Stillwater NewsPress

Apr
27
Friday, April 27, 2018 sstwnewspress.com
t wnewspress.com
2018

CANDIDATES FACE OFF

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Oklahoma State University hosts gubernatorial candidates at policy forum
37% By Michelle Charles Exotic.” es from all the people coming ucation system and take down
mcharles@stwnewspress.com The Oklahoma Academy to the race from a business toll gates on turnpikes. He says
A field of 10 candidates presented the candidates with background instead of previous he has a five-point plan for im-
vying to be governor of Okla- three questions one week before government positions when he proving the state.
homa in- tro- the forum so they said, “I just don’t think Powell said he would pri-
duced oritize state
themselves spending to
to voters ensure money
Thursday is being spent
during a wisely and
policy forum incentives are
hosted by benefitting the
The Oklaho- state, address
ma Acade- Chris Powell Gary Jones the education
Libertarian Republican
my and held system to
at Oklaho- make sure it
ma State was student
University. focused with a
The Okla- greater empha-
homa Acad- sis on prepar-
emy is a ing students
non-partisan Connie for careers in
membership Johnson Todd Lamb skilled trades
Republican and implement
organization Democrat
that studies criminal justice
and brings reform.
attention to “We have too
public policy many people
issues. and too many
The Re- of the wrong
publican people in our
party was prisons,” he
represented WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Rex Lawhorn said.
by former Drew Libertarian Lamb
Oklahoma Edmondson pledged to get
Democrat
City Mayor the state budget in
Mick Cor- nett, State Au- order and implement
ditor Gary Jones, Lt. Gov. an open, zero-based
Todd Lamb, former U.S. Attor- budget process, focus
ney Gary Richardson and Tulsa on education reform
businessman Kevin Stitt. and diversify the state
Former Oklahoma Attorney economy with a focus
General Drew Edmondson on exporting more com-
Gary Joe Exotic Kevin Stitt Mick Cornett modities.
and former State Senator Richardson Libertarian Republican Republican
Connie Johnson were the Republican Edmondson wants to
two Democrats present. would have time to the guys that got us into this return the gross production tax
The Libertarian Party was prepare their responses. mess can get us out of it.” paid by oil and gas producers to
represented by Bethany busi- The candidates who haven’t Each candidate was asked to 7 percent and opt into the fed-
nessman Chris Powell, Broken previously held public office are list their three strategies or pri- eral Medicaid expansion to fund
Arrow businessman Rex Law- making their “outsider” status orities if elected. healthcare; improve education
horn and Wynnewood busi- and business experience a cen- Richardson said he would he systems by ensuring they’re
nessman Joe Maldonado, who terpiece of their campaigns. would audit every state agency,
is commonly known as “Joe Stitt summed up the messag- focus on the state’s public ed- See Candidates, Page A2

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