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Mike Mazzei, Cyndi Munson face off in gubernatorial debate ahead of midterm election

OETA

OETA aired a pre-taped debate between the Republican and Democratic candidates for governor on Thursday.

Republican candidate Mike Mazzei and Democratic candidate Cyndi Munson fielded questions on kitchen table topics including education, healthcare, and affordability as well as questions about AI data centers, ICE arrests, and beef imports.

Mazzei, a former Oklahoma state senator and finance committee chairman intends to improve affordability by cutting taxes, including eliminating income tax.

“I was able to pass big tax cuts, I was able to get rid of over a billion dollars worth of corporate welfare, and I’ll bring that same approach to the Capitol so we can get stuff done for the people of Oklahoma,” Mazzei said.

Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Munson billed herself as a candidate for all Oklahomans regardless of party affiliation.

“I think the time is now that we have a governor who won't use partisan politics or rhetoric to divide and instead bring members of the legislature together so we can actually address our greatest challenges,” Munson said.

The debate was originally scheduled to air live on Thursday evening, but was instead pre-taped on Thursday morning to allow Mazzei to attend a rally with President Donald Trump in Durant.

The midterm elections will be held on Nov. 3.

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Hannah France joined KGOU as a reporter in 2021, shortly after earning a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. In 2023, Hannah was the first place recipient of the Oklahoma Society of Professional Journalists' Radio Outstanding Reporter Portfolio award. Hannah reports on a variety of topics including criminal justice, housing, and labor rights and is dedicated to educating and empowering Oklahomans through community storytelling.
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