an absentee ballot—anybody can ask for a ballot to be mailed to them. And you can still vote in person on Election Day if you don ‘t use your mail ballot.

5. Tell others about Drew’s campaign by calling, emailing, texting, messaging, or writing to them. Ask them to join you on our social media and share our posts. We are on Facebook at Drew Edmondson for Governor, Twitter @DrewForOklahoma and Instagram.

6. If you are a Republican, or you have Republican friends supporting Drew (there are thousands!), we have a special Facebook page, RepublicansforEdmondson. Look for the OklahomaParents&EducatorsforEdmondson page too.

7. Volunteer to help us in the coming days—You can make calls, knock on doors, put out yard signs, help at our offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Call 405-652-1999 in OKC and 918-932-8443 in Tulsa for more information. In other towns and cities look for the county Democratic headquarters—that’s where you can find our volunteers and materials.

8. One final thing: If you can, please donate to our campaign. My friend in Sequoyah County has voted but hundreds of thousands of others haven’t and many of them are undecided. We can reach them through volunteer efforts I’ve listed above, but another way to communicate our message is on television. That costs lots of money! You can donate online at our website or you can mail a check and a note with all your contact information to Drew for Oklahoma, P. O. Box 18922, Oklahoma City, OK 73154.

One final note—Drew and I have met so many wonderful people on this “Two-Way Street” that is the campaign trail. We listen, and we talk about Drew’s vision for a better state. I know there are many of you we may never get to talk to but you share our vision and our determination. You are working to win this race in so many ways and Drew and I say Thank You from the bottom of our hearts.

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Oklahoman and Tony Award-winner supporting Edmondson for governor

OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 24, 2018 – A Tony-winning Broadway superstar is lending her voice to an ever-growing chorus calling for new leadership in Oklahoma’s governor’s office.

Kelli O’Hara will perform as part of a get-out-the-vote concert/rally in support of Drew Edmondson’s campaign for Oklahoma governor. O’Hara won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Anna Leonownens in the Broadway revival of The King and I.

The event is set for 7 p.m., Oct. 7 at the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City. Space is limited, but complimentary passes for the performance are available by phone at (405) 652-1999, in Tulsa at (918) 932-8443 or email at [email protected].

“Oklahoma deserves better education and less incarceration, more compassion and less fear,” said O’Hara. “Use your voice and make a change. Be on the right side of this history and vote for Drew Edmondson.”

O’Hara grew up in Elk City before graduating from Deer Creek High School. A graduate of Oklahoma City University, O’Hara has received numerous accolades for her performance on stage and screen.

“Kelli is an amazing talent and a wonderful ambassador for our state,” Edmondson said. “I’m grateful that she is taking time from her busy schedule to help us spread the word about our vision for building a better Oklahoma. I am honored to have her support.”

A Navy veteran who served our country in Vietnam, Edmondson received his teaching degree from Northeastern State College and law degree from the University of Tulsa School of Law. He is a former public school teacher, Oklahoma attorney general and Muskogee County district attorney. Learn more at www.drewforoklahoma.com.

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“Let the teachers teach”

Throughout July and August 2018 Drew Edmondson held education listening meetings across the state to hear directly from those involved in Oklahoma’s public school system. He met with teachers, retired teachers, early-childhood educators, parents, and administrators from numerous different school districts across the state.  While teacher pay became a dominant issue in the latest legislative session, these meetings were meant to find out what needs to be improved in Oklahoma’s public education system besides increased teacher pay and funding. Drew asked teachers what needs to be improved, what is working well at their schools, where are savings possible, and what is the biggest issue affecting educational outcomes. The answers are detailed below.

Needed Improvements

Class Sizes

The most common issue across all schools and districts was the need for reduced class sizes. Oklahoma’s public schools have been forced to exceed the industry-standard of twenty students for one teacher. The Student-Teacher ratio directly impacts the quality of education. Too many students in a classroom leaves too little time for each student, hindering a teacher’s ability to spend one-on-one time with a student and making it harder for a teacher to identify potential problems. In one meeting, all the teachers present had taught classes of thirty or more.

Classroom Resources

Teachers need more resources in their classrooms to provide a better educational experience for their children. We heard from several teachers from schools with a 1:1 computer initiative, a program that allows every student to have an electronic device that is theirs to use. As we heard from teachers, this program breaks down when students do not have reliable high-speed internet access at home. Homework or textbooks that require the internet disadvantage students without high-speed internet. For this reason, teachers need the resources to purchase textbooks for every student in their class that can be taken home.

More Focused Guidance Counselor Responsibilities

Several teachers called for a refocusing of the role of school counselors. Besides a general need for a higher number of school counselors, the consensus among the teachers and counselors present was that school counselors spend very little of their time actually counseling. Counselors are the ones that most often pick up the slack in administrative duties. Counselors, in the schools that have them, have taken over the task of scheduling and administering testing. This, combined with the low number of counselors, means that they are stretched thin. School counselors only have enough time to discipline children, which prevents them from building the kind of positive relationship they need to do their job. In higher grades, this means that counselors are not available to steer students towards career paths. Aptitude testing and career counseling are no longer done consistently or predictably, which further reinforces the “school to prison pipeline”.  The guidance that students do receive cannot keep up with the changing economy.

• “We do everything but spend time with children.” – An Elementary School Counselor in Lawton

Teacher Pay

While teachers were concerned about increasing teacher salaries, they were more concerned with addressing some of the indirect effects of low pay. Underpaying teachers leads to a teacher shortage. To make up for a shortage in certified teachers, school districts are forced to hire emergency certified teachers that don’t necessarily have the same passion and motivations as traditionally certified teachers. Teachers expressed frustration with the inadequacy of the recent teacher pay raise, because without an increase in general funding many districts had to choose between honoring the pay raise and buying textbooks. Teachers did comment on how their low pay affects them personally by pointing out that their salaries have not kept up with inflation and that increases in insurance premiums further reduce their take-home-pay.

• “I love my job and I don’t want to leave the state for better pay. I love the kids I serve.” – Elizabeth Perry, Learning Tree Academy, Lawton Public Schools

Teaching Assistants

Generally, teachers discussed Teaching Assistants (TAs) as a thing of the past. Previously, TAs had increased the teaching capacity of a teacher. One group of teachers discussed the fact that their High School had no Teaching Assistants, and in one school, there was a single Teaching Assistant for five Kindergarten classes. Special Education teachers especially noted a decrease in the number of Teaching Assistants, which drastically reduces the effectiveness of their teaching. Special Education teachers described how without Teaching Assistants, their classes essentially become Day Care facilities.

Professional Development

Another issue teachers raised, though less commonly, was the need for professional development. There is little if any support for professional development from the state or the district. One teacher described how teachers in her district had come to rely upon presentations from other teachers within the district for professional development. The teachers felt that just as we had failed to invest in the students with funding, we had failed to invest in them with professional development. Professional development was also seen as a way to improve the performance of alternatively and emergency certified teachers.

Social Workers for Students

Teachers and administrators, in two districts especially, told us of the need for more social workers in Oklahoma’s public schools. Separate crises in other areas of state government have adverse effects on the lives of Oklahoma’s children. Issues like the Opioid epidemic, a lack of mental health treatment, an unreformed criminal justice system, lack of healthcare, and economic insecurity all work to destabilize the lives of students. Until these crises are addressed, their effects will show up in the hallways and classrooms of our schools. Many factors that shape a student’s life can negatively affect their educational outcomes and hinder future opportunities. Every meeting where social workers were brought up, all teachers present were in agreement on the need for them in schools. Students need access to the resources to help them deal with their lives outside of school starting in the early grades. Untreated problems only grower harder to deal with as the student grows older. As one administrator put it, the ripple effect from parents that are addicts or incarcerated fuels the “school to prison pipeline”.

Possible Efficiencies

Testing

The most common source of a possible savings to be found in our educational system is that of mandatory testing. Generally, teachers felt that mandatory testing was a waste of their time, their students’ time, and the school district’s money. Some testing is federally mandated, and a number of teachers felt that the testing burden had improved, however many still were unhappy with the current testing requirements. School counselors have picked up the task of conducting and proctoring mandatory tests, which reduces their time addressing the counseling needs of their students as previously discussed. One teacher in Okmulgee referred to school counselors as “testing facilitators”. Several teachers mentioned other inefficiencies with the way the tests were administered, including the fact that all students are required to take the same test. Special Education students and students learning English as a second language take the same standardized tests as all other students. Receiving poor scores on standardized tests discourages these students and puts them further behind academically. One teacher in Lawton claimed that an unfunded mandate of online testing requirements forced the school district to use textbook funds for IT needs. The issue of testing requirements is further complicated by the fact that many teachers at several meetings felt that while the teacher shortage was ongoing, that testing was needed. With emergency certified teachers, there was a feeling that tests were necessary to evaluate the work the teachers were doing. The largest possible savings to be found, according to the teachers present, was the amount paid to companies to create, administer, and grade standardized tests. There was a feeling that the product delivered by these companies was not worth the millions of dollars they received from school districts. One teacher in Tulsa referred to testing companies as the “Education Industrial Complex”.

• “Teachers are the experts in the field. Trust us. We know what we are doing.” – Shawna Mott-Wright, Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association Vice President

Cultural and Community Issues

Respect For Teachers

The most prominent concern among all teachers that was not directly policy related was a feeling that teachers and the teaching profession had lost the respect of the general public. This feeling was seen as a reflection of the lack of respect shown to teachers by state leaders through funding cuts. Teachers mentioned students being talked out of pursuing a career in education not only by parents, but even by teachers. Another reason for this lack of respect identified by the teachers was a lack of community involvement in schools. While some teachers felt supported by their communities, others felt a disconnect that made their jobs more difficult. Several teachers expressed a need for the community to have a better understanding of the everyday work of public education, and to have a closer connection to their local schools.

• “Teachers love what we do. We just want to be respected.” – A special education teacher in Stillwater.

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This election for governor is one of the most important elections in the history of our state.

The future of Oklahoma is at risk. We must make the right choice to turn things around. That is why I am today endorsing Drew Edmondson for Governor. I urge all Oklahomans regardless of party to support Drew and bring desperately needed change to our state. We must turn things around before it is too late.

We all recognize the severe challenges facing our schools. We are going downhill fast. In just a few years, we have gone from 32 emergency-certified teachers in our classrooms to more than 2,100. Earlier this year, when our teachers stood up for better funding for our children, Drew stood shoulder-to-shoulder with them. He understands that when our schools are neglected, we face serious consequences as a state beyond the classroom.

Investors who can create better jobs and economic development have choices about where to locate. They are not going to select states with failing grades in health care and education.

Talented young people who are deciding where to live and where to start their families will not choose to invest their lives in a place that does not adequately fund good schools for their children to attend. If we don’t act, we face a brain drain that will cripple Oklahoma.

If we are to succeed as a state, we must invest in ourselves. It’s investment time in Oklahoma. Drew Edmondson has both the good judgment and political courage to make those critical investments in our future.

We cannot afford to take a chance. There is no margin for error. We need to elect someone who has a proven track record for standing up to special interests and getting the right things done for Oklahomans. Drew Edmondson has such a record. As attorney general, he stood up to the big tobacco companies and built a multimillion-dollar trust fund for our state to help fight cancer and build one of the finest cancer centers in the nation in Oklahoma. He stood up to the out-of-state corporations that were polluting our rivers. Drew Edmondson never hesitates to stand up for Oklahomans.

We don’t have to guess about the kind of governor Drew would be. Drew Edmondson is exactly what we need. There is no time to waste. We cannot afford to wait to stop four-day school weeks. We cannot afford to wait as more rural hospitals close. We cannot afford to wait as our talented young people leave our state.

We must come together and fight for our state’s future. Oklahoma is a special place. It’s worth the fight. Let’s elect Drew Edmondson our next governor.

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