Oklahoma House Speaker T.W. Shannon told Republican colleagues Tuesday he will run for the U.S. Senate, sending them an email Tuesday afternoon. The text of the email under the subject line: "Big news tomorrow ..."
___
Members,
I want to let you in on some exciting news, so you will be among the first to know.
Tomorrow, I plan to announce that I will be running for the United States Senate.
I feel called to do this because I believe it is vitally important for Oklahoma to have a strong conservative voice in the Senate, and I hope my fellow Oklahomans will agree. We need leaders in Washington, D.C. who know how to craft conservative policies that lead to prosperity, which is exactly what we have done together here in our state.
I want you to know that I will remain Speaker for the time being. I am not stepping down immediately because I want to ensure a smooth transition that does not disrupt the important business of the state, nor distract from the legislative goals of our Caucus. I will be working with our leadership team, and the Caucus as a whole, to determine the appropriate timing and nature of the transition.
In closing, let me just say how thankful I am to serve as your Speaker. The trust you placed in me to accomplish our common goals will remain the honor of a lifetime.
As always, you know you can call or text me any time to discuss this or any other matter.
Sincerely,
T.W. Shannon
__________________________________________
KGOU produces journalism in the public interest, essential to an informed electorate. Help support informative, in-depth journalism with a donation online, or contact our Membership department.