This video captures a live Republican primary debate for Oklahoma governor held at Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, featuring candidates Mike Mazzei, Gentner Drummond, Chip Keating, and Charles McCall. The debate, moderated by NonDoc Media and KSWO Channel 7, covered key issues including education reform, tax policy, mental health infrastructure, tribal-state relations, and economic development. Each candidate presented their vision for Oklahoma's future, with debates on topics such as eliminating income taxes, implementing literacy programs, addressing the marijuana industry, and improving rural healthcare access. The debate was broadcast live on C-SPAN 2 and KSWO Channel 7, with additional coverage on their online platforms.
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LIVE: 'Primary Function': An Oklahoma GOP Gubernatorial Debate本站添加:
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>> Hello everybody.
Thank you so much for being here. I believe we have the live stream up. My name is Trace Savage. I'm the editor-in-chief of NonDoc Media. We're an online journalism non-profit here in Oklahoma. Honored to be here tonight in Southwest Oklahoma with these four gentlemen who are going to talk about some important topics we're excited to bring to you.
I'm here with Jenna James of KSWO Channel 7. Jenna, thanks for being here.
As you all have taken your seat, you do have just a couple minutes to go use the restroom if you need. We will go live on air at 6:00 p.m. So, I don't really want anybody up down at 5:59. Uh we'll go live at 6:00 p.m. We'll probably come out at 5:58. Stand here for the world's longest 2 minutes, and then we'll go live at at 6:00 p.m. Uh we do know that folks want to go to the Thunder game at 7:30. So, our goal is to get us out the door no later absolutely than 7:29. I'd like it to be a lot Thank you very much.
Uh and I want to do some save some time by going over just a couple ground rules uh before before we start with the actual debate. Uh first, please hold your applause until the final uh the end of each round of questions. I know you guys are going to want to clap in these opening statements. Keep it brief. Uh but, we have three rounds of question Well, I have opening statements, three rounds of questions. Hold your applause till the end of each round of questions, especially so those watching online on TV on C-SPAN uh can hear the whole time.
If anybody heckles or is disruptive, uh we will have you removed by Cameron University Police. If the whole crowd can't behave for some reason, we will clear this room, pause the debate, and then resume with no audience so everybody on TV can watch it. Uh surely we don't have to do that. Surely we can be respectful and and show everybody that Oklahomans can have positive conversations about important topics. Uh and then, yeah, that's really all I have, Jenna.
>> Yeah, so we are airing this debate live on Channel 7 as well as on kswotv.com, KSWO's Facebook and YouTube pages, as well as NonDoc's Facebook. So, as a result, we need the audience to remain quiet and respectful.
>> Yep, and I think I just learned we're on C-SPAN 2 actually, so call my grandmother and tell her it's actually on C-SPAN 2.
Uh we're thrilled to host this important debate at Cameron University, a strong institution of higher education here in Southwest Oklahoma. Uh I've gotten the pleasure to meet President Shane Hunt uh during his time uh here leading this institution, and he is widely respected by a lot of people. I wanted to invite him out to make a couple remarks just briefly about what they're trying to do here at Cameron to educate Oklahomans and drive the economy here in the great state of Oklahoma. Shane President Hunt, thank you so much, sir.
>> [applause] >> Well, thank you all and thank you Trey for being here. It is a great night to be an Aggie, isn't it? It's a great night to be an Aggie.
I'm Shane Hunt. I'm honored to serve as president of Cameron University and we are so honored to welcome all of you to our beautiful campus.
It has been an extraordinary time here at Cameron University. Just in the past year, um we had the largest research investment in the history of our university so that our students and our faculty work directly with military technology companies at the FISTA to design things that are going to strengthen our armed forces for years and decades to come. We received the first name gift of any of our schools in the 118-year history of Cameron and for the first time in the history of our university, we this year have begun offering a four-year bachelor's degree in engineering to help supply engineers for the incredible growth we have right here in Southwest Oklahoma.
>> [applause] >> I am particularly honored and thankful to be here because I, like so many of our students, am a first-generation college student who had the opportunity because of the sacrifice of my parents and professors and people who invested in me when they didn't have to.
Every part of my life is better because of public higher education here in Oklahoma and every day we are privileged, all of us, the faculty and staff, to work with these amazing students. And I will tell you I think Oklahoma's future right now is brighter than it has ever been. And when you see our Cameron students and you see the great things that they're doing, you know that our best days are still ahead of us. We are thankful to welcome you here to Cameron. It's going to be a great night. God bless you all and go Aggies.
>> Thank you very much, Mr. President.
>> [applause] >> Thank you. Uh I just want to say again, thanks for everything he's doing here.
Thank you to the OU Board of Regents who are supporting this university and making a lot of really great things possible. I've covered that body for a lot of long time and the people they have on that board now take this job very, very seriously and I'm really excited to watch everything they're trying to do here at Cameron.
Lastly, Jenna, I think you have one final reminder and then we're going to pop off the stage again.
>> Yes, so please check now and make sure you have silenced your cell phones. If I can do it, you can do it. So, you can text your friends to tune in here at 6:00 p.m. on KSWO Channel 7 and our online platforms, but turn those ringers off.
>> Wonderful and we're it is currently 5:55. We're going to step off stage for about 3 minutes. Joey, we'll come back.
You can bring the house lights down to about 50%. So again, if you need to run to the restroom, make a phone call right now, you got about 3 minutes till we come back. We'll stand here for the world's longest 2-minute wait and then I will get the cue that we are live on TV.
Thanks so much. Tell your friends we still got some seats down here if they come down and you know, are willing to give us their name and number so we know who they are. Thanks so much for being here everybody.
>> Live from Cameron University, this is a 7 News special, Primary Function, an Oklahoma GOP Gubernatorial Primary Debate.
>> Hello and welcome to primary function, a debate between the leading candidates for the Republican Party nomination for governor here in Oklahoma. My name is Tres Savage. I'm the editor-in-chief of nondoc.com, we're an online journalism nonprofit based here in Oklahoma. I'm thrilled to be here tonight to moderate this great debate with Jenna James of KSWO Channel 7.
>> We're at the campus theater of Cameron University in Lawton with Gentner Drummond, Chip Keating, Charles McCall, and Mike Mazey. Five other Republicans are also running for governor, but they did not meet a polling threshold for participation in tonight's debate.
>> Those five candidates, Jennifer Domenico, Jake Merrick, Lisa Mitchell Haines, Kenneth Sturgill, and Caleb Anthony Taylor, are being provided written questions and their answers will be published on nondoc.com so people can hear from them as well.
>> And immediately after tonight's debate, we will be airing interviews with those candidates during an election special on Channel 7, so make sure Oklahomans have a chance to consider their positions as well.
>> Like KSWO, C-SPAN is carrying tonight's debate. I believe it's live on C-SPAN 2, as well as cspan.org. So please share the stream with your friends or tell them now to turn on Channel 7. You can also find us on Facebook pages of KSWO and nondoc, KSWO's YouTube page, and over the next week our friends at The Frontier are going to work on a fact check about tonight's debate. Uh very excited about that.
>> Now quickly, we would like to thank Cameron President Shane Hunt and his excellent team for making tonight's debate possible here in Lawton.
>> Thank you very much, President Hunt.
>> [applause] >> Uh if if we're lucky, maybe we can get one of those dark money nonprofits to give you a nice donation here to support the university.
Uh it's okay to laugh, everybody.
Speaking of money, I must thank the financial sponsors of nondoc's 2026 public debate series, Hillary Communications here in the Lawton area, AARP Oklahoma, the State Chamber of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Public School Resource Center, the ACLU of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Association of Realtors, McAfee & Miller & Roth, Civitas Strategies, the Scholars Strategy Network, a lot of groups from from of different worlds believe we should have public debates. Thank you so much for making that possible.
Uh we warned the audience about behavior and no disrupting earlier, so we're going to cut right to it. Each candidate will have 90 seconds for an opening statement. We'll have three rounds of questions and we'll conclude with 90-second closing statements. We drew numbers earlier. Mr. Mazzei, you'll go first followed by Mr. McCall, Mr. Keating, and then Mr. Drummond to round us out on opening statements. They'll be the same order for closing statements.
Without further ado, 90 seconds, Mr. Mazzei, Mazzei, the stage is yours.
>> Hi, everyone. Thanks for joining us.
>> I'm a financial >> planner. For over 35 years, I've built financial plans for others, and now I have a bold plan to make Oklahoma a no income tax state, abolish property taxes for seniors and veterans, launch a massive statewide literacy program so our kids read at grade level, >> [clears throat] >> and secure the land of Oklahoma for the people of Oklahoma. I've been married to this beautiful blonde over here, Noel Mazzei, for 35 years. We wanted a big family, but had some health challenges, so we adopted a daughter from Russia. We did some fertility stuff that worked out better than expected and had triplets.
Couple years later, we had bonus brother, five kids under the age of five.
But today, we're super blessed because they all love Jesus and they all have jobs.
In 1996, we started a financial planning company from scratch, and today Trinity Strategic Wealth has $1.6 billion in client assets. I was in the State Senate, the Senate Finance Chairman, and then I was asked to be the Secretary of Finance for the State of Oklahoma. So, I do have a mastery in money and finance, and that's the exact skill set we need to better manage your tax dollars so we can get about the business of launching a wave of growth and prosperity for the people of Oklahoma.
>> Thank you very much, Mr. Mazzei. You can give him a quick round of applause if you want. for your one chance to do that for his folks. Mr. McCall, 90 seconds to your opening statement. [clears throat] >> Good evening. I'm Charles McCall, fifth generation Oklahoman, husband to my wonderful wife Stephanie of 32 years, and father to our two sons. I'm a business owner, I'm a CEO of a community bank in southern Oklahoma, and I'm an unapologetic Christian.
Everyone tonight on this stage is going to have great rhetoric, promises, plans, but I am the only candidate on this stage that has effectively delivered positive outcomes for Oklahoma, and I'll do it again as your governor. As speaker, I inherited the worst economy in state's history.
I fixed it. We ended subsidies for green energy, banned gender reassignment surgeries for minors, funded education and law enforcement at historic levels, passed the toughest immigration law in the country, and passed the largest tax cut in our state's history, returning over $2,000 every year to every Oklahoma family. As governor, I'll eliminate the personal income tax. I will eliminate property taxes for seniors and veterans, while protecting core services.
Every child will read and do math on grade level, and the remaining foreign-owned land, I will [clears throat] find it, and we will put it back in the hands of Oklahomans.
I'm the only candidate that has stood with Donald Trump all three times. I will deliver an Oklahoma first agenda.
I'm Charles McCall.
I'm asking you for your support to serve you as your next governor. Thank you.
>> Thank you very much, Mr. McCall.
Mr. Keating, 90 seconds to your opening statement, sir.
>> Well, thank you all for being here, and thank you to Cameron University. My name is Chip Keating. I am a former state trooper. My lovely wife is in audience, Britney.
After the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, that was a childhood dream, I went into the private sector and worked at Chesapeake Energy before I went out of my own in 2009. I have never held office on this stage, but service is so important. And our state is at a critical crossroads, and the path we take and the path we go forward, I think is either going to show our greatness or we're going to get left in the dust. I decided to run because we're 50th in education. One in four eighth graders in the state of Oklahoma cannot read. We are number one per capita incarcerated. We tax everything under the sun. We truly are a God-fearing red state, but we govern like a blue state. We have an illicit drug crisis in our state that is absolutely out of control. We have a mental health crisis in our state. We have a homelessness crisis in our state.
And if we don't get this right, we are really going to get crushed by other states that are figuring out what common sense policy approaches are. I'm glad to be here tonight. I look forward to getting into the issues, and God bless you all, and I look forward to a robust evening. Thank you.
>> Thank you very much.
Quick round of applause. And last, uh, final 90 seconds to you, Mr. Drummond.
>> I'm Gentner Drummond, a seventh-generation Oklahoman who grew up on a cattle ranch in Osage County.
That's where Wendy and I live now, where we've raised our six children, and where we play with our seven grandchildren.
And folks, that's the reason I'm running. I want to give these seven grandchildren and yours a compelling reason to stay in Oklahoma.
I flew jets for the Air Force, flying fighter jets during the Gulf War, flying in and out of Baghdad shot at thousands of times. I've built five operational companies that we still have, over 500 employees with an annual payroll over 35 million.
As your attorney general, I have held accountable out-of-state corporations, Big Pharma, big insurance companies. And folks, they're the ones who are contributing over $7 million into this campaign to elect anybody but Drummond.
They want any one of these three. They don't want me. So, remember that in the poll. I've also held accountable Chinese and Mexican cartels, shutting down over 10,000 of them, driving black market marijuana out of the state.
As your governor, I will prioritize education, health care, mental health, workforce deliverables, and partnership with the tribes. One candidate on the stage has fought for his country. One candidate fights for you every day, protecting your home, your paycheck, and your future.
President Trump stands for Oklahoma America first. For the last 3 and 1/2 years, I've put Oklahoma first. As your governor, I will continue that fight for you.
>> Thank you very much. Give them all a round of applause.
I feel like you guys have rehearsed those. Those are very good. You nailed it. Um >> [applause] >> it's time for our first round of questions titled be a human, and we're going to see who is not a political robot by starting with a toss-up question. That means any of you can answer first. 15 seconds, very short. As we're here in Southwest Oklahoma, I want to kind of wonder who is how your rural outreach is going. How are you reaching community leaders in rural Oklahoma? So quickly, who has talked to former Speaker Lloyd Benson most recently, and by that I mean who is going to win Tillman County and why? 15 seconds, any of you.
>> Well, I've been to his office.
>> Tell me about it.
>> Personally made all 77 county tour running for governor, got to meet Speaker Benson, talk about the times when he was Speaker of the House versus uh when I was. We worked on the things I enjoyed the most was rural health care, getting five new rural hospitals open, one in Frederick, Oklahoma, the home of Speaker Lloyd Benson.
>> 15 seconds, anybody else talk about rural Oklahoma?
>> Oklahoma only has 90 rural hospitals, 27 of them critical access. If we don't change the trajectory of our health health care deliverables in Oklahoma, 30 will close in the next 3 years. You need a governor committed to rural Oklahoma.
I'm the only one who lives in the country, grew up in the country, and love love the country.
>> Mr. Keating, Mr. Maizey, 15 seconds.
>> look, we're we're in a part of the state that has a major water problem. Ag's the third largest industry in our state. I put forward a plan to move water from northeast Oklahoma over to western Oklahoma so we can expand that industry and actually go solve problems and invest in infrastructure, something that we have not done over the last 20 years as we've watched our state budget appropriated budget double. Where has the money gone? So, we can solve northeast Oklahoma to to western Oklahoma Oklahoma with water.
>> Appreciate it, Mr. Maizey, 15 seconds real quick.
>> What I hear from people in rural Oklahoma is they want their kids to have a skilled trade that's protected from artificial intelligence and I have a plan to deal with the 7,500 students on the waiting list of our 29 career techs so we can get them trained for a great career and a great life.
>> Thank you very much. For the rest of round one, each candidate will have 45 seconds to answer. We'll rotate who answers first starting alphabetically.
[clears throat] Jenna, you have that question.
>> Mr. Drummond, Americans are grappling with the impact and insincerity of artificial intelligence, particularly in media and politics. Recent polling indicates that Oklahoma Republicans strongly support requiring the disclosure of AI usage in campaign materials and in advertisements. Many people also support banning AI in political advertising altogether. So, I'm curious, do you believe AI should be regulated when it comes to political speech and how could that be accomplished in a way that does not violate the First Amendment?
>> We made a statement about 2 weeks ago condemning the use of AI to alter the image of any candidate running for office. We have not done that in my campaign, we will not do that, and as governor will pass legislation that bans the manipulation of AI.
Voters need to see the authentic person on the stage, in their ads, and they need to be able to vote for the candidate that will represent them, defend them, and fight for them.
>> Mr. Keating, the same question to you.
>> Yeah, no question. I mean, we need to have disclosures on AI, and I think the question was directed at the Attorney General and his outside money group took a shot at Senator Mazie.
The shot in the context of it was appropriate. I mean, Senator Mazie voted to remove the Electoral College in 2014.
So, the substance of it was right, the way it was portrayed might have been questionable. And so, it needs to be regulated. It needs to have a disclosure on it, but AI is not going away. We have to figure out a way to regulate it and have transparency, full transparency to voters. And I will be committed to doing that as governor.
>> Mr. McCall, same question.
>> Well, you definitely have to practice what you preach, and I believe that AI should have boundaries on it. It's It's not the real person. AI can generate a person's image. I've I've been the at the center of that those attacks. It's not really you.
Interestingly enough, we have advanced.
When I was Speaker of the House, we advanced legislation to put ban boundaries around it and even consider banning it. That has not finished the full process, but this election shows clearly why it should.
Once again, and I the people of the state of Oklahoma are do not like artificial intelligence generated uh ads. You want to keep using them on me, go ahead. I think you're helping me. Thank you.
>> Mr. Mazie, same question.
>> Artificial intelligence and a deep fake image of me was used by a Drummond Super PAC. Now, of course, Chip doesn't know what he's talking about because it absolutely had nothing to do with my actual track record. Let me be clear. I never supported the national popular vote, and I never voted to get rid of the Electoral College. Chip, however, likes to say that he's an outsider and it's quite ironic that a kid who grew up in the governor's mansion keeps claiming that he's an outsider. Now, artificial intelligence, we all need to deal with it appropriately and respectfully, and when we're dealing with information, we need to deal with the facts.
>> Uh Mr. Keating, I'm going to I really don't want to start this this early. I'm going to give you 10 seconds to respond to Mr. Mazie.
>> Well, I mean one of the one of one of Senator Mazie's earliest endorsers was Senator Brokein, and he regretted that vote and he came out and told the truth. So, you've lied to voters, and I think you shouldn't lie to voters here.
>> Uh Mr. Mazie, I'm going to give you 10 seconds, and I mean a firm 10 seconds.
>> Of course, they tried that nonsense against United States Congressman Freedom Caucus member Josh Brokein. That stunt didn't work then, Chip, and it's not going to work now.
>> That's a good reminder that the Frontier will be checking the facts that are said here. We'll figure out what whether that's true or false, or we'll go from there. I have the next question for Mr. Keating. As you've heard, we pulled some Oklahoma Republicans last week. It went great.
One question asked respondents to identify the year's most important issues. The top answers included inflation and cost of living, as well as economy and infrastructure. Each of you is a wealthy gentleman with plenty of property, businesses, and privilege. So, when you speak with the 15% of Oklahomans living in poverty, or those who fear it's coming on, what is a specific policy you support, other than tax cuts, that can help Oklahomans economically?
>> Well, I think we've got to start. I'm the only candidate sitting on this stage, to be clear, that has not grown government. The state of the state of Oklahoma's appropriated budget has gone from 6 billion to 12.8 billion in the last 20 20 years. Where has [clears throat] the money gone?
We have prioritized the able-bodied in front behind, I'm sorry, in front of the people that need Medicaid.
We have rising insurance rates. People are griping about property tax reform.
Why haven't these gentlemen cut it? At the same time the government has grown, we have not given relief relief to Oklahomans.
>> Real quick though, the question is what is a policy you support that can help Oklahomans economically that's not a tax cut?
>> Well, there's no question and we need a our economy has to grow here. We have to invest in Oklahoma. If we want better jobs in Oklahoma, we have to invest in Oklahoma, not grow government.
>> Okay, Mr. McCall, same question to you.
What is a policy other than tax cuts that you support that can help Oklahomans economically?
>> Well, Trace, to your question, that's the main thing that I hear across the state as well. People's budgets are compressed. Everything is up. Listen, we have surplus in the state of Oklahoma.
We can push money back to the people of the state of Oklahoma. We've done that in the past. Property taxes are high.
That's why we need to freeze them for all Oklahomans, give them a chance to breathe for 3 years, make those make repeal it for for veterans and seniors.
But Oklahoma is limited. We don't print money. We live within our budgets.
And we don't set monetary policy. So, we have to find ways even within our monetary policy, we should consider the lowest earners in the state of Oklahoma and our young families first.
>> Mr. Maizey, Mr. Drummond, you're going to get a chance at this too. What is a specific policy that low-income Oklahomans out there can hear you articulate other than a tax cut that would help them economically? Yes, sir.
>> We've all on this stage been blessed with some financial resources, but I'm the only one on this stage that didn't start with family wealth and connections. I'm married to a farm girl.
I'm a military brat. And we started our business from scratch. I know what it's like to dream a big dream and get out there and work hard. You've heard about our plan to have skilled trades. I am going to end this nonsense of hundreds of millions of dollars going to foreign countries and companies and launch, according to our plan, the small business capital program. So, when we help companies with best practices, they can get no interest loans and add thousands of jobs where the profits stay right here in the state of Oklahoma.
>> Thank you very much, Mr. Drummond. Same question to you. What are your >> the record. At 14, I went to court and was emancipated. I moved out of my household and I have disclaimed any inheritance. Everything I have is made by my own sweat, hard work, and grit.
Now, as far as policy, every homeowner has four things escrowed in that mortgage account. Your principal, your interest, your ad valorem taxes, and your insurance. I have taken on State Farm. Next to be taken on is Allstate.
In Oklahoma, you pay twice the property tax in insurance, you pay twice the insurance rate of any other state. And our claims are one half of any other state. That has to be changed. I'm changing it to protect all Oklahomans, protecting your home and your paycheck and your future.
>> Okay, our next question goes to Mr. McCall. Mr. McCall, in 2019, you and the rest of the Oklahoma Legislature gave Governor Kevin Stitt unprecedented power to hire and fire the directors of major agencies, the Department of Corrections, Health and Mental Health, plus the Healthcare Authority, and the Office of Juvenile Affairs. One way or another, each has seen scandals with several directors hired and fired in eight years. If you become governor, you would have the same power. So, I'm curious, do you ever regret expanding Governor Stitt's authority to lead these major agencies, or are you excited by the prospect of hiring those directors if you become governor?
>> I don't regret that decision. In fact, the governor of the state of Oklahoma has very limited power in the state's constitution. The buck has to stop somewhere. With me, I I want the responsibility. I want the accountability. I want to be able to reform the executive branch of government. The executive branch is charged with executing and implementing the law that the legislature sets and the budget that they set. As governor, I want to go in and reform. I want the agencies be able to have the power to force them to work for the people of the state of Oklahoma. Right now, the agency see it the other way, that the people work for them. As governor, I'm going to ask the the legislature for more authority to reform the agencies.
>> Mr. Maize, when you were in the legislature, the boards and commissions hired and fired agency directors. Was that system better or worse than what we have now?
>> The real key to fiscal responsibility in the state of Oklahoma is to hire agency directors that are fiscal hawks and efficiency experts. As Oklahoma's next governor, those are the type of folks I will put in place as the head of agency so we can, for example, take advantage of audits done by my friend state auditor Cindy Byrd who discovered $1.6 billion worth of questionable expenses in SoonerCare every year. You know what the legislature did about it?
Absolutely nothing. Well, when we execute on her recommendations, we can save hundreds of millions of dollars for the people of Oklahoma, and that's the type of agency directors we will spearhead for the people of Oklahoma.
>> Mr. Drummond, you've been a staunch state critic. Should the legislature roll back hiring and firing authority and re-empower the boards and commissions that historically governed these agencies.
>> We've had 7 and 1/2 years of a governor with power to do things and he's not.
Now we need a 10 we need an 8-year run.
We have a governor that does the right thing.
Prioritizing education means you put the right people in the board of education, the best the state has to offer. To change the trajectory of health care, you have to put the right people in charge of health care, clinicians and administrators that know how to do it, not pretend how to do it. Similarly with health care authority mental health authority, we have burned these down around our feet with a governor that squandered power. We need a governor who can lead. There's only one person on this stage that serves the state as an executive officer. That's me. There's only one person on this stage that has built companies and led them as an executive and there's only one person on this stage who has led men into combat.
You need a leader and a leader who takes these things and applies them.
>> Mr. Keating, same question.
>> Yeah, absolutely. Look, I've signed a payroll for the last 17 years. I've run an oil and gas business uh right here in this great state, the largest economy in our state. What I've been talking about on our campaign trail, we are the definition of big government in Oklahoma. We have over 380 agencies, boards, and commissions. Look for common sense. Other states have figured out how to modernize with the times. Arkansas had 250 8 years ago, they have 15 today.
Let's modernize our state, right-size government, make it more effective for for the people. Cut the waste, fraud, and abuse out of the system and get it back to the people. And then we should lean in on the Senate like the federal model and have more robust robust oversight instead of rubber stamp when we go through confirmation processes.
>> Thank you very much, Mr. Mazie. I have the last question of this round for you.
To put it lightly, we've already talked about it, the state's mental health department has been revealed to be a mess. ODMHSAS will be treading water without an empowered commissioner over the until the next governor takes office in January. Questions about certified community behavioral health centers or CCBHCs are among the top unanswered issues that we have to deal with and an RFP is pending that could privatize four CCBHCs that the state currently runs. One of those, Jim Taliaferro Community Health Center, is here in Lawton, serves people in Altus and other parts of Southwest Oklahoma as well.
>> [clears throat] >> I have a two-part question. First, what type of leader will you want to be Oklahoma's next mental health commissioner? And second, do you support the move to privatize Jim Taliaferro here in Southwest Oklahoma?
>> Trace, you speak really fast.
>> Well, we're we got to make the Thunder game. So, two-part question.
>> But, my time starts now.
>> Your time starts when Ashton says so. Go ahead.
>> Now, Ashton.
The Mental Health and Substance Abuse Abuse Department or the Mental Health and Substance Abuse Department has been a train wreck. $780 million and they can't get their own core services right.
So, in a Stitt administration, I will appoint an agency director >> [clears throat] >> who will get back to the core services, which means we will launch a performance and investigative audit to find out where the money is because they screamed for $60 million because they couldn't make payroll.
We will also block grant to agencies or entities like Women in Recovery in Tulsa that actually know how to help people get well from drug addiction.
And we will empower the agency director to clean out the waste, fraud, and abuse and better focus on the people of Oklahoma who are trying to get past drug addiction and mental health problems.
>> Do you support the privatization of the Jim Taliaferro Center?
>> What I support is using faith-based organizations like Women in Recovery, John 3:16, the Hope House in Goldsby, the emerge re-emerge program in Oklahoma City, where they help transform people's lives, stay out of prison, and get free from drugs. That's who we need to empower.
>> That sounds like a yes. Mr. Drummond, same question to you. What type of mental health commissioner are you looking for? And do you support this push to privatize those state-run CCBHCs?
>> I'm the chief legal officer who's been overseeing the consent decree between mental health and the plaintiffs that sued us for not rehabilitating our defendant criminal defendants to get them back into the court. I have witnessed this agency is absolutely a train wreck. What we must have is a clinician who is skilled in administration. We've not had that for 8 years, and this is what we get for it.
Now, as it relates to CCBHCs, they're the very best bang for our buck.
So, our governor wants to cut them. So, let's take the most vulnerable among us who goes to a CCBHC for about $300 can take a mental health crisis and and abate it. When we close them down or we defund them and they don't go there anymore, they're going to go to our emergency rooms.
We're going to could have spent 400 bucks, but we're going to spend 2,500 bucks. So, we save a penny to spend a dollar. That's the policy of this governor. We cannot do that. Reducing every budget cuts core services.
We in Oklahoma have a crisis in health care and in mental health, and we have to do that. I would not privatize. We have great NGOs out here in the state, especially the one here in Lawton.
>> Thank you very much. Mr. Keating, same question to you. Who are you looking for as a commissioner of mental health?
Would you privatize those CCBHCs?
>> Yeah, I think everybody would agree up here the Department of Mental Health is a train wreck like a lot of other departments. First and foremost, prioritize someone that knows a little bit about mental health, and someone that actually has proven leadership to run an organization. We have an illicit drug crisis in our state that is 100% contributed to a mental health crisis in our state. We have gotten away when I was a state trooper, we had regional mental health facilities where we could take people that are experiencing a breakdown, whether they're going to do harm to themselves or harm to the community, and we had somewhere to put them. Today, we take them to a county jail. They owe our bond out within 24 hours and we've made the situation worse. They're sitting on the street. We got to get serious about tackling our drug crisis in our state and starting at the root of the problem and that is exactly what it is.
>> Would you privatize those four including G >> I would the state needs to get back into the business having regional facilities to take people and if there are good private public partnerships, I think we should sit down [clears throat] with good private public partnerships that have a track record of delivering results.
>> Thank you very much, Mr. McColl. Same question to you.
>> Yeah, the Department of Mental Health has had difficulties for quite a while.
And we have to have a governor that knows how an agency should work.
How agencies try to deflect, make excuses. As governor, I will do the same thing in the executive branch that I did as speaker in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. We're going to streamline things, but we are going to address the problem.
The answer is we have to have a director that knows the clinical side of mental health. You have to have that. Number two, you have to have a strong CFO within these agencies so that you don't wake up one day and you're $35 million underwater.
We have got to move to a regional approach in the state of Oklahoma. I'm supported by more than half of the sheriffs in the state of Oklahoma.
They are having to administer mental health in the jail facilities because we do not have enough facilities.
>> Real quick, would you privatize those those four CCBHCs including the one here? Would you privatize >> else stuck with the timeline, Trey, but I would I would definitely keep the state in the business, but where there are private sector solutions, I would look to deploy those as well.
>> Have her wave those?
>> Well, all right, we will wave that.
That's the end of round one. Give them a round of applause. That's good. Ashton, we've got some requests for you to really get their attention for it. Thank you guys very much. You're doing great, really. I I believe you are. Uh the second round is called the succession plan, and we're going to start with another 30-second toss-up, Jenna.
>> So, Oklahoma's education rankings sit either 49th or 50th, depending on the study. The state has had a Republican governor and Republican supermajorities in the legislature for over a decade.
When it comes to improving public schools and improving education outcomes, what will you do differently that will be effective, and why should parents, students, and teachers believe you?
>> On my first day in office, I will hire a statewide literacy director to replicate the very successful Mississippi model that took them from 50th to first in the country. I've spoken with the statewide literacy director of Mississippi. Her name is Amanda Malone, and the three most important elements of their successful program is phonics in all the curriculum, enough resources for reading coaches and specialists, and the third-grade reading gate for accountability, so our kids learn to read by third grade, because after third grade, they need to read to learn.
>> 30 seconds. Does anybody else same question?
>> I'm a member of a cohort at the Keen Hunt Institute, where it trains governors and future governors to lead in education. We need a governor that owns it.
You have to own it to change it. To do that, you have to study. And what we can do in Oklahoma to change is have a reading czar in each elementary school empowered to hire reading teachers in first, second, and third grade. But back it up to daycare. We need quality daycare, so 70% of our children are stimulated and not in front of a screen, and fed and educated, so they hit school ready to learn, so they can then read learn to read, and then learn read to learn.
>> I think you're going to hear everybody talk about the importance of literacy K through 3 phonics, teaching coaches. You need a governor who's going to have the courage not to abandon this 2 years from now when that third grade gate kicks in.
We passed this once, we abandoned it in 2014, House Bill 2625.
We cannot afford to do that again. We're dead last in literacy and we're number one per capita incarcerated. We can fix this, but a governor cannot bend to special interests the way that we did in 20 uh 6 2014, sorry.
>> Mr. McCall, 30 seconds to you.
>> Education has to have a strong governor.
Legislature has done its job. It's appropriated the highest level, passed the reforms.
Universal school freedom in the state of Oklahoma. The problem is the executive branch won't stick with the plan. As governor, I'm going to appoint only board members that will focus on getting those education outcomes up.
>> [clears throat] >> We will our rankings will move up. You should get a plan, you stick with it. No excuses. We're going to empower our teachers to teach. We are going to get behavioral issues in the classroom under control. Ladies and gentlemen, I've seen all the tricks.
I don't subscribe to them. I will improve Oklahoma's children's outcome in education.
>> Thank you very much. He's waving that thing around. Okay, for the next four questions in this round you'll each have 75 seconds to answer. Jenna, you have the question for Mr. Keating.
>> I do. Mr. Keating, as he did in 2023, Governor Stitt ended this legislative session by vetoing a bill to extend the sunset date of the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority or OETA. Now, in 2023, the legislature overrode Stitt's veto. This year, they did not. My understanding is OETA has had 1 year to wind down operations unless the legislature and our next governor strike a deal to keep it going. So, Mr. Keating, do you [clears throat] want OETA to stay on air or would you like to see something else done with the state tower assets, the TV channels, the OKC headquarters, and the Lawrence Welk Show rights?
>> Well, this is This is the problem with the state. Our state appropriated budget has doubled in the last 20 years, 17 and a half percent a year. Our wages have not grown for our people in Oklahoma anywhere near that. It's so what are these things that we're funding?
We've got to sit down and figure out what we need to prioritize and fund as a state. It's our taxpayer money instead of just letting government grow out of control. I'm the only candidate on this stage that has not grown government. We cannot sustain this. And so, OETA, if it does not have a core mission, no. I want to get more money back to the citizens of Oklahoma, going back to your last question, that are hurting right now with inflation. Government should never outgrow or outpace the private sector.
And unfortunately, that's exactly what we have seen over the last 20 years.
That's why we These three gentlemen have been governing like Democrats, but we all claim to be Republicans. Let's start acting like it, and that'll be my commitment to you.
>> Mr. McCall, when you were speaker, the legislature overrode Stitt's veto to keep OETA alive. As governor in 2027, what position would you take now?
>> Listen, I grew up in Atoka, a small town in southeastern Oklahoma, still live there today. When I was growing up, that's just one of the one of the few channels that we could pick up.
I supported OETA when I was speaker of the house and overrode that veto.
But here, OETA has got to get back to a mission.
OETA could play a role in improving our children's education outcomes. But back then, I warned them about their programming. It sounds like this year, the legislature said, "You didn't meet the standard." OETA would have to prove to me that they are a viable resource to the people of the state of Oklahoma.
These tax dollars are not the state of Oklahoma's. They are the taxpayers' money. Everything must be scrutinized. Thank you.
>> Mr. Mazie, same question.
>> Oklahoma Educational Television Authority.
Small agency, but really not the big issue when it comes to education in the state of Oklahoma.
What nobody's really talking about is how do we change an education system that has been hijacked by the radical left. We have 77 counties in the state of Oklahoma that voted for Donald Trump three times in a row. We've got 541 school districts that are run by liberal, left-leaning, radical socialists.
The only way that's going to change, and the only way we're going to get transparency and accountability in the system, is if the values of conservative Oklahomans are represented in the school boards. And the only way that happens is if we change these bizarre election dates in the winter to the general election dates in November, and every school board candidate should designate [clears throat] whether they're Republican or Democrat, so everybody knows their worldview. That's how we're going to change education in the state of Oklahoma, and that's my plan.
>> Mr. Mazie, but would you retain want to retain OETA, or would you want to get rid of it?
>> What I want to get rid of is the radical left, social liberals that are running 541 school districts, Trey.
>> Do you think all the state superintendents all the superintendents all the schools are radical left socialists?
>> I think 541 school districts are failing the students of Oklahoma when only 80% of them can read, and that means 500,000 students aren't reading at grade level.
That is unacceptable and Mr. McCall's answer to everything is let's increase their spending but not change and reform the system.
>> I just want to make sure I heard that right. Mr. Drummond, you're up. 75 seconds, same question. Would you retain OETA or not?
>> Okay, first I'm going to defend the teachers.
Oklahoma has great teachers and great administrators. They just need leadership at the governor's office. So, I'm not going to be The problem we've had the last 7 years, we've torn down teachers and administrators. We need to lift them up. As it relates to OETA, I would absolutely fund it. Why? Public safety.
Two of my colleagues and our governor are city boys. They don't know what it's like to live in the country. The only way you get safety broadcast across 77 counties, most of whom are rural, is through OETA. We have cut the knees out of public safety in Oklahoma with a short-sided agenda that tries to make something that it's not. OETA is a wholesome, excellent broadcasting network that needs to be sustained. I grew up with it. My children grew up with it. My grandchildren watch it.
And we'll restore it next year.
>> Yeah, I think there was some interesting motor roller funding. Mr. McCall, Mr. Mazie talked about you. Can I give you 15 seconds to respond?
>> Yeah, Mr. Mazie, you're just distorting the picture. You don't understand education. It was a disaster when you were senator.
I The teachers hadn't had a pay raise in 10 years when I became the speaker. We have made reforms. We have universal school choice. No one on this stage could get it done previously. Ladies and gentlemen, our teachers, our schools, yes, we have problems. I admit that, but we have some great schools out there. My home school just recognized nationally because the students there in third grade well above 80% reading on grade level.
>> Thank you very much.
>> Eight years speaker of the house, Charles McCall, and we're 49th in education.
>> Mr. Mazie.
>> Yeah, I get I get I was accused of being a city boy and funding when you were in the legislature.
>> be very clear. I split my split my time just like Getner does. I have a ranch in Logan County. He has a penthouse in First National. So, to refer to me as Stitt city boy is outrageous.
>> Mr. Drummond.
>> I just call them as I see them. How's the view?
>> I wanted to respond. I split my time on my ranch just like he does.
>> I have a full-time job called the Attorney General. I am in Oklahoma City four days a week.
>> a full-time job I have a full-time job making it happen in the private sector.
>> And we have a full-time job watching the Thunder at 7:30. We're going to go move on. I know each of you gentlemen is a pro-life candidate. So, let's talk a little bit about death. This session Governor Kevin Stitt vetoed House Bill 3660 which would have legalized and regulated a newer alternative to human burial and cremation called natural organic reduction or colloquially sometimes called human composting. Some view it as an eco-friendly alternative and an affirmation that we are dust and to dust we shall return. But others like Slaten Senator Dusty Deavers call it an affront to quote human dignity. Each of you is running as a conservative Christian small government Republican.
So, what is your take on natural organic reduction? Does it violate your moral code? Or do you think Oklahomans should have the right to return their bodies to the land if they want? Mr. McCall, 75 seconds to you.
>> Well, I'm a Christian and I believe these bones are going to rise again.
>> Amen, Charles.
>> And I am going to make sure that Listen, I'm 100% pro-life. What we need to be focused on is protecting the life of the unborn going forward just as I have done in the past from conception to the grave. When it comes to nuances about how we're buried, I know how I want to be. But quite honestly, I'm not going to spend the people's time on that when people are hurting, we have inflation out of control, insurance is high, utility rates are creeping up, and people can't are losing their homes because they can't pay their property taxes. Governor McCall is going to address those issues that the families talk about around the kitchen table every night. And the ones that they have been talking to me are Well, I've done the 77 county tour.
People are more important more important than politics. We have to have leaders that respond to the people who elect us, who will be truthful, and who will go out and get the things done that are important to them. That's what I'm going to do as Governor McCall.
>> Mr. Maizey, same question to you. Uh would you support the development of that industry in Oklahoma, or do you think it's a violation of your moral code?
>> I'm glad Governor Stitt vetoed that disgusting bill. And I firmly believe from the principles that I read in the Bible that every life is precious. And during my 12 years in the Senate, I had a 100% pro-life voting record. And as a matter of public policy, I'm against abortion in all circumstances. Now, I want to take the remainder of my time and talk about how we have a vibrant economy for the people of Oklahoma. We're losing energy companies to Texas, uh the state of Tennessee has 58% more economic growth than we do. Why? They're both no income tax states. I'm the one guy with the plan who in year one will ask the legislature to reduce your state income tax from 4 and 1/2% to 3% as part one in a three-part plan [snorts] to become a no income tax state so we can have tremendous growth and opportunity for our kids and our grandkids. It is high time that we get on board or get left behind.
>> Thank you very much. Mr. Drummond, same question to you.
>> I'm pro-life from the womb to a natural death. Um I will tell you when I'm resurrected, I would like a little bit better body than the one I got right now. So, I'm not so concerned about what I am when that soul's gone and that body's in the ground. Um I think that was I don't have an opinion on that legislation. I'm focused on public safety and protecting your wallet. Uh but that's where it is. Now, I do want to just add a little correction on the record of plans to reduce taxes.
We can cut property taxes to zero as Mr. Mazie promotes and we would shut down police forces, county sheriffs, education, roads and bridges.
We can't do that. So, when you hear somebody say a plan, hold them to it. Go to the website and look at it. Look at my website, drummondok.com. There's a plan for education. The plan for reduced taxes is to grow our economy. We do that through education, health care, mental health and the companies will stay in Oklahoma.
>> Mr. Keating, 75 seconds to you. Do you support that bill or you think it's a bad idea?
>> Yeah, no. It look >> get to respond to that?
>> I'd like to know your name.
>> Mr. Keating.
>> Yeah, we're all pro-life. Uh look at the governor should did the right thing. Um let's talk about taxes. Let's talk about the pace of government growth in our state.
When Senator Mazie left office, he left a $1.3 billion shortfall the next year.
And I know we're going to have fact checkers here.
Speaker McCall passed the largest tax increase in state history.
>> No.
>> The reality is Deven and Charles both warned in 2018 the day was coming and there would be a day of reckoning. And unfortunately, my [clears throat] friends, that day happened 3 months ago.
And the Petroleum Alliance properly stated and was quoted by an energy executive that said the Houston skyline has been built over the years on the backs of bad policy decisions coming out of Oklahoma and Louisiana.
If we're going to get serious about freezing, reducing property taxes, we have to eliminate our state income tax if we want to keep up with Tennessee, Texas, Mississippi, Florida, the other states that have figured it out.
But there is no way we're going to be able to do that if we behave like tax and spend liberals.
That is just the reality. Government has grown way too much in Oklahoma and it is time that we right-size government and get this economy working for the citizens of Oklahoma.
>> Thank you very much, Mr. Maizy. Now you get 15 seconds because Mr. Keating did attack your record. Go ahead, sir.
>> Well, they both did and neither of them obviously understand money and finances like I do.
>> have $2 billion worth of mess in the tax code. You can't really trust the money ideas from an agency director like Mr. Drummond who grew his spending by 200%. I don't know how a Republican can face himself in the mirror with that spending record.
[clears throat] >> Thank you very much, Mr. Drummond. 15 to you.
>> 70% of my budget is passed through to our sheriffs, opioid abatement, domestic violence, lethality assessment protocol.
And when I get recoveries from PBMs, 53 million goes through my budget. That's what Mr. Maizy is failing to understand.
>> Mr. McCall, we've brought you into this 15 seconds.
>> Yeah, the statement by Chip Keating is just false.
The taxes were lower when I left office by a lot than when I began. I passed the largest tax cut in the state.
Now, it is true that Mike Maizy did give me the worst economy in state history to have to fix.
But you guys want to talk about taxes, let's open it up. Let's take the time limit off. I'm ready.
>> Oh, well, and but we want to watch the Thunder game. Mr. Keating, I'm going to give you >> Wait, wait, wait. I know these guys want to make false narratives.
>> It's not false narratives.
>> day the week. There's fact-checkers going to watch this. The largest tax increase in state history is House Bill 1010XX, 2018.
>> not Maize.
>> I know, but I mean the point is that is the largest tax increase in state history. Larry Nichols, Harold Hamm, both warned the legislators that they would regret that decision, and the day happened 3 months ago.
>> Man, I was there for that. We'll check that. Mr. Maize, the good news is the next question Jenna has to start for you.
>> Okay, moving on to tribal relations.
Each of you has said you will chart a more collaborative course in terms of state relations with sovereign tribal nations. Tonight's debate is being held within the bounds of the Comanche Nation, which has not had its territory affirmed as an Indian Country reservation like the five tribes. Among other things, that means surface mining regulation here remains with the state, unlike in eastern Oklahoma, where a federal judge said the 2020 McGirt decision means the US Department of the Interior is in charge of regulating mineral mining.
As we stand here tonight, members of the Comanche Nation still fear that a proposal from West Wind Elements or some other company will reignite a push to mine rare metals in the area. Tribal leaders have already sounded the alarm about pollution in Nine Mile Creek, and they worry industrial-scale rare metal mining will destroy things that cannot be replaced. So, here's the question.
How do you balance a desire for economic development with a need for environmental protections, and why should Comanche Nation citizens vote for you in this election, Mr. Maize?
>> Well, the McGirt decision changed the landscape of Oklahoma, and we definitely need to repair, restore, and rebuild our relationships with the Comanche Nation and all 39 tribes. They are the crown jewel of Oklahoma, and they give us wonderful opportunities for growth and collaboration that other states just don't get to enjoy. So, in a Maize administration, we will take those relationships very seriously and work together for win-win discussions. But, I do want to get back to taxes, my favorite subject, because the people of Oklahoma really want to know how to have property tax relief instead of some of the statements you've heard up here.
They're suffering from 30, 40, 50% increases, and some of these counties have so much growth that we can phase out the property taxes for seniors and veterans, which only accounts for 10% of the total property tax liability.
Phasing it out over two or three years, the counties will still have two, three, four percent growth every year, and it's high time seniors and veterans should not have to pay rent to the government for the rest of their lives.
>> And real quick, Mr. I mean, I'm going to go to Mr. Drummond. The question is, how do you balance the desire for economic development with the need for environmental protections? Why should Comanche Nation voters vote for you?
>> If our pub- 38 nationally federally recognized tribes were public corporations, let's call them Comanche Inc.
Three would be Fortune 500 companies, Chickasaws, Choctaws, Cherokees. One would be a Fortune 1000, Citizens Potawatomi. For the last seven years, they've been alienated by state government. Just the Cherokees alone have invested in 46 states.
Why?
Cuz Oklahoma closed the door. We need a governor that values the partnership with the tribes and unleashes the economic opportunity that they bring into Oklahoma. Through, instead of putting money in investing Oklahoma with a friend of the governor, we can invest those with the tribes in joint venture, raising jobs, raising income, increasing the economic activity of our state. As it relates to criminal justice, early in my 10 years as attorney general, I negotiated an intergovernmental agreement with the The tribes of Ottawa County, two five of whom have the merged status, where we would cross-deputize our district attorneys and our judges to act on the name in the name of the Modoc, the Shawnee, Rappahoe, and the like, and then they could save that money, open up their health care and mental health clinics to Oklahomans. Partnership is the key to the future with Oklahomans.
>> Mr. Keating, same question. Why should Comanche Nation citizens vote for you in this election?
>> Yeah, there's no question. It's been a real mess the last 7 and 1/2 years with the current governor's relationship with our tribal partners. I'd be committed day one to hitting the reset button with all of our tribal partners across the state. They are a key a a key stakeholder in the state state of Oklahoma and a key partner, and we need to work together. Where are the stakeholders when it comes to issues, environmental issues? I will tell you there's so much regulatory red tape though in our state. As an oil and gas operator, small business owner, the OCC, the DEQ, there's all these entities that regulate water, and they want all your fines when it's when it's time to go in, but when there's an issue, they all just point at each other, and it's a total logjam. It's so we need a governor that's willing to do common sense. Let's sit down with our tribal partners. We're better together than separated. Let's figure out what the needs are, be mindful of regulatory burdens that we're talking about, and we need to be mindful, obviously, to the land in our great state, but not so much that we over-regulate ourselves out of any prosperity and growth because that's exactly what we've been doing the last 20 plus years.
>> Mr. McCall, same question.
>> Well, since 1885, our family has lived either within the Chickasaw Nation boundaries or the Choctaw Nation boundaries.
And our family, through our private businesses, have found a way to work very well with the tribal nations. As a mayor, I found a way to work with the city of Atoka and the Choctaw Nation. As speaker, we found ways to work together.
We have had a problem the last 7 years, uh going on eight, with our tribal partners. 38 federally recognized tribes in the state of Oklahoma.
That's an opportunity for the governor of the state of Oklahoma. That is an opportunity for the entire, for all Oklahomans.
As governor, I'm going to look to compact with the tribal nations. I'm going to show them deference. I'm going to be respectful. We will find agreements to move this state forward.
Our tribal nations want Oklahoma to be successful as well. As governor, I will sit down, have those conversations. We will find a way to move forward, just like I did when I was speaker of the house and mayor of Atoka. Thank you.
>> We're going to talk about this just a little bit more, Mr. Drummond. I have the next question for you. Governor Stitt has advocated for the McGirt decision to be overturned either through Congress disestablishing the five tribes and the nine many of the nine tribes' reservations, uh or through legal action that would seek to establish concurrent state jurisdiction for prosecuting uh tribal citizens in eastern Oklahoma. In Tulsa County, both DA candidates, incumbent Steve Kunzweiler and challenger Collin Walkarty, both say the state should have concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute tribal citizens. Kunzweiler instead have opposed the city of Tulsa's 2025 agreement with the Muscogee Nation, which sent city traffic tickets written to Indians within the Muscogee reservation to the tribe for adjudication. This morning, thank you, Oklahoma Supreme Court, they ruled 8 to 1 that the agreement was invalid because neither the governor or the legislature's joint committee on tribal relations approved it. In December, Mr. Drummond, I asked you about this topic and you said, "In my administration, all these troubles will be resolved and complicated." You said, "We've got a plan." I'm curious if you can start telling me that plan tonight on the stage and let's start with do you believe the state should have concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute tribal citizens in Eastern Oklahoma?
>> I have a better solution. I mentioned in my last answer working on an intergovernmental agreement with the nine tribes in Ottawa County.
We have negotiated it with the big three tribes, Chickasaws, Choctaws, and Cherokees. With their consent, those nine will enter into it in January of 2027. And this is what it is.
Cross-deputize our DA and our and our and our judges. So, when they adjudicate a felon Native American felon, they do it in the name of the state and the tribe. And when they adjudicate they prosecute, adjudicate, and incarcerate.
Right now, the tribes are realizing when a federal judge sentences a Cherokee to to prison time, they go to Leavenworth or Fort Worth. And that destroys the family fabric. The tribes want them they want it back in the bottle. What they can do instead of spending the billions of dollars, which they're not spending yet, on courthouses, prosecutors, and judges, they can spend in healthcare and mental health, and we can partner with them in that. So, the solution is the state of Oklahoma doing it in the name of the tribe, showing respect, courtesy, and commony. The governor spent over 70 million dollars trying to convince the Supreme Court they were wrong 7 years ago. That doesn't work.
We've wasted money. We've wasted time.
We need a governor We have a chief legal officer right now that's negotiated it.
We need a governor that will accept it and pro and send forward that opportunity.
>> So, not concurrent jurisdiction, but a compact that functions like it?
>> Compact where we where the tribe we recognize the sovereignty of the tribe by adjudicating, prosecuting, and incarcerating in the name of the tribe.
>> name of the tribe. Mr. Keeting, same question for you. Do you believe Oklahoma should have concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute tribal citizens in Indian Country? And a little separately also, as Governor Kevin Stitt's former Secretary of Public Safety, do you agree with his position that members of the five tribes must have a state wildlife department license to hunt and fish in eastern Oklahoma?
>> Yeah, so when I was at secretary of public safety and McGirt came down, I actually signed the cross deputization agreement for the tribes as secretary of public safety. The reality is public safety should not see any boundaries, state boundaries, county boundaries.
Public safety members as a former state trooper, you run to danger. You don't run away from it. So I immediately did that on the heels of McGirt. What I wish I we had seen happen is that we had a governor that had a better relationship with the tribes. Not to say that McGirt would have been totally avoidable. I think we could have had a different outcome with our tribal partners if we didn't have such a toxic relationship together. And so I think the next governor as in in Governor Keating's administration, we've got to hit the reset button. We have to get united. We have to understand the issues in their sovereignty, but maintain Oklahoma. We are better together and not divided. And I think we've just seen a lot of bad rhetoric over the last 7 and 1/2 years that has prevented that from happening.
>> Well, I'm curious. The yes or no question is first >> On the wildlife department >> Well, I want to get there, but do you believe the state should have concurrent prosecutorial jurisdiction in eastern Oklahoma?
>> Yeah, I support what the Supreme Court just ruled on this morning. On the wildlife issues, I don't think look, it's real simple.
>> As an avid land management and outdoorsman, I love to hunt. We cannot have people just hunting all over the land not during hunting seasons. There won't be anything to hunt if we don't have any rules around it. And so we need to have a regulatory agency that oversees hunting and fishing. That's the wildlife department. We live in the state of Oklahoma and I believe the wildlife department should have authority over it.
>> Mr. McCall, same question to you. Do you Do live in eastern Oklahoma, You've already mentioned it. Do you believe the state should have concurrent jurisdiction to prosecute tribal citizens?
>> Well, yes, I do. I mean, we're all Oklahoma, but we have to respect uh tribal sovereignty, but Oklahoma has has sovereignty as well.
The the big miss on this issue and why we have it today, before the McGirt decision came down, it was everyone thought it would be a different case. At that time, we had all five of the civilized large tribes in the state of Oklahoma, the speaker of the house, the Senate pro tem signed up on an agreement that we were all agree that things weren't going to change, that we were going to move forward.
The governor's actions of the state of Oklahoma ended that, blew it all up. We have got to get back to compacting. There is a path there to bring our both sets of laws into congruency, but we have to have a leader who's willing to listen and work with each uh tribe of the state of Oklahoma.
>> Hunting and fishing licenses, should tribal citizens have to have them in Eastern Oklahoma from the state?
>> We need to restore the compact on hunting and fishing licenses. The biggest problem is without it, tribal citizens do not have to don't don't have to follow the state's rules. We've Those compacts are important to make the rules the same for all Oklahomans. I'm going to pursue that as a priority as governor of the state of Oklahoma.
>> Thank you very much, Mr. Maizey. Same question to you. I'll come back if we still [clears throat] have time. Mr. Maizey, uh concurrent jurisdiction Should the state >> to concur on that.
>> Thank you. Uh should the state have concurrent jurisdiction in Eastern Oklahoma to prosecute tribal citizens?
>> Concurrent jurisdiction is good. The previous compacts for licenses for hunting and fishing were good, but the public safety issue that Oklahomans are really concerned about is this mess of the Chinese Communist owning land all across the state of Oklahoma and this wild wild west of marijuana that we have due to the legislature completely failing to deal with the situation once the people voted for medical marijuana.
Now, a couple years ago the house under Speaker McCall's leadership passed Senate Bill 212 in 2023 that opened the door to this loophole because the AG's office created this affidavit, Mr. Drummond's office, that literally says if you check a box I'm not a citizen, but an alien who is or shall become a bonafide resident of the state of Oklahoma, you can check that box and any illegal alien can buy whatever they want in the state of Oklahoma. On my first day in office in Trump-like fashion, I will sign an executive order and wipe out that unconstitutional nonsense loophole because our constitution forbids the foreign ownership of land.
>> Mr. Mazie, yes or no, real quick. Should the state have concurrent jurisdiction in Eastern Oklahoma to prosecute tribal citizens?
>> Well, I already said concurrent jurisdiction.
>> thank you. Mr. Drummond, 10 seconds to you. Mr. McCall, 10 seconds to you.
>> The big three tribes, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Cherokee, their tribal hunting and license in regulations are identical to Oklahomans.
The seasons are identical to Oklahomans and they can only hunt on tribal land or with the permission of the landowner.
So, there's no recklessness, there's no wild west out there. We've done it right. As it relates to the comment by Mr. Mazie on the affidavit, this attorney general >> You've used up your 15 seconds.
>> law says what it says and that affidavit reflects our law. If we don't like the law, we got to change it.
>> Mr. McCall, close it out. 15 seconds.
>> Yeah, Mr. Maize is just taking unfair cheap shots. Somebody had to do something. Nobody else on this stage did anything. I did something about it, and I'll finish the job as governor.
>> still out there.
That sounds like Layden round two to me.
Give him a round of applause. There we go.
>> Uh I I I hope we're going to talk about marijuana.
>> Uh well, I could do a hand raise to whoever smoked it if you want to go there. Uh okay. Round three, record keeping is the title. Uh I have another quick hand raise question, but it's not that one. The three of you three of you up here, I'm sorry, have loaned your campaign significant money, and Mr. Drummond, it's a long way to November 3rd. You haven't yet that I has been reported, but you might. Uh ethics commission rules allow candidates to get elected to office and then raise money while they're in office and then pay back their personal campaign loans.
Governor Kevin Stitt famously said he would not do that with his 2018 campaign loans because of the obvious perception concerns of raising money while you're in office and then possibly having that go back in your pocket. I'm curious.
Yes, no, hand raise.
Would any of you make the same pledge not to pay yourself back for your campaign loans uh with money raised after you've been in office?
Anybody raise their hand?
Okay, great. We're going to go move on.
The rest of this uh round, the questions are uh set up so that each of you uh will have a question tailored directly to your campaign. You'll have 90 seconds to answer. The rest of you will have 30 seconds to squeeze in as many mean statements as you can, and then the initial candidate who received the question will have 30 seconds uh to finally conclude that discussion. Jenna, you have the first question for Mr. McCall.
>> Yes, I do. Mr. McCall, your TV advertisements have shown you chopping a banana, eating a hamburger, and pulling a truck from the mud, but those who followed your eight years leading the Oklahoma House knew you were knew you more as a banker who owned several vehicles and an airplane, who cut political deals, who raised a lot of money from special interests, and who used his influence to advance controversial bills. A measure on railroad crossings was ruled unconstitutional. Some tag agent bills got your former OKC roommate indicted, and you ensured that legislation to decriminalize cockfighting passed the House. So, how do you respond to folks who think your time deep in the legislative swamp has left too much mud on your boots.
>> Well, thank you for that question.
>> [laughter] >> Listen, the Speaker of the House is elected by the members of the House. The Speaker of the House serves at the pleasure of the members.
And as Speaker, I advanced the most conservative agenda in in the state of Oklahoma's history as well as any other state in the country.
We cut personal income tax. We cut the corporate income tax.
We eliminated the grocery tax, the franchise tax, and the marriage penalty.
That's where the largest tax cut in state history came, not these other bills that have been thrown around. At the end of the day, you talk about some the ads on the campaign, chopping bananas, eating burgers. These are real questions and real issues with the people of the state of Oklahoma.
People on this stage stood by and watched our kids get tranced.
Let them parents drag them in. Try to change what they're not. What what God didn't make them to be. I did something about it. I banned gender reassignment surgeries on minors.
I will always stand up for our families and for our children. And I will not be apologetic about doing that. Campaigns are somewhat about theater. They are about getting people's attention.
But ladies and gentlemen, I have always worked for the people of the state of Oklahoma.
I've never lied to them. I've gone out and done the things that they wanted, and I'll continue to do that again.
Thank you for the question.
>> Mr. Mazie, your thoughts on Mr. McCall's >> to respond?
>> Yes, but after in order, we'll get to you.
>> Okay.
>> Okay, Mr. Mazie, your thoughts on Mr. McCall's record as a speaker.
>> I've known Charles a long time, and I really like Charles.
He's a good man, and he loves his wife, and he loves his kids, and and they have a great family.
Now, the difference between Mr. McCall's governing philosophy and my governing philosophy is I dealt with difficult tax years, and cut spending, clean up the tax code, and balanced the budget. Mr. McCall's approach was hike taxes, largest tax increase in Oklahoma history, and increase spending.
I don't think that's the governing philosophy that the people of Oklahoma want.
>> Okay, Mr. Drummond, you worked with Mr. McCall when he was speaker. What are your thoughts on his record?
>> I think the the difficulty Mr. McCall will have if he's elected governor is working with the Senate. He's created animosity there. It's hard for a representative to work with the Senate.
It's just going to be hard for a senator to work with representatives. I've built a coalition for the last 3 and 1/2 years of senators and legislators, and that's the winning ticket.
>> Mr. Keating, while you were Secretary of Public Safety, your top priority, a bill to unify state law enforcement agencies under the Department of Public Safety, died in a conference committee. Do you hold that against Mr. McCall?
>> Well, first I should get time to respond to his hit.
>> Do it.
>> [clears throat] >> Okay. So, he's talking about me. I served on O U Health, and the minute we found out that there was a rogue doctor, I'm proud of the service we did. We fired her. The question I would ask Speaker McCall, why didn't you know about it? Because OU Health is appropriated entity by the state of Oklahoma, and you left an appointed board member in place, and now that you're running for your next off- office hopping gig, you want to make a campaign issue about it. And even further, you put my 16-year-old daughter in an ads insinuating I'm for gender mutilation.
It's shameful. That's not who I am in Oklahoma. I've never been a Democrat or ever voted for a Democrat. Charles McCall cannot say the same thing. So, to put me in that light is outrageous. Now, what was the question about?
>> Oh, I think we got it.
Mr. McCall, you want to close us out for 30 seconds.
>> Now, you want me to answer about the unified >> about law enforcement unification in the runoff debate.
>> Well, look, it it was killed in the House and Senate because we were going to stand up a public corruption division.
I want to shine the light in on public corruption in this state, and my friend Trey Savage knows what I'm talking about because he reported on it. It's time to get serious. Oklahomans are sick to death of all the brother-in-law deals and the rules for thee and not for me, and that's exactly why it did not pass pass in the House and Senate.
>> Mr. McCall, 30 seconds, close it out.
>> Well, that's not enough, but anyway, Mr. Keating, you are not being truthful.
You sat on the board for 6 years before I banned gender reassignment surgeries in the state of Oklahoma. You did nothing. You did nothing. Mr. Maizey, with all due respect, you handed me the worst economy in state history to have to fix. You couldn't even balance the checkbook of the state of Oklahoma.
Let's be real. You all got your shot at me, but ladies and gentlemen, at the end of the day, the people of the state don't care about these fights. What they care about is who's going to deliver for them.
Through all the ready rhetoric, and it is tough. These issues are tough, but I delivered for the people of the state of Oklahoma. That will be my priority and I will continue to do it as your next governor.
>> Thank you very much. You get to end the question about you, Mr. Mazie. You'll get to end this question about you.
Uh you served the maximum 12 years allowed in the state Senate from 2004 to 2016. And you served two sessions as you mentioned as Governor Kevin Stitt's cabinet secretary of budget. While you've been criticized for that vote about the Electoral College that you say you didn't make, I'm more struck by what I hear from people who I worked with you at the state capitol.
Uh almost to a T, I've heard some version of the same story innumerable times. People found you generally unpleasant to work with, full of yourself, and for a period of time while you were recovering from your spinal surgery, somewhat disoriented and having a difficult time with professional conversations lying on a couch in your office or in the back of the Senate.
Now, I think people have sympathy for what you went through with that serious injury, but I'm not exaggerating when I say a wide variety of people in the broader legislative say their experience working with you at the capitol means they cannot support your governor's campaign. And I'm curious, how do you respond to people like that and ask for a second chance? 90 seconds.
>> Well, the facts don't comply with your narrative.
In spite of a car wreck that that did break my back, and I had years of pain and suffering, the Lord helped me persevere and eventually get my abilities back. And while I was in the Senate, I passed two big tax cuts. I rescued the almost bankrupt pension systems for teachers and police officers. I launched the Oklahoma back to school sales tax holiday. I killed the one and a half billion dollar giveaway to the wind power companies, and I killed the Oklahoma state tax. You don't really get all that done unless you have good collaborative relationships with people in the house and in the Senate. Now going forward, I want to bring that same type of collaboration and energy to the true reform-minded conservatives [snorts and clears throat] that are tired of these people at the Capitol that used to be Democrats like Charles McCall and Gentner Drummond.
And or like Gentner Drummond gave money to Joe Biden or Drummond gave money to the anti-Lincoln project >> which was created to undermine President Trump. And the problem at the Capitol is you've got these former Democrats masquerading as Democrats and that's why a lot of the important true reform conservative items have never been taken care of.
>> Thank you very much Mr. Drummond. I'm sure I don't need to tee this up to you much, but you've had members of your staff who've worked with Senator Mazie at the Capitol. I'm curious what what what you've heard, what your take is and what you want to respond to.
>> I think Mike who holds himself out to be a financial expert, he actually just takes your money and gives it to Raymond James. Raymond James has been fined over $400 million for injuring investors. And I'm just curious how many of his clients have been injured by Raymond James. One. Two, the lie on the Biden donation, he knows better, he's seen it and folks, if he'll lie to you, why in the world would you elect him governor?
>> I think I have a Raymond James account.
Uh Mr. Keating, you served on Governor Kevin Stitt's cabinet with Mr. Mazie.
What was your experience?
>> Look, I'm not going to knock people's character up here. I don't have any issues with Mike Mazie. What I have issues with are tax and spend liberals. That's who I'm standing with on the stage. We claim to be conservatives, but we haven't governed that way. And so it's not a hit on them personally. I want to bring conservative leadership to the state capital. We're all going to get fact-checked after this debate tonight.
The reality is Oklahoma City year over or I'm sorry, Oklahoma year over year has gone up 17.5% the appropriated budget. Where's the money?
>> Uh okay, Mr. McCall. I thought that >> I'm sorry. I got the >> No, that's great. Good job following instructions.
Mr. McCall, you have 30 seconds.
>> Well, you know, I've lost track of the question. Could you repeat it?
>> okay. I have it written.
You know >> I'm not friendly when I'm at the capital.
>> Yeah, correct. What have you found him to be? Friendly or not?
>> Well, when I came into the legislature 2013 was my first session.
I did meet Senator Mazie. I I thought he was nice guy, pleasant guy.
Never had a coarse word, but we had a failing economy.
Um it didn't get any better.
Um Good, bad, or indifferent. Senator Mazie, I'm sure he tried his best. I know he worked hard for the people of the state of Oklahoma.
But he handed me the worst economy up in state's history. My first year as speaker, I had to address that.
Um you know, we've talked He's made comments about taxes tonight. He introduced the largest tax increase in state history to to raise your personal income taxes. A $539 million fiscal impact.
>> There are that There's that wave sign.
There we go.
>> Where Where is it?
>> Right there on the wall.
>> You got to wave it.
>> There it goes. We ran away.
>> But other than that, Mike, I like you.
>> There we go. Well, that's >> you, too, Charles.
>> Mr. Mazie, uh >> We like each other.
>> There we go. See, we're back to the round one. Be a human. Mr. Mazie, 30 seconds to close it out.
>> Hey, my last year in 2016, we balanced the budget. Constitutionally, before you leave the capital, you have to balance the budget. The fact of the matter is, when you raise taxes to grow spending, you don't really solve problems for the people of Oklahoma. And as far as Mr. Drummond is concerned, check the Federal Election Commission records. You'll find a Drummond contribution to Joe Biden.
>> Thank you very much. The next question, conveniently, is for Mr. Drummond. I'm making a lot of friends up here. Let's keep it going. Mr. Drummond, you've campaigned as the tough on crime candidate, but your four years as attorney general have featured some decisions that sometimes people think reflect the opposite. You took over the prosecution of a former house leader and dismissed it despite telling me he was, quote, guilty. When an OKC police officer was charged with aggravated assault for body slamming an elderly Asian man and fracturing his spine, you also took over that case and dismissed it saying the officer expressed no, quote, criminal intent. When a state representative from Pawnee County battered his wife and chased their child at high speeds down a dirt road, your office surreptitiously struck a plea deal with him that avoided prison time and adjudicated the case before the public even knew something had happened.
Allowed to retain his position in the plea deal, the lawmaker resigned two days later amid public outrage.
Similarly, your office pleaded out embezzlement charges against the Cleveland County Sheriff, although he resigned the same day those charges were revealed and adjudicated. Meanwhile, a state representative in Oklahoma City received similar treatment with her forgery case revealed the same day she pleaded and resigned. So, what do you say to Oklahomans who look at those five cases and think your time as attorney general has involved a lot of preferential treatment for influential people?
>> The attorney general has a multi- >> county grand jury. And in the instance of General Hunter prosecuting the representative, it was fabricated on just using a facsimile. So, that was a witch hunt against elected official I dismissed and wrote him an apology. As it relates to Officer Gibson, folks, don't touch a police officer.
If you touch somebody that's unwanted, that's a battery. That's a crime. When Mr. Vu touched Mr. Gibson, he took him down.
The DA in Oklahoma County charged him with a felony.
Had that been adjudicated, he'd still be an officer and a CLEET holding certified officer.
The deal that we struck with him is he had to resign his CLEET certification and never be in law enforcement again.
That's a victory for Oklahoma.
As it relates to >> The three state law >> The three state law makers, okay.
>> Sheriff, sorry.
>> So as it relates to the representative in Pawnee County, his wife contacted me and said, "I will not testify against him."
You know what that means? I don't get a conviction. So, in lieu of that, we struck a plea where he confessed to the crime and resigned his office. That's good results. As it relates to Sheriff Amerson, it's a victimless crime where he loaned from his campaign account into his personal account and repaid it each time. It is a crime.
And what he got adjudicated with is pled guilty to a felony, resigned as as Sheriff of Cleveland County. And lastly, as it relates to A.J. Pittman, who did in fact injure the state of Oklahoma by stealing from campaign donations, uh she got the appropriate with a sentence of 5 years and a ban from holding state office in the future. Great results, efficiently handled.
>> Mr. Keating, uh you've watched these cases. I saw you make a face. What are your thoughts?
>> Yeah, this is crazy. This is his political cronies. Rules for thee, not for me. I'm going to shine the light on public corruption. This is the definition of it. Let's talk about Logan Jones and Matt Stacey, who are the face of straw buyers for illegal Chinese grows. And guess what? Our AG took those cases away and dismissed them.
>> That's a lie. That's a lie. They're being prosecuted in federal court with my >> Out outrageous.
>> Think we'll fact check that. Go ahead.
Oh, no, don't go ahead. You have the low sign. Okay, Mr. McCall, you know these cases, especially as you testified before that grand jury that indicted your former second-ranking member of the house.
Did you agree with Mr. Drummond's assessment that your legislative ally had been quote targeted and the charges should be dismissed?
>> Listen, I've I've followed the law. I was asked to come testify. I gave testimony.
Um and listen, that's why we have three branches of government.
Um I have not always agreed with the current AG's position on things. While I was speak I was speaker the last 2 years AG Drummond was the AG. There were times that we did have uh some conversations about what was best for the state of Oklahoma. We didn't agree on those, but he was the attorney general of the state of Oklahoma. It went It moved forward. What looks bad what's bad optics is when you cut a deal.
The Mr. Vo situation, when you cut a deal um and take away a case and drop the charges and 2 days later you get the endorsement of the FOP. That's really bad optics.
>> Thank you very much, Mr. Mazie. Same question to you. 30 seconds, what are your thoughts on those cases?
>> I just want to say I like Gentner Drummond, too.
And he served our country and I appreciate his his service in the military. What I think conservative Republican voters want to know is why did the Drummonds give money to Biden? Why did they give money to the Lincoln Project? And maybe it's just time for the Drummonds to say to the people of Oklahoma they prefer Joe Biden over Trump. He's There's an email to my Congressman Kevin Hern that Mr. Drummond said, "It's a non-starter to meet with you because you're a super supporter of Donald Trump."
>> Thank you very much, Mr. Drummond. 30 seconds to close it out.
>> The three gentlemen on on stage combined gave to President Trump $10,760.
Multiply it by seven and that's what I gave to President Trump, $75,000.
A man who gives $75,000 to President Trump would not give a penny to Joe Biden and we did not. And he's attacking Wendy on that and that's just foul play and he knows it. So, that's that. As it relates to uh the prosecution of fraudsters, Matt Stacy will probably spend the rest of his life in prison. We are collaborating with the federal government because they can charge him longer than the state can and we have to have changed some of our laws in Oklahoma cuz the governor keeps vetoing these laws that would stop public corruption. As it relates to Mr. Swadley today, defrauded the state of Oklahoma $3,000, he will spend the next 11 years in prison for doing that. Today the judgment was rendered.
>> Thank you very much. We'll all go get you Winchester >> clear, OBN referred the Matt Stacy case to the USA.
>> I said we'll fact-check it. I want to go get Winchester burgers and watch this Thunder game. Jenna, you have the final question for Mr. >> Yes, I do. Mr. Keeting, you've attempted to position yourself as a political outsider but a lot of people find that hard to believe. You grew up in the governor's mansion and you ran for but lost a state house seat in 2006. More recently, you also served in the cabinet of Governor Stitt as Secretary of Public Safety and you spent a chunk of your own money to help defeat a top state senator 2 years ago. So, what do you say to folks who think electing you could represent both a return to establishment politics and a risk of continuing the dysfunctional parts of the Stitt administration?
>> Well, I'm very proud of the family I come from and it's no secret that I ran from the state house and I'm proud of that because I cared to serve. I'm a former state trooper. I've taken an oath to protect and serve and I put my hands on very dangerous people. I was talking about the issues that none of these folks have been able to fix in 2005, property taxes and income taxes. Look it up.
Where is our leadership in our state?
God had different plans for me and I went into the private sector. I care about our state and I'd do it all over again. We had an incoming pro tem that was threatening to defund the police.
And so, what did I do? We stepped up.
And we had and we had them primary. I did not hide behind super PAC money. I was very open and transparent that I was the one funding it. The way we should be as Oklahomans. As it relates to this race, I'm an outsider because look at my donation records. All the PAC money, and people ask, "Do you have any PAC money?"
It's in the coffers of these two gentlemen right here because they're the insiders. I'm raising money from all Oklahomans all over the state of Oklahoma because I'm going to serve and go back to the private sector the way our founding fathers intended it to be.
>> Mr. McCall, what is your reaction to hearing Mr. Keating call himself things like a true outsider?
>> With [laughter] all due respect to my friend, he's the he's the definition of an insider. You cannot grow up in the the governor's office, run for office and fail, get appointed to the executive branch by a governor, leave after 2 years, and then and then run a campaign that you're you're an outsider. Uh the reality is, you know, ladies and gentlemen, that I the people of the state of Oklahoma, they deserve a governor that's that's not going to make excuses and deflect.
I believe Chip, you've proven tonight you're going to say whatever it takes to become governor and get back in that governor's mansion. That's okay, but that's not what I'm focused on.
>> Okay, Mr. Mazie, >> the people of this state.
>> Thank you. Mr. Mazie, you served on Governor Stitt's cabinet with Mr. Keating. What was your experience?
>> [clears throat] >> Chip has a wonderful family and the Keatings have a as a whole are a wonderful family.
Now, Chip likes to throw stones at all of us who were in public service for not fixing this or not fixing that. So, he probably needs to make an account to the people of Oklahoma while Oklahoma during his two years as the director or secretary of public safety became the wild, wild west of marijuana and all the Chinese communists and all the Mexican cartels just tore apart the entire state of Oklahoma.
>> Okay, Mr. Drummond, what's your reaction to hearing Mr. Keating call himself things like a true outsider?
>> During Mr. Keating's 22 months as secretary of public safety, crimes against people went up 56%, crimes against property went up 78%, and crimes against the state went up 4%. He failed.
If he can fail in that job, why in the world would you consider voting for him?
>> We've got to hustle I'm sorry. No, Mr. >> Mr. Keating, you have 30 seconds.
>> Yeah, remember the secretary of public safety enforces the laws. These gentlemen ride them. So, you're going to tuck talk tough Excuse me, talk tough on crime now? Why didn't you all pass tough crime criminal laws when you're in office? And as it relates to the ballot initiative, the legislature failed miserably and Speaker McCall owns that entirely.
>> Absolutely nothing on the Chinese >> Mr. Secretary, you said nothing.
>> Okay, well, that's the end of round three, but to end it real quick, you all have more to say. Hand raise if you do another debate if you make the runoff.
>> Yeah, raise it.
>> Okay, great. There we go. Let's give them a round of applause.
>> [applause] >> By my clock, we are right on time for the Thunder game. We have 90-second closing statements from each of you starting with Mr. Mazie, 90 seconds.
Closing statement.
>> Thanks so much again for joining us tonight.
We are all so blessed and fortunate to live in Oklahoma. You and our neighbors are the kindest, hardest working people in America.
And I'm very optimistic about our future, but we do have some challenges.
And the question I think voters have before them is who has a plan?
Who has a concrete plan with real solutions? And here's my plan. I know how to make Oklahoma no income tax state in three steps.
I can abolish property taxes for seniors and veterans.
I will hire statewide literacy director in week one to replicate the very successful Mississippi model so we get our kids learning to read at grade level. And I will secure the land of Oklahoma for the people of Oklahoma by signing executive orders on day one to close the silly loopholes and drive the Chinese communists and the Mexican cartels out of the state of Oklahoma.
When true Republican conservatives choose faith and freedom around a solid plan, we can all usher in a golden age of growth and prosperity for our kids and our grandkids. I would greatly appreciate your support and vote on June 16th. To join team Mazie or learn more about our plan, please check out mikeforok.com.
And since we're at Cameron University, go Aggies.
>> Thank you very much, Senator Mazie.
Quick round of applause. We got to go to the basketball game, Mr. McCall. 90 seconds close it out for you.
>> Uh ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming out tonight. Viewers, thank you for tuning in. I'm Charles McCall and I believe Oklahoma's best days are still ahead.
When I was speaker, I passed the largest tax cut in state history.
Your taxes were lower when I left office than when I came in.
We cut the personal income tax, we cut the corporate income tax, eliminated the grocery tax, the franchise tax, and and marriage penalty. As governor, I'm going to finish. We are going to eliminate the personal income tax in this state, supercharge our economy. We are going to repeal property taxes for veterans and seniors after we freeze them for all Oklahomans for 3 years.
Every child in this state is going to read and do math on grade level.
And I will find the remainder of the foreign-owned land and put it back into the hands of Oklahomans.
I stand and the only one on this stage that has stood with our President Donald J. Trump all three times. And in fact, I became a Republican before President Trump and President Reagan.
But I am going to I passed the America First agenda as speaker. As governor, I'll pass an Oklahoma First agenda. I'm a CEO. I demand results, not excuses.
I'm Charles McCall. I'm asking you for your vote to be your next governor. God bless you, the state of Oklahoma, and the United States of America. Thank you.
>> Thank you very much, Mr. McCall. Quick round of applause.
Mr. Keating, 90 seconds to close it out to you, sir.
>> Well, thank you for having us out tonight. It's been a pleasure.
Look, our state's at a crossroads, and we need a leader that's going to serve and go back to the private sector. I've served as a state trooper, and I have served my community, and I've served uh my state as a secretary of public safety. Our state cannot afford to get this wrong. Over the last 20 years, we have literally governed like a blue state.
That is not representative of our conservative values. We need a leader in Oklahoma that recognizes our conservative values and will go execute.
Office hoppers have not been able to get it done. Oklahoma has 380 agencies, boards, and commissions. We have to get rid of our income tax. We have to save public education. We have to rid these marijuana grows out of our state. I will declare a public safety emergency day one as your governor and activate the guard to give all resources, our OHP, our OBN, our sheriffs with necessary resources to end this horrible thing that we brought to Oklahoma and failed miserably. We have a mental health crisis. We have a homeless homelessness crisis.
Ladies and gentlemen, the reality is combined with these three gentlemen on stage have been in politics for 29 years. 29 years. And you have to ask yourself a question. Are you better off in Oklahoma than you were 4 years ago?
If you say yes, vote for them. If you say no, I'd be humbled and honored to have your vote. I want [clears throat] to serve you as governor for Oklahoma and go right back to the private sector.
God bless you and God bless this great state.
>> Thank you very much. Quick round of applause.
Mr. Drummond, 90 seconds to close it out for the night. Thank you.
>> Oklahoma is hungry for a leader.
I am that leader.
From the skies of Baghdad leading missions with fighter pilots delivering ordinance and winning a war to the businessman who builds companies.
Five companies. I bought a little bank in 2003. It's a big bank in 17 communities. We have wireless retail in nine states, title and abstract in three states, retreat center, law firm, big ranch.
I'm a builder.
I'm also an enforcer. As your chief legal officer, we have shut down 10,550 illegal marijuana grows of 12,000. We have 1,400 to go. Under the next 6 months with the help of Dane Towery, who's in the audience, we'll close down another 800 to 900 leaving only those who are doing it legally and correctly in this state because the people voted and I'm going to support the law of the people.
We have held accountable out-of-state and in-state fraudsters.
People that are injuring your home, your pocketbook, and your future are being held accountable by me. And it's those individuals and those corporations that are putting millions of dollars every week and million dollars of anti-Drummond ads. And you have to ask yourself, why is it the out-of-state corporations don't want me?
Because I stand for you. I will fight for you as your governor as I fought for you as your attorney general. I pray that God bless this great state, and that we have the future Governor Drummond in 2027. Thank you.
>> Thank you very much. Give him a quick round of applause. Give them all a big round of applause. Thank you all for being here. Thank you to our charitable sponsors. Thank you, Jenna. Thank you, the entire KSWO team. Terrific to work with you. Remember, election day is Tuesday, June 16th. Thunder up. Go watch the rest of this KSWO special.
Let's have a good night. Take care.
Thank you.
>> Thank you.
So, good job, guys.
>> [laughter]
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