So long “Your paper once called me a ‘grumpy old man,’” Councilman Pat Ryan (pictured) told the Oklahoma Gazette reporter in his office before a long pause. “That’s the only thing you’ve ever got right about me.” Ryan, a 10-year member of the Oklahoma City Council, often came across as a man with rough edges, […]
Ward 8
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Election preview: Ward 8 will see a new face in its council seat
Ward 8 is where Oklahoma City meets the suburbs.
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Open books
Last year the city saw unprecedented spending on City Council elections on behalf of independent expenditure groups that attempted to shield their financial backers, a situation made possible by the 2010 U.S. Supreme Court case, Federal Election Commission v. Citizens United. The proposal, passed on to council from that body’s legislative committee, supported a state […]
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Mapmakers
The City Council wards, as required by federal law and the city charter, are redrawn every 10 years after the census is taken to ensure that each encompasses near-equal populations. There are a few proposed changes in the ward lines, such as all of the Capitol Hill community being included in Ward 6. The city […]
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Overcoming Momentum’s legacy
Federal law shielded disclosure of contributor names. Many became alarmed about secret committees influencing election outcomes, including this writer. This organization’s basic tactic was fear — fear that a candidate was too liberal, too conservative or not conservative or liberal enough. The bitter election is over, but Momentum’s legacy finds a present home in some […]
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Shadid’s surge
Shadid faced opponent Charlie Swinton, senior vice president and registered lobbyist for BancFirst, in the runoff for the council seat being vacated by outgoing Councilman Sam Bowman, who decided not to run for another term. The runoff election was the result of the March 1 primary race, which featured six candidates in the Ward 2 […]
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Money wins
WARD 8 Ward 8 challenger Clifford Hearron raised a total of around $13,700. Hearron’s opponent, incumbent Patrick Ryan, raised about $122,400, with legal maximum donations of $5,000 coming from Clayton Bennett, owner of the Oklahoma City Thunder, chairman of Dorchester Capital LLC and past chair of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber; Larry Nichols, Devon Energy […]
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Walters only incumbent defeated in Oklahoma City Council elections
Ward 6 Councilwoman Meg Salyer retained her seat, getting nearly 64 percent of the vote in a three-way race. Meanwhile, Ward 8 Councilman Patrick Ryan held on to his seat in a landslide, with almost 73 percent of the vote. Ward 5 incumbent Brian Walters was defeated by challenger David Greenwell, who got 54 percent […]
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You better vote Tuesday!
Voters should carefully examine the backgrounds and qualifications of the candidates before voting, because the differences among them are profound. Candidates from three of the four wards appear to have the support of political interests that seek to reverse the will citizens expressed in MAPS and to assert political agendas. In Ward 8, Cliff Hearron […]
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Challengers in Oklahoma City Council races discuss online photos
The race for the Ward 2 seat, which is being vacated by outgoing Councilman Sam Bowman, features a lineup of six candidates, while Ward 5 incumbent Brian Walters faces a challenge from David Greenwell. In Ward 6, incumbent Meg Salyer faces two challengers — Jessica Holstein (pictured, left) and Adrian Van Manen — while in […]