State Senate and House Members who were endorsed by OPEA fared well during the November 4th general election. Only two house candidates and two senate candidates endorsed by OPEA did not win their general election. When considering whether to endorse a candidate or not, the OPEA Political Action Committee only looks at the voting record of an incumbent candidate on state employment or retirement related issues. The committee also interviews candidates who have not yet served in the legislature to gauge their level of support for state employees.
OPEA is a non-partisan organization and does not look at party affiliation or how the candidate votes or feels about other issues. Only state employee or retiree issues are considered when deciding whether to support a candidate. The OPEA Political Action Committee trustees are OPEA members who meet periodically to discuss candidates and their support of state employees and retirees.
State Senate candidates who received OPEA endorsements and won the general election were: Frank Simpson District 14 Incumbent, Jason Smalley District 28 Open Seat, Ervin Yen District 40 Open Seat, Jack Fry District 42 Open Seat, Ralph Shortey District 44 Incumbent, Anastasia Pittman District 48 Open Seat .
State Senate candidates who received OPEA endorsements and lost their general election were: Curtis McDaniel 5 Open Seat, Kevin Black 26 Open Seat.
House of Representative candidates who received OPEA endorsements and won their general election were: James Lockhart District 3 Incumbent, Chuck Hoskin District 6 Incumbent, Wade Rousselot District 12 Incumbent, Jerry Shoemake District 16 Incumbent, Brian Renegar District 17 Incumbent, Bobby Cleveland District 20 Incumbent, Justin Wood District 26 Incumbent, Tom Newell District 28 Incumbent, Dennis Casey District 35 Incumbent, Sean Roberts District 36 Incumbent, John Paul Jordan District 43 Open Seat, Scott Martin District 46 Incumbent, Tommy Hardin District 49 Incumbent, David Perryman District 56 Incumbent, David Brumbaugh District 76 Incumbent, David Dank District 85 Incumbent, Will Fourkiller District 86 Incumbent, Jason Nelson District 87 Incumbent, Chris Kannady District 91 Open Seat, Mike Christian District 93 Incumbent, Charlie Joyner District 95 Incumbent, Lewis Moore District 96 Incumbent, Mike Shelton District 97 Incumbent, Elise Hall District 100 Incumbent.
House of Representative candidates who received OPEA endorsements but lost their race in the general election were: Jack Reavis District 14 Open Seat, Aaron Stiles District 45 Incumbent.
OPEA had earlier endorsed candidates prior to their primary races but many of those candidates did not draw an opponent in the general election.
Senate candidates endorsed by OPEA but with no general election opponent were: Brian Bingman District 12 Incumbent, A J Griffin District 20 Incumbent, Stephanie Bice District 22 Open Seat , Randy Bass District 32 Incumbent, Kay Floyd District 46 Open Seat.
House of Representative candidates who received OPEA endorsements but with no general election opponent were: Josh Cockcroft District 27 Incumbent, John Enns District 41 Incumbent, Mark McBride District 53 Incumbent, Weldon Watson District 79 Incumbent, Gary Banz District 101 Incumbent.
Lieutenant Governor Todd Lamb was the only statewide candidate endorsed by OPEA and he won reelection.
