I have been a resident of Oklahoma State House District 70 (Midtown/South Tulsa) for just over four years. In that time there have been two Republicans who have been elected to represent the constituents of this very red district. The first was Ron Peters whose tenure from 2000 to 2012 was ended by term limits. The second has been Ken Walker who won the GOP primary race in 2012 against challenger Shane Saunders. Walker did not face a Democratic opponent in the 2012 general election nor did he have a primary challenger or a Democratic opponent in 2014. Indeed, Mr. Walker has never had to run an election campaign against a Democrat. I do hope he enjoys the memories.
The days of Republicans running uncontested campaigns in Oklahoma are OVER!
As of the noon hour of Friday, February 12th, there is a Democratic challenger for the Mr. Walker’s House District 70 seat.
Candidate Joseph Jennings, House District 70Joseph Jennings, Tulsa resident since 2002 and Sapulpa High School graduate, announced his candidacy at the monthly Tulsa County Democratic Party Luncheon Club at Baxter’s Interurban. Mr. Jennings, a U.S. Navy veteran and father of two young daughters Katlyn (age 8) and Abigail (age 7) is passionately moved to seek public office. His motivation: Candidate Jennings is a widower. His beloved wife, Kristen, passed away in 2014 from breast cancer leaving him to raise their two daughters alone. Kristen Bendele was 38 years old at the time of her death. Shortly after the birth of their youngest daughter she found a lump in her breast. Because she was under the age of forty their insurance company denied payment for a mammogram. Not being able to afford such out of pocket expense, she went without one and it ended up costing them her life. Joseph explained it far better than I could ever relate it on this blog. He has made it his life’s work to advocate for unrestricted access to mammograms for women via legislation and his non-profit dedicated to his late wife:
Joseph Jennings has no background in law or business and had no real interest in politics until a money driven corporate policy did some very real harm to his wife and subsequently to his family. This candidate is driven by a passion and has a story that is difficult to ignore or dismiss. Let is be duly noted that the incumbent representative has an associate degree in culinary arts and is a graduate of Rhema Bible Training Center. In a district known for having more Republicans than most of the other districts around it, Joseph Jennings is going to challenge a GOP incumbent. With the results the incumbent’s party is giving the people of Oklahoma, it is my hope that Joseph Jennings will provide the voters of HD 70 a viable alternative to one-party rule.
It is true what they say about diapers and politicians, both should be changed occasionally for the same reason.
It is time for a change in Oklahoma House District 70.
HB2601 is the bill in legislation that my daughters and I have been working on for the last year. I encourage everyone to call their Representatives and Senators, tell them how important the passage is. It is not everything we wanted but, it is a start.
Joe Jennings
I was the last Democrat to run for this seat. In 2006 I ran as the Democratic nominee. I hope that unlike then, the Tulsa County Democratic Party will support a local nominee for this seat in 2016.