Oklahoma voters now have clarity about candidates for all state legislative races following yesterday’s primary runoff elections.
Air force veteran Adam Pugh defeated pastor and retired professional football player Paul Blair in the runoff contest for state Senate seat 41, which includes Edmond. The seat is currently held by term-limited state Sen. Clark Jolley, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The scene in Edmond as Adam Pugh makes remarks following his victory in the GOP runoff for Senate District 41. pic.twitter.com/2BKPSXpiYc
— Mayor David Holt (@davidfholt) August 24, 2016
Blair also ran for the seat in 2012, and narrowly made it to a runoff in June. Pugh was just a handful of votes, 0.12 percent, away from earning the nomination outright.
Pugh told The Oklahoman’s Ben Felder he thought voters wanted someone concerned with economic development and fiscal transparency.
“We have to stop passing the budget at the end of session,” Pugh said. “That's not the way businesses work or how people run their families.”
Pugh received backing from various business groups in the final weeks of the campaign, including some who said his opponent's outspoken stance on various social issues would be a detriment, even in a conservative state.
“To me, the contrast between Pugh and Blair was more in style, tone and approach,” said Trebor Worthen, a political consultant with A.H. Strategies who worked on Pugh's campaign. “Pugh was painted as the moderate candidate, but I think that was wrong. (Blair) was a very bombastic and outspoken conservative, but that doesn't make Adam less conservative. The two of them are much more similar on policy positions.”
Pugh says his believes voters were attracted to the way he ran his campaign, so him as a family and business man with character.
— Ben Felder (@benfelder_okc) August 24, 2016
Blair had been criticized for his conservative stance on social issues, and at one point even held a press conference to refute claims he has ties to the Ku Klux Klan and the Westboro Baptist Church. Pugh will now face two opponents in the general election - Edmond school teacher Kevin McDonald, a Democrat, and Libertarian Richard Prawdzienski.
Other Central Oklahoma Contests
In House runoffs, Republican Matt Jackson edged out Robyn Matthews in House District 85, which includes parts of Oklahoma City, Nichols Hills and The Village. Jackson will face Democratic incumbent Cyndi Munson.
Only one of tonight's winners -- Matt Jackson, R-OKC -- faces an incumbent, @CynMun, D-OKC, in the HD 85 race.
— Shawn Ashley (@eCapitol_Shawn) August 24, 2016
Jason Lowe beat Chris Harrison in the Democratic runoff for House District 97 in Oklahoma City. He’ll be opposed by Republican Tonni Canaday.
Around The State
Former teacher and principal Roland Peterson beat Ross Vanhooser in Senate District 19. The Enid Republican will face Democrat Rhonda Harlow in November.
Lonnie Paxton beat Matt Stacy for the Republican nomination in Senate District 23, which covers El Reno, Chickasha and Tuttle. Paxton will run against Democrat Larry Wasson in the general.
In a runoff between two Republican teachers, Rhonda Baker edged out Chad Slane in House District 60, which also includes El Reno. Her opponent in the general is Democrat Dennis Purifoy.
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