WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:05.839 I'm Tom Davis and this is our June twenty twenty four primary forum and it's 2 00:00:05.879 --> 00:00:10.480 being brought to you by Phillip sixty six and Who's accused Vintage Mall. It 3 00:00:10.599 --> 00:00:16.039 is now time for our state representatives to take to the stand here today for 4 00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:21.800 our forum, and this is for District to ten. And first off, 5 00:00:21.960 --> 00:00:25.320 we want to hear from our candidates. Are opening Stevens, Chad McCarthy, 6 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:28.760 you won the drum. Let's hear from you. Introduce yourself. Thank you. 7 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:31.960 It's a privilege to be here today. Quick introduction. I've been married 8 00:00:31.960 --> 00:00:37.280 for twenty eight years. My wife Heather, and my son may be here. 9 00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:41.600 My youngest son, so married for twenty years, father to six children. 10 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:45.520 We currently live on a farm outside of Dewey, Oklahoma. Most of 11 00:00:45.560 --> 00:00:49.320 my life has been spending Christian ministry, church planting, doing missionary work. 12 00:00:49.880 --> 00:00:54.240 During that time, I also built half a dozen businesses in order to support 13 00:00:54.280 --> 00:00:57.759 us during Christian Ministry, built and sold. So I've got some quite a 14 00:00:57.799 --> 00:01:02.200 bit of business experience. I haven't earned masters and PhD. I'm currently an 15 00:01:02.200 --> 00:01:07.359 interim pastor Whipperwell in Osh County, and so I just want to be clear 16 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:12.959 where I'm coming from my biblical worldview. I clearly unequivocally confess the Creator's right 17 00:01:14.400 --> 00:01:18.959 to guide our lives. I'm a conservative by conviction and as such, and 18 00:01:19.000 --> 00:01:23.239 as such let me reflect on the Oklahoma GOP platform. As Republicans, we 19 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:26.760 believe our rights of life, liberty, and property are natural rights granted to 20 00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:30.319 us by God, protected by the Constitution, to be defended by our elected 21 00:01:30.359 --> 00:01:36.120 officials, even during a declared emergency. We believe that God is the author 22 00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:38.719 and creator of life, and that all human life, both born and in 23 00:01:38.760 --> 00:01:42.000 the womb, should be protected. We believe that economic freedom is the cornerstone 24 00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:47.680 of individual liberty. The private sector and free market principles are the best means 25 00:01:47.719 --> 00:01:51.959 to stimulate economic development, not government programs. It is the right of every 26 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:56.319 parent to act in their children's best interests, including the health decisions and choosing 27 00:01:56.319 --> 00:02:00.920 the form of education, whether at private or public schools, or education by 28 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:06.560 other means. By this of conviction, I would say, representing you as 29 00:02:06.879 --> 00:02:10.360 a representative in host district Keen is not about fixing potholes, economic development, 30 00:02:10.439 --> 00:02:15.479 or service not primarily. That is the job of the free market or the 31 00:02:15.520 --> 00:02:19.159 county commissioners. As we heard from earlier. We're not a socialist or a 32 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:23.680 top down government. We are a constitutional republic, and so therefore, supporting 33 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:30.280 and protecting your rights as citizens will be my primary responsibility if elected. Now, 34 00:02:30.280 --> 00:02:35.479 the Republican Party requires the candidate support the GOP platform in order to receive 35 00:02:35.599 --> 00:02:38.639 GOP support. I have read and marked that platform. I have a copy 36 00:02:38.680 --> 00:02:42.199 with me today. It's spread out in front of me. I have marked 37 00:02:42.199 --> 00:02:45.680 and read up the platform. You will hear me cite section and page number 38 00:02:45.719 --> 00:02:52.080 this evening. This platform represents the belief that we as Republicans hold dear. 39 00:02:52.159 --> 00:02:57.199 The platform truly does represent conservative biblical values, and I will proudly stand with 40 00:02:57.240 --> 00:03:02.479 the GOP platform and will fight to protect, to protect and defend these values. 41 00:03:02.520 --> 00:03:07.759 On your behalf. Thank you very much, Juhn Trump. Yes, 42 00:03:07.800 --> 00:03:13.080 sir, turned for opening remarks. Thank you. I have to apologize. 43 00:03:13.080 --> 00:03:17.639 I'm somewhere between a sneeze and a cough going here. I am Judge Strom. 44 00:03:19.400 --> 00:03:23.240 I have I live right now where I came just about a mile from 45 00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:27.360 where I came home from the hospital too. So I spent my entire life 46 00:03:27.400 --> 00:03:30.680 in District ten. I went to Bowering School, I went to Openha State 47 00:03:30.759 --> 00:03:38.199 University. My family and everyone I've growing up with, we're very service oriented. 48 00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:42.800 We're very community oriented. I tell people, you know, my dad's 49 00:03:42.840 --> 00:03:46.080 been the president of Bowery School Board for forty five years. My grandpa helped 50 00:03:46.080 --> 00:03:47.919 build the water district. My dad and my family we helped build the rural 51 00:03:49.000 --> 00:03:51.879 fire department up there and we've served on it. I've actually been a firefighter 52 00:03:51.960 --> 00:03:55.439 for thirty years. I was a certified firefighter before I had a driver's license. 53 00:03:55.759 --> 00:04:00.479 And that's really what stemmed on of One of my direct was to move 54 00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:03.719 me towards government then, was we were having trouble out in the rural areas 55 00:04:03.759 --> 00:04:10.840 iss so much a District ten was getting what we needed to help those communities. 56 00:04:11.479 --> 00:04:14.400 The rural fire departments, the rural water departments, a lot of those 57 00:04:14.439 --> 00:04:18.079 came apart as federal government programs, and when those went away at the state 58 00:04:18.160 --> 00:04:20.879 level, we didn't have the help we needed. And so that's where I 59 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:26.000 went in. One of the things I say is I appreciate people that live 60 00:04:26.040 --> 00:04:29.120 on a platform. I also have a kind of a little different platform that 61 00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:31.079 I exist on. But one of the reasons I ran I ran against a 62 00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:33.720 guy that was a great man. He was a family man, He was 63 00:04:33.720 --> 00:04:38.120 a loving man. He was a very intelligent man. He came from a 64 00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:43.480 great family and everything. But his entire philosophy for governance came from a platform 65 00:04:43.560 --> 00:04:46.879 that I didn't think aligned with the majority or the overwhelming majority of the people 66 00:04:46.920 --> 00:04:54.319 of District ten. Kind of an alternative idea to my opponent, I suppose, 67 00:04:54.519 --> 00:04:56.959 was that we did want good roads, we did want good bridges, 68 00:04:56.959 --> 00:05:00.040 we did want good schools. We were tired of being a left behind the 69 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:02.560 cities. We wanted those opportunities out here. And I wanted to see what 70 00:05:02.600 --> 00:05:05.279 I could do. I wanted to go to work at the state level to 71 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:09.079 see what I could do to help my community. And in the six years 72 00:05:09.120 --> 00:05:11.759 I've been in this position, I have spent four of those years in leadership, 73 00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:14.600 and I'm very proud of the job we've done and the resources we've brought 74 00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:15.800 back to District ten and the job we've been able to do. And a 75 00:05:15.800 --> 00:05:19.079 lot of that has been even relinquishing some of that power from the state and 76 00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:21.720 giving that back to the counties, given that back to the cities, bringing 77 00:05:21.720 --> 00:05:25.879 that back to local control, which is a big party platform thing. So 78 00:05:26.360 --> 00:05:30.040 I'm proud of that job. I appreciate and I'm proud of the six years 79 00:05:30.040 --> 00:05:34.839 I've served. I'm honored to serve the people for six great years, and 80 00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:40.480 I would like to serve for two more at least. Our first question goes 81 00:05:40.519 --> 00:05:46.279 to dud Strom water conservation, water protection and even perhaps finding new sources of 82 00:05:46.319 --> 00:05:49.199 water. Big issue in our part of Oklahoma as it grows. From the 83 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:54.360 position of state representative, what can you do to protect our interest in these 84 00:05:54.360 --> 00:06:00.800 efforts and what can be done in your position proactively. I think in the 85 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:03.879 last two years, three years especially, we have been very proactive. You 86 00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:08.319 know, I have a great friend that's represented from lot and I used to 87 00:06:08.360 --> 00:06:11.600 send them snapchats of all the water fallen off in the watershed lakes and said, 88 00:06:11.600 --> 00:06:13.879 this is what we do with our extra water. Well that come back 89 00:06:13.879 --> 00:06:16.439 and bit me. In the last few years as we did face droughts, 90 00:06:16.680 --> 00:06:23.199 we worked very hard with the Okamororo Water Board or the Water Resources Board to 91 00:06:23.279 --> 00:06:26.959 get the things we need to keep the water going. But we've we've worked 92 00:06:27.000 --> 00:06:30.360 since then to look to the future. And you have to have a plan, 93 00:06:30.439 --> 00:06:31.800 you have to do studies, you have to know what we need to 94 00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:35.240 do. When that comes around again. We've looked at raising the levels on 95 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:39.240 the lakes that we do have where our water sources are. We've looked at 96 00:06:39.240 --> 00:06:42.839 pipelines that run to other lakes and water sources. We've looked you creating new 97 00:06:42.920 --> 00:06:46.519 lakes for water sources. I don't know if you'd say it's lucky or not, 98 00:06:46.600 --> 00:06:48.920 but Bartlesville was built with the water source that was adequate and we haven't 99 00:06:49.000 --> 00:06:53.800 grown much past that. But that's in good years. When you have years 100 00:06:53.800 --> 00:06:57.240 like we had the last two years or three years, when we were in 101 00:06:57.279 --> 00:07:00.199 the worst drought that we've ever faced, not only were our lakes down, 102 00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:02.160 but our aquifers were down, Our ponds were down, with led to problems 103 00:07:02.199 --> 00:07:06.560 with livestock and livestock watering, and we hit that head on. We created 104 00:07:06.600 --> 00:07:10.639 the drought Commission. We came in and I think that my district or District 105 00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:15.959 ten, really got the most help from that commission that any other district did. 106 00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:19.560 We drilled wells, we cleaned out ponds, we cleaned out waterways, 107 00:07:19.639 --> 00:07:25.360 and luckily we got about twenty five inches of rain over the next winter and 108 00:07:25.399 --> 00:07:29.839 springtime. So what we have to do now is we have to make sure 109 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:34.519 that we have alternatives that allow for that to never happen again. The situation 110 00:07:34.639 --> 00:07:39.279 we were in last year, and we have worked on that problem for three 111 00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:42.560 years, and we will continue to work on that problem. Same question to 112 00:07:42.600 --> 00:07:47.920 you, mister McCarthy. What conservation with water and protection and perhaps even finding 113 00:07:47.959 --> 00:07:53.560 new sources of water big issues of course here in Oklahoma. But from the 114 00:07:53.560 --> 00:07:58.160 position of state representative, what can you do to protect our interest in these 115 00:07:58.199 --> 00:08:05.720 efforts? And what could be done from your position proactively? So as I've 116 00:08:05.720 --> 00:08:09.600 been knocking doors and speaking with county commissioners around District ten, one of the 117 00:08:09.639 --> 00:08:16.279 comments that's come up in a number of situations has been the inefficiencies of our 118 00:08:16.279 --> 00:08:20.759 water lines. And I don't remember exactly which part of Noada County, but 119 00:08:20.120 --> 00:08:24.480 there are areas of Noada County where, in order to save money, water 120 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:28.560 lines were put in. My wife can tell you. At our home, 121 00:08:28.600 --> 00:08:31.440 we have a motto and then, which is do it right the first time 122 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:35.559 and just do it once. And in order to save money, they used 123 00:08:35.639 --> 00:08:41.720 water lines that were not appropriate for rocky ground. And now not long after 124 00:08:41.720 --> 00:08:45.519 the water lines have been put in, they're losing upwards of fifty percent of 125 00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:50.080 the water. It's catastrophic for the people of Noada County, especially in areas 126 00:08:50.120 --> 00:08:56.519 where they're where they don't have as much revenue coming in. So on practical 127 00:08:56.639 --> 00:09:01.799 you know, practically speaking, we can address issues such as waterloo if necessary, 128 00:09:01.159 --> 00:09:07.320 try and find funding to put new water lines in and see if we 129 00:09:07.320 --> 00:09:11.799 can be efficient. In addition to, as Representative Strong mentioned, look at 130 00:09:11.879 --> 00:09:16.200 issues such as raising water levels and on the lakes. So all right, 131 00:09:16.279 --> 00:09:20.559 mister McCarthy, this question is for you. House built forty three to twenty 132 00:09:20.600 --> 00:09:24.360 seven. It's a bill that effectively ended surgical abortion in Oklahoma. Where do 133 00:09:24.399 --> 00:09:33.200 you stand on that? Well, I appreciate you raising that question. On 134 00:09:33.360 --> 00:09:37.000 page two of the ok GOP platform, it says this. It says, 135 00:09:37.000 --> 00:09:43.240 we believe that children are a special gift from God and their safety and protection 136 00:09:43.799 --> 00:09:48.639 are paramount. We have a responsibility to protect children. Elsewhere we read that 137 00:09:48.039 --> 00:09:52.720 on page three, page three, number three, it says we believe that 138 00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:56.600 intentional abortion is a contrary to the word of God and its murder. The 139 00:09:56.639 --> 00:10:01.679 incumbent voted again against H forty three twenty seven, a bill which would have 140 00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:09.399 which would have effectively ended surgical abortion. I stand I stand against all forms 141 00:10:09.399 --> 00:10:13.639 of abortion. Abortion is murder and we should have nothing to do with it, 142 00:10:13.879 --> 00:10:20.960 period. Mister Strong, same question to you. House Bill forty three 143 00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:24.679 twenty seven, a bill that effectively ended surgical abortion in Oklahoma. Where do 144 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:30.519 you stand on that? Well, I voted against it. I'll tell you 145 00:10:30.600 --> 00:10:35.879 why. When Rovertsus Way felt and we knew that was coming, Oklahoma immediately 146 00:10:35.879 --> 00:10:39.639 reverted back to a nineteen to ten bill that made giving or providing an abortion 147 00:10:39.799 --> 00:10:43.440 of felony and made it illegal in the state of Oklahoma. That happened as 148 00:10:43.480 --> 00:10:48.200 soon as Rover Versus Way felt. We've had several options. In my six 149 00:10:48.279 --> 00:10:50.919 years, I've voted every year, seems on some bill, and I voted 150 00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:54.600 for every bill that would limit or end abortions, everything that's come up. 151 00:10:56.000 --> 00:11:00.120 But the problem I had with House Bill forty three twenty seven was that that 152 00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:05.200 civil and criminal line that got crossed in our criminal justice system, or in 153 00:11:05.240 --> 00:11:07.720 our legal system in most of the United States, and certainly in Oklahoma. 154 00:11:09.080 --> 00:11:11.720 You offend the state, you affect your neighbor. So if you offend the 155 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:15.600 state, you're guilty of a misdemeanor, a felony, You're punished. You 156 00:11:15.639 --> 00:11:18.200 affect your neighbor, which is civil law. You back over the fence, 157 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:20.480 you owe me twelve hundred dollars, you run into my car, you owe 158 00:11:20.519 --> 00:11:24.559 me something. But we don't cross that line to say you did something that 159 00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:26.399 I'm offended by. I consume you and it has to go to court. 160 00:11:26.440 --> 00:11:31.399 A judge would throw that out. So if that doesn't affect you, So 161 00:11:31.320 --> 00:11:35.240 with I didn't believe that it was going to actually end abortion. I did 162 00:11:35.399 --> 00:11:39.480 believe it was also probably unconstitutional because of discussions we had where every other person 163 00:11:39.559 --> 00:11:43.320 in the House of Representatives said, well, we can't possibly vote against that. 164 00:11:43.320 --> 00:11:46.799 That's an abortion bill. You can't do that. I said I can, 165 00:11:46.039 --> 00:11:50.559 and it's because I'm not up here to stand on to be a show 166 00:11:50.600 --> 00:11:52.480 voter or show people at home what I can do. I'm up here to 167 00:11:52.519 --> 00:11:54.159 do real work. And I think that while this has a great title, 168 00:11:54.200 --> 00:11:56.440 it has a great name, it's very popular, I think it will do 169 00:11:56.559 --> 00:12:01.159 more damage to our legal system than it would do good. And I really 170 00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:05.759 I didn't think even then I was right. It came back in both sides 171 00:12:05.799 --> 00:12:09.919 of it were found to be unconstitutional and then therefore unenforceable. So there's a 172 00:12:09.960 --> 00:12:13.399 fine out there. There's a not a fine out there, there's a punishment 173 00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:18.320 out there that's not really attached to any other law. And so again, 174 00:12:18.440 --> 00:12:24.200 when roverts is well fed, Roe versus Way fell, we reverted back to 175 00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:26.600 a nineteen ten bill that made it a felony to provide an abortion in the 176 00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:31.200 state of Oklahoma. Next question is to you, mister Strump, do you 177 00:12:31.240 --> 00:12:35.840 agree or disagree with using taxpayer dollars for economic development instead of allowing the free 178 00:12:35.879 --> 00:12:46.480 market to function. You are absolutely right that I agree with taxpayer funding to 179 00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:48.679 create businesses or to help to create jobs. But the problem that has to 180 00:12:48.679 --> 00:12:50.679 be is it has to be a strategic and it has to be a good 181 00:12:50.679 --> 00:12:54.200 investment. We can look at those we can look at the path and see 182 00:12:54.200 --> 00:12:58.200 what failed or what worked. Sometimes we need a boost. And I'll tell 183 00:12:58.200 --> 00:13:01.600 you this, if we want to bring big businesses in that have great jobs, 184 00:13:01.600 --> 00:13:05.440 that have high wages, that keep our kids that have grown up here 185 00:13:05.480 --> 00:13:07.639 and gone to school here in Oklahoma, we have to try to help that 186 00:13:07.720 --> 00:13:11.320 come along. We can move along slowly and hope the market works. But 187 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:13.840 maybe the market works in Oklahoma City, but it doesn't work in Tulsa. 188 00:13:13.879 --> 00:13:18.480 Maybe it works in Tulsa, but it doesn't work in Bartlesville, and we 189 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:20.039 don't do what we used to do, which is just write you a check 190 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:22.200 and hope that you come here and do a good job. Right now, 191 00:13:22.200 --> 00:13:24.960 what we do in Oklahoma's we have a quality jobs program. You have to 192 00:13:26.039 --> 00:13:30.840 prove that you have created a certain number of jobs ad or above the regional 193 00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:33.279 pay and keep those jobs for a certain time for a certain amount of time, 194 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:37.440 and then we will reward you back. But in the end, we 195 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:41.759 actually become the winners, not only because we keep our kids here in Oklahoma 196 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:46.919 and bring great people in here that are high way journers, but we set 197 00:13:46.919 --> 00:13:50.279 ourselves up for the long term kind of the business begets business idea that comes 198 00:13:50.279 --> 00:13:54.960 about everything brings the feeder businesses in. So I think if we can use 199 00:13:56.000 --> 00:14:01.039 that money to strategically invest it, and then the return on our investment is, 200 00:14:01.720 --> 00:14:05.440 you know, more jobs, more taxpayers, will have the opportunity in 201 00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:09.960 the future to have more taxpayers paying fewer taxes. And I think just almost 202 00:14:11.039 --> 00:14:15.279 everyone in this room would appreciate that same question. Do you, mister McCarthy, 203 00:14:15.480 --> 00:14:20.440 do you agree or do you disagree with using taxpayer dollars for economic development 204 00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:28.320 instead of allowing the free market to function. That's an excellent question. Again, 205 00:14:28.320 --> 00:14:31.759 I'm going to refer to the Oklahoma GOP platform, and I want to 206 00:14:31.799 --> 00:14:35.120 be clear, You're going to hear me over and over tonight. Refer to 207 00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:41.759 the platforms because I believe the platform represents the values of the Oklahoma Republicans and 208 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:46.279 states. We believe that Oklahoma's efforts to attract industry should be grounded upon the 209 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:54.720 establishment of favorable and friendly economic climate rather than upon tax and government subsidy. 210 00:14:54.960 --> 00:15:01.480 I'm running on a platform of taking no lobbyist money for the simple fact that 211 00:15:01.320 --> 00:15:07.759 lobbyists by politicians, and this creates a doom loop. The encumbent supported HB 212 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:11.679 forty four to fifty five, which gave a whopping six hundred and ninety eight 213 00:15:11.799 --> 00:15:18.000 million dollars to an unnamed corporation. This is this is systemic corruption. It's 214 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:24.039 legal, it's legal corruption, but it's systemic corruption. Whereby our legislatures make 215 00:15:24.279 --> 00:15:28.519 special laws. Now, how do they get around this. They make special 216 00:15:28.600 --> 00:15:33.519 laws by not naming the corporation, but they make it so narrow that only 217 00:15:33.600 --> 00:15:41.039 one corporation can meet can meet those qualifications. These special laws then result in 218 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:46.240 donations, and this is how a large majority of our politicians get elected. 219 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:50.679 It's corrupt. We shouldn't do it. It's forbidden, it's forbidden by the 220 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:54.320 constitution, and it's against the platform. The free market is the best solution. 221 00:15:56.799 --> 00:16:00.279 Our next question involves money again, and this goes to you, mister 222 00:16:00.360 --> 00:16:06.200 McCarthy. Now that the state has quote billions in savings, should the taxpayers 223 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:11.879 be entitled to some sort of refund. That's an excellent question. But two 224 00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:17.120 and a half years ago, the Biden administration passed a one trillion dollar infrastructure 225 00:16:17.159 --> 00:16:19.960 bill. This infrastructure bill is pretty amazing, and there are hundreds of millions 226 00:16:19.960 --> 00:16:25.240 of dollars, if my memory is correct, that were allotted to the building 227 00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:30.200 of electric charger stations. Two years into this process, how many charging stations 228 00:16:30.200 --> 00:16:34.279 were built? I think that I think the number was zero. Now we're 229 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:38.360 two and a half years into it. I think it's seven hundreds, hundreds 230 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:47.720 of millions of dollars and we have seven charging stations. Governments are corrupt because 231 00:16:47.720 --> 00:16:52.799 of the lobbyist. The lobbyist tie with politicians. But at the end of 232 00:16:52.840 --> 00:16:56.600 the day, sorry, can you repeat the question. Now that the state 233 00:16:56.639 --> 00:17:00.960 has billions in savings billions of dollars. Should tax payers being titled to some 234 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:11.359 sort of refund? Sorry got off track. We need to produce spending because 235 00:17:11.960 --> 00:17:15.960 COVID Sorry I didn't answer that. Well, COVID has resulted in hundreds of 236 00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:21.440 millions of dollars in federal money coming to coming to the state. That's going 237 00:17:21.480 --> 00:17:26.240 to come to an end. Combined with Social Security hitting a wall in twenty 238 00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:30.559 thirty to thirty three, our budgets can to radically change. We need to 239 00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:34.519 change how we spend money. Okay, same question to you, mister Stroump. 240 00:17:34.920 --> 00:17:38.839 The state now has billions and savings. Should the taxpayers be entitled to 241 00:17:40.079 --> 00:17:45.319 some sort of refund? Absolutely, We've worked on that. Now we need 242 00:17:45.319 --> 00:17:47.279 to look at it. And again I keep using the same word, but 243 00:17:47.319 --> 00:17:48.839 I think it's how a lot of us down there think. Now we need 244 00:17:48.839 --> 00:17:55.440 to do strategically and carefully. You know this last year they passed the largest 245 00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:59.720 tax cut in the history of the state of Oklahoma. And I'm gonna I'm 246 00:17:59.720 --> 00:18:03.440 gonna be really honest with you that I didn't like it and voted against it. 247 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:06.680 I voted for thirteen other tax cuts. But the problem was they said 248 00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:08.440 it was going to be a three hundred million dollar tax cut when they took 249 00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:12.920 your sales tax off of your groceries. The problem with that was the very 250 00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:17.960 no definition meant that only about ten percent of the food that you bought was 251 00:18:18.039 --> 00:18:21.240 considered groceries. So when they were telling you you were going to make three 252 00:18:21.279 --> 00:18:25.039 hundred dollars a year back, according to the Oklahoma Grocery Association, you were 253 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:27.079 going to get thirty dollars a year back. But I was there to vote 254 00:18:27.079 --> 00:18:30.440 on the bill that fixed it, that come back and made the definition food 255 00:18:30.440 --> 00:18:36.039 and food ingredients, so more of your grocery card you would save taxes on. 256 00:18:36.359 --> 00:18:40.839 Now, the problem that we have is or something that I'm cautious about, 257 00:18:41.119 --> 00:18:45.319 is something that my opponent brought up, which is a lot of monopoly 258 00:18:45.359 --> 00:18:48.480 money's been dropped in this state over the last four or five years since COVID, 259 00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:52.640 billions of dollars. Those were all went to shovel ready jobs. Those 260 00:18:52.680 --> 00:18:55.279 put people to work, that brought an income tax, and in twenty twenty 261 00:18:55.319 --> 00:18:57.559 five and into twenty twenty six, that money's all going away. So we 262 00:18:57.640 --> 00:19:00.240 need to be careful because I don't want to put this state back into a 263 00:19:00.279 --> 00:19:03.119 position where they were in twenty eighteen, where we were a billion dollars in 264 00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:07.559 the hole and scratching for what we could cut and get rid of. I 265 00:19:07.559 --> 00:19:10.000 think that in the six years I've been there, we've worked to provide the 266 00:19:10.359 --> 00:19:15.000 services that people expected and the services that people want, and so I don't 267 00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:18.640 want to cut that back. I want to make it more effective and more 268 00:19:18.680 --> 00:19:22.200 efficient. But when it comes to tax cuts or getting a refund back, 269 00:19:23.319 --> 00:19:26.519 there are so many different options that you could do. I mean, I 270 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:30.559 don't We've looked at writing a check back to people. In the time that 271 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:33.720 I have been there, we have cut income tax, we've cut franchise tax, 272 00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:37.279 we've cut a marriage penalty tax, and now we've cut the grocery tax. 273 00:19:37.279 --> 00:19:38.640 So we are looking at that and saying we are ahead. And I 274 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:41.240 think people do want to pay lesson taxes and I'm willing to work on that. 275 00:19:42.119 --> 00:19:48.440 Mister Stroud, what is your stance on school choice? I have been 276 00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:51.039 very firm and I'm one of those that kind of stands out I think in 277 00:19:51.079 --> 00:19:53.359 the Capitol, in my party. In the in District ten, there are 278 00:19:53.440 --> 00:19:57.759 sixteen rural public school districts. I have no private schools. I think I 279 00:19:57.759 --> 00:20:00.599 do have thirty four kids that go go to private schools. But every dollar 280 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:04.759 we send on private schools leaves my district. And I don't think the overwhelming 281 00:20:04.759 --> 00:20:08.519 majority of people want to see dollars leaving their district for education. They want 282 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:12.160 those dollars spent right here in District ten. And So, while I love 283 00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:17.440 private schools, and I live right next door to some wonderful private schools that 284 00:20:17.480 --> 00:20:19.279 we have here in Bartlesville, I love homeschool and I know a lot of 285 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:22.599 I mean some of my family and some of my best friends, and some 286 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:25.759 people that are here I think do a wonderful job at homeschools. But I 287 00:20:25.799 --> 00:20:30.759 think that we should keep government dollars out of private schools and out of home 288 00:20:30.799 --> 00:20:33.480 schools, because as soon as you start to spend tax payer dollars on those 289 00:20:33.640 --> 00:20:38.079 entities, you become accountable to the Oklahoma taxpayer. And year after year, 290 00:20:38.119 --> 00:20:42.720 election after election, and rule making or lawmaking year after law making year. 291 00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:45.440 We have said that we want to test our kids. We have said that 292 00:20:45.480 --> 00:20:48.559 we want four levels of math. We've said we want four levels of science. 293 00:20:48.599 --> 00:20:52.000 We've said we want so much English. We have made those rules because 294 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:56.279 that is what taxpayers wanted. I don't think people that have their kids in 295 00:20:56.319 --> 00:20:59.599 private school or people that are teaching their kids at home want the government or 296 00:20:59.640 --> 00:21:03.839 the tax payers telling them how to educate their kids. And so as far 297 00:21:03.880 --> 00:21:10.000 as the scholarships for private schools or the money going into home schools, I 298 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:15.119 think we should keep public dollars in public schools. All right, same question 299 00:21:15.160 --> 00:21:18.839 to you, mister McCarthy, what is your stance on school choice Again, 300 00:21:18.839 --> 00:21:22.000 I'm going to refer to the Oklahoma platforms. You GOP platform. It's the 301 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:26.880 right of every parent to act in their child's best interest, including health decisions, 302 00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:30.799 choosing the form of education, whether at a private or public school, 303 00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:36.559 or education by their means. It seems to me that the concern for most 304 00:21:36.640 --> 00:21:42.240 Oklahomas comes down to the issue of government intervention, money and government intervention. 305 00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:48.640 On page eight page eight point four, the Oklahoma platform says this, we 306 00:21:48.680 --> 00:21:53.960 oppose government expansion and control by the use of public tax dollars to fund and 307 00:21:55.119 --> 00:22:00.359 interfere with private forms of education. If I'm elected, one of my primary 308 00:22:00.359 --> 00:22:07.480 responsibilities will be to protect your rights as citizens of Oklahoma. I'm firmly convinced 309 00:22:07.559 --> 00:22:15.799 by conviction that the government should not interfere with private education the incumbent. The 310 00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:18.839 incumbents supported. I believe he authored bill HB thirty five to eighty five, 311 00:22:19.279 --> 00:22:22.880 which if it had passed, it did not it would have interfered with parntal 312 00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:27.279 rights. And so I stand with the people of Oklahoma and the platform that 313 00:22:27.400 --> 00:22:33.319 government should not interfere with private forms of education, whether public or private. 314 00:22:33.119 --> 00:22:37.799 Our next question goes to you, mister McCarthy. The state of Louisiana is 315 00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:42.880 passing vaccine status related protection legislation? Would you support something like this? And 316 00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:48.559 if a pandemic were to occur again, would you vote to require masks in 317 00:22:48.599 --> 00:22:51.880 public buildings? Sorry? Can can you read that once more? Yes? 318 00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:55.200 This came in from a listener, so I'm trying my best owner stand as 319 00:22:55.240 --> 00:23:02.079 well. Louisiana is passing a vaccine status related protection legislation. Would you support 320 00:23:02.079 --> 00:23:03.960 something like this? And if a pandemic were to occur again, would you 321 00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:11.559 vote to require masks in public buildings? I would unequivocally stand against masks in 322 00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:14.960 public buildings. We had this question last night at the Washington County Forum. 323 00:23:15.680 --> 00:23:19.559 The incumbent was surprised to learn that many people had been fired from the hospital 324 00:23:19.599 --> 00:23:22.720 here in town, one of them, which was my wife. Yes, 325 00:23:22.759 --> 00:23:30.559 my wife was fired for not taking an untested gene therapy. In hindsight, 326 00:23:30.599 --> 00:23:33.759 I'm so thankful that she did not. As a nurse who works in labor 327 00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:38.039 and delivery delivery, she can tell you she could talk to you for an 328 00:23:38.119 --> 00:23:44.000 hour about the terrible health issues anecdotally. She's not a research scientist, but 329 00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:48.039 anecdotally that she's seeing as a nurse with twenty, I don't know, almost 330 00:23:48.079 --> 00:23:52.839 thirty years of nursing history. I'm going to stand against vaccine mandates without reservation. 331 00:23:53.640 --> 00:24:00.119 It is the role of government to protect individual rights against business overreach the 332 00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:04.359 other way around. Same question to you, mister Stroum. Louisiana is passing 333 00:24:04.359 --> 00:24:11.359 a vaccine status related protection senseral legislation. Would you support something like this? 334 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:15.640 And if a pandemic were to ever occur again, such as COVID nineteen, 335 00:24:15.960 --> 00:24:22.519 would you vote to require masks in public buildings vaccine status related legislation? It 336 00:24:22.519 --> 00:24:26.079 sounds for me like Louisiana is trying to be more like the state of Oklahoma. 337 00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:30.279 We have a great system here in the state of Oklahoma, for the 338 00:24:30.319 --> 00:24:33.640 people, for our workers, for the you know our kids at school, 339 00:24:33.640 --> 00:24:37.319 when you go out in public, we have exemptions that are in place the 340 00:24:37.440 --> 00:24:42.119 kids can have that people can have for the most part. One thing I 341 00:24:42.119 --> 00:24:45.720 will say again is when the pandemic came the last time, there were no 342 00:24:45.720 --> 00:24:49.000 state laws made, There were no state mass mandates made. We didn't we 343 00:24:49.200 --> 00:24:53.359 I think I was the second person in the capitol down there with another colleague, 344 00:24:53.839 --> 00:24:56.559 and we said, it's very important that we don't destroy what we have 345 00:24:56.680 --> 00:25:00.839 for one thing, the whole past, future, and a lot of what 346 00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:03.680 you saw during COVID in the state of Oklahoma came down to a money deal, 347 00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:07.680 the same as in our hospital. We didn't say you have to do 348 00:25:07.720 --> 00:25:11.200 this. What happened was the CMS rules from the federal government said if you 349 00:25:11.240 --> 00:25:12.880 don't do this, you don't get money. Well, our hospital would have 350 00:25:12.920 --> 00:25:17.440 closed down if they didn't follow those rules. And I worked through the pandemic 351 00:25:17.480 --> 00:25:21.160 from my kitchen table, which was after we got kicked out of the capitol, 352 00:25:21.160 --> 00:25:22.279 and I worked every day with the hospital. I was in touch with 353 00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:26.400 people every day, and we heard all the stories about people getting fired from 354 00:25:26.480 --> 00:25:30.359 Jane Phillips and Bartlesville. But every day people told me we haven't fired anybody 355 00:25:30.400 --> 00:25:33.960 because they didn't take a vaccine. We've tried to move people, we switched 356 00:25:33.960 --> 00:25:37.680 schedules, we've moved people working from home and every day. That's what they 357 00:25:37.720 --> 00:25:41.799 reported to me. So that's what I stand by. And you know, 358 00:25:42.759 --> 00:25:45.359 we don't know what's coming in the future. We've got to be able to 359 00:25:45.400 --> 00:25:51.200 be on the ball and move depending on what needs to happen. But again, 360 00:25:51.519 --> 00:25:53.480 I think Oklahoma did a great job. We came out of the pandemic 361 00:25:53.480 --> 00:25:56.960 better than anybody else. We come out with a stronger economy than anybody else. 362 00:25:57.000 --> 00:26:00.519 We went back to work faster than anybody else. And a lot of 363 00:26:00.519 --> 00:26:03.400 what you saw were your big businesses that were holding on. But I'll remind 364 00:26:03.480 --> 00:26:07.720 you that any rules we made wouldn't it just been for the big companies. 365 00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:10.359 They would have been for the other the ninety nine percent of our companies, 366 00:26:10.400 --> 00:26:12.599 which are small businesses, and there's three hundred and fifty thousand of them, 367 00:26:12.880 --> 00:26:15.640 and they didn't want rules imposed on them by the state, and we didn't 368 00:26:15.640 --> 00:26:18.519 make any so they were allowed to do what they wanted during the pandemic, 369 00:26:18.559 --> 00:26:23.240 and I respect that. Our question now is to you, mister Strom, 370 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:29.160 would you support something that's called track and tax if it comes up for a 371 00:26:29.240 --> 00:26:33.880 vote in the next latest slative session. You know, one of my favorite 372 00:26:33.880 --> 00:26:36.119 things to come out of the Capitol when you get home and you hear things 373 00:26:36.160 --> 00:26:40.319 that are just described in terrible ways track and tax, you know, And 374 00:26:40.319 --> 00:26:42.000 I've heard that I support track and tax, and I want to track every 375 00:26:42.039 --> 00:26:45.720 mile that you drive, and I want to know where your car's at. 376 00:26:45.799 --> 00:26:48.240 And it's some more Wallian thing that I'm trying to do. I'll be straight 377 00:26:48.279 --> 00:26:51.960 with you right now. Your roads and bridges are paid for with gas tack 378 00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:55.720 and a diesel tax. Their nineteen cents a gallon for gasoline and nineteen cents 379 00:26:55.720 --> 00:26:57.400 a gallon for diesel, and that's how we pay for our roads and bridges. 380 00:26:57.640 --> 00:27:00.119 But in twenty twenty one, thirty of the new cars that come into 381 00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:03.920 the state of Oklahoma where electric or high hybrid, they're not paying their share. 382 00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:11.160 By twenty fifty, the gas standards are forty nine miles per gallon or 383 00:27:11.240 --> 00:27:15.559 better for passenger vehicles is what they have to be. So what's gonna happen 384 00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:18.559 in fifty years. It's gonna get more expensive to build our roads and we're 385 00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:22.799 gonna be taking in less revenue to build our roads and bridges. So right 386 00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:25.559 now, the state of Oklahoma said, we need to be thinking about what 387 00:27:25.559 --> 00:27:27.279 are we gonna do in twenty thirty five, What are we gonna do in 388 00:27:27.319 --> 00:27:30.039 twenty forty, What are we gonna do by the time we get to twenty 389 00:27:30.079 --> 00:27:33.119 fifty. And I think it's important that maybe we do a study. We 390 00:27:33.200 --> 00:27:37.599 did. It was the Roads or the Drive Study or whatever they come up 391 00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:41.839 with, weird acronyms at the Capitol all the time. It started in twenty 392 00:27:41.839 --> 00:27:44.400 two, it ended in twenty twenty three, and there was a full report. 393 00:27:44.440 --> 00:27:48.160 You can see it on the see it on the internet at the dot 394 00:27:48.400 --> 00:27:51.640 dot website. And I think it was a smart thing to do. Do 395 00:27:51.720 --> 00:27:53.880 I want to be tracked, Absolutely not do most of my friends and family 396 00:27:53.880 --> 00:27:56.599 want to be tracked. I don't believe so. But I also don't want 397 00:27:56.599 --> 00:28:00.759 to be the guy out here in my fourteen mile agallon that are paying for 398 00:28:00.839 --> 00:28:06.000 everyone else's roads and bridges that all be driven by heavier electric cars more electric 399 00:28:06.079 --> 00:28:08.880 cars. You know, if we're gonna look into hydrogen, we're also gonna 400 00:28:08.920 --> 00:28:11.880 have to figure out how do we look into hydrogen or is there a different 401 00:28:11.880 --> 00:28:15.319 battery technology we're gonna have to do. I think it was very smart to 402 00:28:15.400 --> 00:28:18.920 do that study now, because in the future we're gonna have to make decisions, 403 00:28:19.079 --> 00:28:22.400 and I don't want to make decisions in a dumb way. I want 404 00:28:22.519 --> 00:28:26.160 the facts. I want to know what's up. We didn't have info from 405 00:28:26.200 --> 00:28:29.720 anywhere else, so we went out and found those facts ourselves. I'm proud 406 00:28:29.720 --> 00:28:32.559 of the study. I'm glad we did it, and I'm glad we'll be 407 00:28:32.599 --> 00:28:36.559 able to meet that problem head on. When it gets to to you, 408 00:28:36.680 --> 00:28:41.680 mister McCarthy, would you support so called track and tax if it comes up 409 00:28:41.680 --> 00:28:45.440 for a vote in the next legislative session. I would not. I think 410 00:28:45.480 --> 00:28:51.519 it's important to look at the world and society in which we live, both 411 00:28:51.559 --> 00:28:56.440 globally and here inside the United States. The World Economic Forum is discussing or 412 00:28:56.480 --> 00:29:02.920 making statements that we'll own nothing and be happy. They are actively talking about 413 00:29:02.960 --> 00:29:07.440 desiring to get rid of all private ownership of vehicles here in the United States. 414 00:29:07.559 --> 00:29:15.640 Locally, we have multiple states that are introducing legislation that would begin as 415 00:29:15.680 --> 00:29:22.079 a voluntary program that once it's passed. We're now seeing in other states a 416 00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:27.799 move to make these same types of legislation move from a voluntary to a mandatory 417 00:29:27.920 --> 00:29:33.359 law. Other states have talked about putting in a flat rate per day with 418 00:29:33.400 --> 00:29:37.400 respect to how many miles that are driven. As a business owner, I've 419 00:29:37.599 --> 00:29:41.640 owned multiple businesses, I've started multiple businesses. I can tell you this idea, 420 00:29:42.079 --> 00:29:48.359 this idea that politicians think we're going to be mostly electric cars by twenty 421 00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:51.759 fifty is a pipe dream. All you have to do is look at our 422 00:29:51.759 --> 00:29:53.920 electric grid. We don't have the electric grid. You only have to look 423 00:29:53.960 --> 00:29:59.799 at silver to realize that we don't produce enough silver to make the connections and 424 00:29:59.839 --> 00:30:02.799 life vehicles. We could go on and on, look at rare earth minerals 425 00:30:02.920 --> 00:30:07.119 who owned some earth minerals China does. We are an oil based state. 426 00:30:07.559 --> 00:30:14.319 We are to pursue energy independence. We should celebrate the fact that we have 427 00:30:14.440 --> 00:30:21.400 such God given abundance of resources and find better solutions while we can know to 428 00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:25.559 track and tax. More importantly, let's protect all of our rights, not 429 00:30:25.640 --> 00:30:30.960 just the right to travel. Alrighty, it's time now for closing comments. 430 00:30:30.000 --> 00:30:34.319 We'll start off with mister judds. Trump. Thanks, sir. I think 431 00:30:34.599 --> 00:30:37.920 the most important thing I said that I said earlier, which is I've absolutely 432 00:30:37.920 --> 00:30:44.759 been honored to serve you for the last six years. I love my community, 433 00:30:44.799 --> 00:30:47.519 I love my neighbors. My family's all here, my friends are all 434 00:30:47.519 --> 00:30:52.000 here, and I think we've worked. I've had the opportunity to work really 435 00:30:52.039 --> 00:30:56.039 for them every single day. And when I say every single day, I'm 436 00:30:56.079 --> 00:30:57.599 not kidding. In this job, your phone starts ringing about six thirty in 437 00:30:57.640 --> 00:31:00.799 the morning and it quits about eleven eleven thirty, and then it just buzzes 438 00:31:00.799 --> 00:31:04.200 and you kind of ignored a little bit. But it's all day. It's 439 00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:07.599 every day, and I've loved the opportunity to do it. There's not one 440 00:31:07.599 --> 00:31:11.519 moment that I've regretted doing it. I have served in leadership for four years 441 00:31:11.799 --> 00:31:15.720 and I'll continue in that position. I am the chair of General Government on 442 00:31:15.720 --> 00:31:18.599 a budget committee, and I've had the opportunity to really, i think, 443 00:31:18.680 --> 00:31:22.720 move this state forward in a better way. We've seen this state and the 444 00:31:22.759 --> 00:31:26.079 time that I've been in office go from having a billion dollars shortfall to hav 445 00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:30.519 an over four and a half billion dollars in savings. I've had the opportunity 446 00:31:30.559 --> 00:31:33.880 in that to vote for over four point seven billion dollars worth of tax cuts, 447 00:31:34.039 --> 00:31:37.440 we've had the opportunity to make strategic investments in our education. Since I've 448 00:31:37.440 --> 00:31:41.480 been there, We've given over one point two billion dollars to our public schools 449 00:31:41.480 --> 00:31:47.279 and improve those I just I'm proud of the work that I've been able to 450 00:31:47.319 --> 00:31:48.759 do when I was down there, and every time I thought, you know, 451 00:31:48.920 --> 00:31:52.400 it'd be a lot easier just to come home to the most beautiful place 452 00:31:52.440 --> 00:31:55.000 in the world and raise, you know, look after my black cows and 453 00:31:56.200 --> 00:31:57.960 go a little wild or relax a little more or something like that, I 454 00:31:57.960 --> 00:32:01.680 think I can't because I don't trust anyone to do the job that I've done 455 00:32:01.680 --> 00:32:07.480 when I was down there. I've just I really appreciate all the people that 456 00:32:07.480 --> 00:32:14.359 I've had the opportunity to serve that Like I said, they really they call, 457 00:32:14.440 --> 00:32:15.880 and they text, and they email, and they and they write, 458 00:32:15.880 --> 00:32:21.039 and they come in and every day. I think it's just been an honor 459 00:32:21.039 --> 00:32:23.920 to be able to work for them, and I would appreciate the opportunity to 460 00:32:23.960 --> 00:32:29.160 continue to do that. I think we're on a great path for the first 461 00:32:29.160 --> 00:32:31.680 time in many years. I said, since the nineteen hundreds the other day, 462 00:32:31.680 --> 00:32:35.640 and it really made me feel old we've turned this state around as far 463 00:32:35.640 --> 00:32:39.000 as brain drain. Braindrain is your kids that you spend twenty years educating and 464 00:32:39.000 --> 00:32:42.599 then they pick up and leave the state. If they want to be successful, 465 00:32:42.599 --> 00:32:44.759 if they want to be happy, they think they have to go somewhere 466 00:32:44.759 --> 00:32:46.440 else. I said when I was running, it was important to me that 467 00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:49.839 I wanted you to be able to get a good job and have a good 468 00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:52.720 life here. I wanted your kids to have a good job life here, 469 00:32:52.880 --> 00:32:54.079 and I didn't want their kids to ever wanted to leave. I wanted to 470 00:32:54.079 --> 00:32:58.400 be able to find it right here. And I think strategic investments we've made 471 00:32:58.400 --> 00:33:04.759 in workforce development and education, in science and technology and aeronautics and even terism 472 00:33:04.839 --> 00:33:07.039 have really moved this state forward. And I'm proud to have been a part 473 00:33:07.079 --> 00:33:10.440 of that. And I just I don't see yet that I'm ready to give 474 00:33:10.519 --> 00:33:14.640 up that opportunity to keep helping because there are a lot of great people in 475 00:33:14.680 --> 00:33:16.960 the House of Representatives and in the Senate. Don't tell the Senator I said 476 00:33:17.000 --> 00:33:22.680 that, but they're really doing great things and I'm proud to be a part 477 00:33:22.720 --> 00:33:27.680 of it. And I would appreciate your opportunity and your support on June eighteenth 478 00:33:27.799 --> 00:33:31.720 to give me the opportunity to continue what we're doing. Thank you and your 479 00:33:31.720 --> 00:33:37.599 closing statement, mister McCarthy. It's been a privilege to sit across from the 480 00:33:37.640 --> 00:33:45.079 incumbent both last night and this evening. One thing I appreciate about Incumbent Strom 481 00:33:45.319 --> 00:33:51.519 is his honesty. So often politicians are duplicitous, They say one thing and 482 00:33:51.559 --> 00:33:53.359 they do another. I feel that Strom has been very honest, and I 483 00:33:53.359 --> 00:33:58.599 appreciate that. One thing that he has pointed out, and I'll remind you, 484 00:33:59.319 --> 00:34:05.960 is we are presenting two different perspectives. I do come from a biblical 485 00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:13.320 worldview. I do clearly, I do clearly confess without any shame or reservation, 486 00:34:13.760 --> 00:34:17.480 the Creator's right to guide our life. So when you've seen me reference 487 00:34:19.159 --> 00:34:23.199 the Oak, the Oklahoma GOP platform over and over both yesterday evening, if 488 00:34:23.199 --> 00:34:29.280 you were there, and this evening, it's because I believe, I truly 489 00:34:29.360 --> 00:34:36.880 believe, as a matter of conviction, not not the not the politics solves 490 00:34:36.880 --> 00:34:39.440 everything. But I believe, as a matter of conviction that standing up for 491 00:34:39.480 --> 00:34:43.800 the rights of life, liberty, and property, the belief that these are 492 00:34:43.880 --> 00:34:50.320 natural rights granted by God, I believe these are worth protecting I believe that 493 00:34:50.559 --> 00:34:55.119 family rights, parents rights. I think these are more important than than than 494 00:34:55.199 --> 00:35:00.119 than government interventionism. I think that we should be a bottom up country, 495 00:35:01.400 --> 00:35:08.440 where a constitutional republic. And I believe that the primary responsibility of an elected 496 00:35:08.480 --> 00:35:13.079 official is to protect the rights of the citizens, and if elected, this 497 00:35:13.119 --> 00:35:17.920 will be my primary responsibility. Unashamedly stand on the Republican platform. I'd like 498 00:35:17.960 --> 00:35:23.360 to remind you that the Republican platform, specifically the Oklahoma Republican platform, this 499 00:35:23.400 --> 00:35:28.519 isn't something that I wrote. This is something that you wrote. We the 500 00:35:28.559 --> 00:35:32.320 people of Oklahoma, we got together as Republicans, and these are the values 501 00:35:32.360 --> 00:35:38.320 that together we decided these are the values that matter to us. And I 502 00:35:38.320 --> 00:35:43.760 appreciate Stromp's honesty. He's told you yesterday, he told you again today. 503 00:35:45.840 --> 00:35:54.119 They're not his values, at least not consistently. I stand on the platform, 504 00:35:54.239 --> 00:35:58.800 and i'd like to defend your rights given the opportunity to elect you that 505 00:35:58.840 --> 00:36:02.239 if you would elect me to be your representative, appreciate your vote on June 506 00:36:02.239 --> 00:36:07.960 eighteenth. Thank you, Thank you both candidates. You've been watching and listening 507 00:36:07.079 --> 00:36:14.280 our District ten form and I want to thank both of our participants tonight, 508 00:36:14.800 --> 00:36:17.400 ladies and gentlemen, I want to thank you for being here at the Bartlesville 509 00:36:17.400 --> 00:36:21.880 City Chambers. Pretty much a full house, maybe one or two vacant seats, 510 00:36:22.039 --> 00:36:25.360 that's okay. We have plenty of watchers on our K one TV, 511 00:36:27.199 --> 00:36:32.360 also on Radio one A fourteen hundred FM, ninety three point three and ninety 512 00:36:32.400 --> 00:36:37.320 five point one. We want to thank our sponsors, Phillip sixty six and 513 00:36:37.400 --> 00:36:43.199 Susie Q's Vintage Mall. We also want to remind everyone that we do have 514 00:36:43.400 --> 00:36:47.960 our campaign corner page. You can review all kinds of interviews with our candidates 515 00:36:47.960 --> 00:36:52.960 in this forum. Will also be a podcast form on that page on our 516 00:36:52.960 --> 00:37:00.400 website at Bartlesville Radio dot com. We do have our early voting coming up 517 00:37:00.440 --> 00:37:06.000 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, fourth floor upstairs, and also our traditional 518 00:37:06.400 --> 00:37:09.840 election day which will be on Tuesday at the eighteenth. Once again, thank 519 00:37:09.880 --> 00:37:13.639 you all for coming, thank you all for watching, thank you all for 520 00:37:13.719 --> 00:37:16.199 listening. Make sure you vote. Make sure you tell your friends to vote, 521 00:37:16.199 --> 00:37:21.039 because sometimes they forget. How could they? Thank you? Once again, 522 00:37:21.280 --> 00:37:23.320 You've been wonderful. Thank you