OKGOP Renews Confidence In Bartlett Leadership

OKGOP Renews Confidence in Bartlett Leadership

Tulsa Needs Continued, Conservative Momentum

For Immediate Release: September 20, 2013

(Oklahoma City)–On the heels of an announcement by Tulsa Mayoral candidate Bill Christiansen to end his bid for the office and to withhold his endorsement from either of the remaining two candidates, the Oklahoma Republican Party renews its confidence in the leadership of Mayor Dewey Bartlett.

OKGOP Chairman Dave Weston opined, “That Mr. Christiansen elected not to honor his word and offer his support for the candidate that most obviously embodies the values and principles he ran on is unfortunate. Even a political novice can observe that Mayor Bartlett would be that candidate.”

Mayor Bartlett has earned endorsements from major conservative stalwarts in Oklahoma including Governor Mary Fallin, Senator Jim Inhofe and Congressman Jim Bridenstine.

Weston continued, “What is obvious is that the conservative leaders we trust in the most in our state place their trust in the leadership of Mayor Bartlett to continue his march forward for the City of Tulsa. On the other hand, liberal Kathy Taylor has already had ample opportunity to exhibit effective leadership during her previous tenure in the mayor’s office. But rather than lead, she quit when the going got tough. Frankly it’s a no-brainer.”

In his three years as Tulsa Mayor, Dewey Bartlett has made important strides toward bringing Tulsa back into prominence including reinvestment in roads and infrastructure, committing the city to tightening its belt and a refusal to raise tax rates on Tulsa citizens in the midst of severe economic times, establishment of a fiscally-prudent rainy day fund, the addition of over 9,000 jobs to the city, graduation of new police and fire department recruits, a clamp-down on crime by adding more lights to the more at-risk neighborhoods, and finally moving the city to more fuel- and cost-efficient alternatives like CNG, which in turn help spur further economic growth.

“Dewey Bartlett’s ongoing leadership is an example of the sort of smart, business-oriented approach that brought Oklahoma City out of similar challenges in the past. With so much positive momentum going for it, Tulsa really cannot afford another gamble in leadership changes,” Weston concludes.

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