OKLAHOMA CITY —
Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District voters re-elected Congressman James Lankford with 153,262 votes, or 58.9 percent, over the 96,384 votes, or 37 percent, for Democrat Tom Guild, according to the State Election Board. Lankford was first elected to Congress in 2010.
The Edmond Sun asked Lankford what his mandate will be in Congress after a close presidential race.
“My mandate is still the mandate of the people that elect me,” Lankford said at the Oklahoma City Marriott Hotel. “There is this perception that whatever the national election is — that’s what I’ll go do — that’s not true. The people that elected me in this district asked me to represent their values.”
Independent candidate Pat Martin of Jones garnered 5,364 votes, or 2.1 percent. Independent Robert T. Murphey of Norman received 5,149 votes, or 2 percent.
Guild, who voted early on Friday and waited about an hour and a half in line, said even though he was outspent roughly 12-1 by his opponent, and competed with a budget of less than $150,000, his campaign was a grassroots effort with volunteers visiting 20,000 households and made 70,000 phone calls. He said he is very appreciative of all the efforts and support.
“We worked really hard,” Guild said.
Guild said his campaign was partly about getting Oklahoma to be a more welcoming and more progressive state. Oklahoma must not remain stuck in the past when it comes to issues such as contraceptives and economic policies, he said. He also champions doing more to support education.
Lankford received just more than $1 million in total contribution receipts for his re-election campaign, according to federal campaign reporting records.
Lankford thanked his supporters, saying his re-election was not about him, but a set of ideas embraced by voters.
“I just happen to be the standard bearer of those ideas right now,” Lankford told The Edmond Sun. “There’s been other standard bearers before me and there will be others after me.”
“He’s a man of conviction, a man of value. He’s my brother in Christ,” said Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb.
Former Edmond mayors Patrice Douglas and Saundra Naifeh said Lankford has done a great job representing Edmond.
“I’m so glad he gets to move out of the freshman category into the experienced congressman category,” said Douglas, corporation commissioner, R-Edmond. “I can’t say enough good things about him.”
Local News
Related Photos
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DREW HARMON | THE EDMOND SUN Oklahoma's 5th Congressional District Rep. James Lankford, R-Edmond, speaks at the Republican election watch party Tuesday evening at the Marriott Hotel in Oklahoma City.
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DREW HARMON | THE EDMOND SUN Oklahoma 2nd Congressional District Rep. Tom Cole speaks at the Republican election watch party Tuesday evening at the Oklahoma City Marriott.
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DREW HARMON | THE EDMOND SUN Gov. Mary Fallin speaks to reporters Tuesday evening at the Republican election watch party at the Oklahoma City Marriott.
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DREW HARMON | THE EDMOND SUN Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb, serving as master of ceremonies, speaks to the crowd at the Republican election watch party Tuesday night at the Oklahoma City Marriott.
Discussion
Voters send Lankford back to Congress
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Below is a listing of where donations may be taken in the Edmond area to help the Moore/Oklahoma tornado victims:
The Edmond Sun is serving as a drop-off location for the downtown Edmond area for the American Red Cross. Supplies only may be dropped off at 123 S. Broadway and residents may use the back door to enter the building. Parking is available behind the building at the Festival Market Place. Donations may be taken to Café Evoke, 103 S. Broadway, from 5-10 p.m. -
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UPDATE: How to donate, find drop-off locations for relief supplies
Below is a listing of where donations may be taken in the Edmond area to help the Moore/Oklahoma tornado victims:
• The Edmond Sun is serving as a drop-off location for the downtown Edmond area. Supplies only may be dropped off at 123 S. Broadway and residents may use the backdoor to enter the building. Parking is available behind the building at the Festival Market Place. From 5-10 p.m. donations may be taken to Café Evoke, 103 S. Broadway.
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• Memorial High School is serving as a drop-off location for food through today.
• Santa Fe High School is serving as a drop-off location for supplies such as work gloves, tools, etc. through today. -
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Insurers respond to Moore disaster
Insurers, like other agencies related to the Moore tornado disaster, are assessing the damage.
The Oklahoma Insurance Department has made an emergency declaration, allowing out-of-state adjusters to work storm damaged areas, said agency spokeswoman Calley Herth. It’s too soon to have tabulated damage estimates, Herth said.
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