Growing Up, Family, and Early Lessons
I grew up in the military.
My dad was an Air Force officer for 20 years.
We went all over the world.
That was adventurous until I went to three different high schools.
That was a little tough, but I learned I could go anywhere, anytime, and fit in pretty quickly.
I learned an important skill set during that phase of life.
I could work with almost anybody in all types of environments.
That came in pretty handy for the business world and for public service.
I moved to Oklahoma in 1983 to go to ORU University.
I eventually got the ORU Homecoming Queen to go on a date with me.
We’ve been married for 35 years.
We started our own business and had five kids.
Our business has been blessed to become one of the larger independent wealth management firms in the country with $1.6 billion in client assets.
Business Success and Public Service Experience
That success afforded me the opportunity to serve in the Oklahoma Senate for 12 years.
For 10 years, I was the Senate Finance Chairman.
I then served as Governor Stitt’s first Secretary of Budget.
We are focused on helping Oklahoma achieve its unlimited potential for growth and prosperity.
My background with a mastery in finance is exactly what is needed in the governor’s office.
Oklahomans are frustrated with billions of dollars being spent while we remain at the bottom of the pile in so many categories.
Why I Am Running Now
Oklahoma has unlimited potential, but right now there are significant impediments to great progress.
Our three priorities to reach growth and prosperity are clear.
Priority One: Taxes
The most successful states in the country are no-income-tax states.
It is time for Oklahoma to become a no-income-tax state.
We also have a plan to abolish property taxes for seniors because they are frustrated with paying rent to the government for their entire lives.
Priority Two: Education
Only 20 percent of kids can read proficiently.
That means half a million students in Oklahoma are not reading at grade level.
Mississippi developed a model with determination and discipline that took them from 50th to first in the country.
We want to launch a statewide literacy program just like they did.
I plan to hire a statewide literacy director and implement the third-grade reading gate.
We cannot just pass kids along and hope they figure it out.
Up to third grade, students learn to read.
After third grade, they must read to learn.
Priority Three: Foreign Ownership of Land
We have a mess of Communist Chinese and their cartel partners owning land across Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma Constitution forbids foreign ownership of land.
We saw President Trump fix the southern border in just a couple of days.
We want to issue executive orders immediately and remove Chinese Communists from Oklahoma.
What Sets Me Apart From Other Candidates
I have a mastery of money and finance.
That is the exact skill set the governor’s office needs.
Of the candidates who can fund a statewide campaign, I am the only one who was not born into independent wealth.
There is a difference between inheriting money and managing money.
I have a proven track record of challenging special interests.
I killed the $1.5 billion wind power giveaway that produced very few jobs.
I rescued nearly bankrupt pension systems that allowed elected officials to double dip in retirement.
A Philosophy of Governing
Many officials talk about being Christian conservatives.
Oklahoma needs a governor who governs with a Christian worldview.
Working With Governor Stitt and Doing Things Differently
I enjoyed working with Governor Stitt as his first Secretary of Budget.
Together, we built the state savings account to $1 billion for the first time in Oklahoma history.
That reserve kept government operating during the COVID shutdown.
In my administration, I will focus intensely on waste, fraud, and abuse.
Taxpayers have lost billions of dollars.
As Senate Finance Chairman, I eliminated billions in corporate welfare.
I passed tax cuts, launched the back-to-school sales tax holiday, and eliminated the death tax.
Oklahoma does not have a money problem.
We have a money management problem.
Lessons Learned and Unfinished Business
In 2019, I facilitated a state audit of the SoonerCare program.
The State Auditor found $1.6 billion in questionable costs.
Nothing was done.
There are reports showing millions of dollars in potential savings.
That accountability is how we move toward becoming a no-income-tax state.
If you have the political will to act, you can move quickly and eliminate nonsense in government.
What Oklahomans Are Saying
Voters want solutions.
Seniors fear losing their homes due to rising property taxes.
Parents are frustrated that schools remain at the bottom despite massive spending.
Communities are terrified by Chinese Communist land ownership tied to cartels.
This is a public safety and national security crisis.
Oklahomans want solutions, and that is what I bring to the table.
