The Oklahoma Public Employees Political Action Committee (OPEAPAC) has begun announcing its state house and senate candidate endorsements for June’s primary elections. The committee based its endorsement on the candidates’ record and willingness to support state employees, state agency services and state retirees by actively supporting key legislation including working to pass bills out of committee and during a floor votes. OPEAPAC also considers candidates’ willingness to meet with OPEA members and staff to discuss solutions to state employee issues.
Candidates receiving an endorsement for the primary but would have no opponent in the general election are:
· Rep. Chuck Hoskin HD 6
· Rep Donnie Condit, HD 18
· Sen. Ron Sharp, SD 17
· Sen. Kyle Loveless, SD 45.
Since these candidates only have a primary election with no potential general election opponent, their primary elections are considered “winner take all”.
Candidates with a primary election opponent and a potential general election opponent are:
· Rep. Dustin Roberts, HD 6
· Rep. Todd Thomsen, HD 25
· Rep. Josh Cockroft, HD 27
· Rep. John Paul Jordan, HD 43
· Rep. Scott Martin, HD 46
· Rep. Casey Murdock, HD 61
· Rep. Jeff Coody, HD 63
· Rep. Will Fourkiller, HD 86
· House candidate Tim Downing, HD 42
· Sen. Rob Standridge, SD 15
· Senate candidate Larry Curtis, SD 33
These endorsements are only for the primary election and do not mean the candidate would have OPEAPAC’s support for the general election.
The decision on which candidates to endorsed is based solely on issues important to state employees and retirees. The PAC does not consider the candidate’s party or their position on issues external to state employee issues. Additional candidates may be endorsed at a later date for a potential primary runoff or the general election.
The OPEAPAC is a separate entity from the Oklahoma Public Employees Association with its own board. It operates under the rules of the Oklahoma State Ethics Commission and is a non-partisan committee.
