The Oklahoma Republican Party’s recent annual meeting marked a pivotal moment for the state’s political landscape, cementing a leadership slate and policy agenda that signal a hard-right lurch. The newly elected leadership, under the banner of unwavering conservatism, unveiled a platform that prioritizes ideological purity over pragmatism, drawing sharp criticism for its exclusionary tactics and divisive initiatives. Among the most contentious moves was the deliberate sidelining of the Oklahoma Young Republican Federation and College Republicans, who were stripped of voting rights at the convention, a decision that sparked outrage among younger party members. This editorial critically examines the Oklahoma GOP’s leadership and its troubling priorities and the backlash from the party’s youth, arguing that its agenda, particularly the opposition to public school funding, is a reckless betrayal of the state’s future.
The Oklahoma GOP’s leadership, as of March 2025, reflects a consolidation of power among hardline conservatives steering the party toward an uncompromising vision. This group, elected at the annual meeting, has doubled down on a platform that emphasizes social conservatism, limited government and alignment with national GOP figures like President Donald Trump. Its rhetoric, steeped in appeals to “life, freedom, opportunity and security,” paints a nostalgic picture of the American dream but glosses over the practical needs of Oklahoma’s diverse population. The leadership’s insular approach was evident in their handling of the convention, where they prioritized control over inclusivity, alienating a key demographic: the party’s youth.
The Oklahoma GOP’s published priorities for 2025 are a laundry list of regressive policies that threaten the state’s progress. Among the most alarming is its explicit opposition to funding increases for public schools, a stance that defies logic in a state already grappling with underfunded education. Other initiatives include banning 5G technology, eliminating mail-in and early voting, and rejecting environmentally conscious investment strategies like ESG (environmental, social, governance) criteria. These policies, framed as defenses of conservative values, reveal a party more interested in culture wars than governance.
The opposition to public school funding is particularly egregious. Oklahoma’s education system is chronically underfunded, ranking among the lowest in the nation for per-pupil spending. Teachers’ salaries lag behind regional averages, and classrooms are overcrowded, with outdated resources hampering student outcomes. In 2018, a historic teacher walkout underscored the crisis, yet the GOP’s response in 2025 is to dig in its heels, prioritizing tax cuts and ideological battles over the needs of students and educators. This stance is not just shortsighted; it’s a deliberate choice to starve the system that prepares Oklahoma’s future workforce. A well-educated populace is the backbone of economic growth, yet the GOP’s platform seems intent on dismantling it, favoring private interests and voucher programs that siphon public funds to unaccountable entities.
The push to ban 5G technology is equally baffling. In an era where connectivity drives innovation, Oklahoma risks falling behind by rejecting infrastructure that supports high-speed internet, telemedicine and remote learning. This policy, rooted in unfounded conspiracy theories, ignores the economic imperative of modernizing rural and urban communities alike. Similarly, the call to eliminate mail-in and early voting undermines democratic access. Oklahoma’s closed-primary system already limits participation, and further restrictions would disproportionately affect working-class voters, the elderly and those in rural areas — groups the GOP claims to champion. These initiatives reflect a leadership more concerned with appeasing a vocal fringe than addressing the state’s pressing needs.
The Oklahoma GOP’s exclusion of Young and College Republicans from voting at the convention was a calculated power grab that backfired spectacularly. The Oklahoma Young Republican Federation, a group dedicated to cultivating the next generation of GOP leaders, publicly condemned a proposed rule change that stripped their voting rights without prior notice or debate. The proposal, reportedly initiated by figures like Charity Linch and supported by party insiders, was slipped into precinct packets in Oklahoma County, bypassing transparency and democratic process. The move was seen as an attempt to silence younger, potentially more moderate voices within the party, ensuring that the leadership’s hard-right agenda faced no internal challenge.
The backlash was swift and fierce. The Young Republican Federation issued a statement decrying the “underhanded” tactic, arguing that it disenfranchised voters aged 18 to 40, a demographic critical to the party’s long-term viability. On X, sentiments echoed this frustration, with users like @Okie_Rancher expressing dismay at the exclusion and pointing fingers at specific party operatives. The decision to marginalize young members is not just a tactical error; it’s a strategic disaster.
Young voters, even in conservative Oklahoma, are increasingly skeptical of rigid partisanship. Nationwide, youth turnout has risen, with issues like abortion and economic opportunity driving their engagement. By alienating its youth, the Oklahoma GOP risks ceding ground to Democrats or, worse, fostering apathy among a generation that could have been its future.
The Oklahoma GOP’s priorities are not just misguided — they’re a betrayal of the state’s potential. Opposing public school funding is an attack on equity and opportunity. Education is not a luxury; it’s a public good that underpins economic mobility and civic engagement. By refusing to invest in schools, the GOP ensures that Oklahoma remains trapped in a cycle of low wages, brain drain and limited innovation. The state’s rural communities, already struggling with declining populations, will bear the brunt of this neglect, as underfunded schools fail to prepare students for a competitive global economy.
The rejection of 5G and voting access further exposes the leadership’s disconnect. Technological advancement and democratic participation are not partisan issues; they’re necessities for a functioning society. The GOP’s paranoia-driven policies cater to a shrinking base while ignoring the broader electorate’s demands for progress. And by excluding Young and College Republicans, the leadership has shown its fear of dissent, prioritizing control over coalition-building. This is not leadership. It’s cowardice dressed in conservative garb.
Oklahoma deserves better than a GOP that parades goonish policies under the guise of principle. The state’s challenges — education, infrastructure, economic diversification — require pragmatic solutions, not ideological crusades. The backlash from Young Republicans offers a glimmer of hope, signaling that not all within the party are willing to march lockstep with a leadership that’s lost its way. To reclaim its relevance, the Oklahoma GOP must embrace inclusivity, starting with restoring voting rights to its youth and engaging in good-faith dialogue about the state’s future.
The leadership should abandon its opposition to public school funding and champion a robust education system that equips all Oklahomans for success. It should prioritize infrastructure like 5G to connect communities and expand voting access to strengthen democracy. These are not radical ideas. They’re the bare minimum for a party that claims to value opportunity and security. Until the Oklahoma GOP sheds its goonish tendencies and governs for all, it will remain a parade of self-inflicted wounds, marching toward irrelevance.
Drew Williamson is managing partner of Red Center Media, LLC, holding company of Oklahoma Gazette.
This article appears in Summer Guide 2025.