OKC-Area State Senate Race A Study In Campaign Contrasts
Oklahoma state Senate District 44 race is a study in contrasts
by Rick Green
The state Senate District 44 race in the Oklahoma City area is a study in contrasts.
Incumbent Republican Sen. Ralph Shortey, who made headlines by bringing reality TV star “Dog the Bounty Hunter” to the state Capitol and introducing legislation to prevent fetuses from getting in food, sees illegal immigration as the No. 1 problem in the district, which includes a part of southwest Oklahoma City with a large Hispanic population.
His Democratic challenger, Michael Brooks-Jimenez, is an immigration attorney who identifies problems with public education and infrastructure as the two biggest issues facing district residents.
He criticizes his opponent for a spotty attendance record at the state Capitol. In the last two legislative sessions, Shortey missed 558 votes, or 29 percent, third-highest among state senators.