Cleveland County 2022 election preview: Local candidates

Oct. 12—This election season, Cleveland County has candidates in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, on the board of county commissioners and in its judicial district.

All three of Norman's districts in the House of Representatives are contested, as are two of the county's commissioner districts. And in the 21st State Judicial District, a judge's seat is contested.

The Transcript has compiled a summary of local candidates for the Nov. 8 general election.

The voter registration deadline for Oklahoma is Friday. You may register to vote here, find polling places for early voting here, and request an absentee ballot here.

Oklahoma House of Representatives

District 46

Jacob Rosecrants, Democrat

Rosecrants, the incumbent, seeks his fourth two-year term representing District 46.

Rosecrants hopes to strengthen public schools through "common sense bipartisan legislation," according to his website. He also hopes to fight government overreach, support local control, prevent suicide among young people and veterans and provide public safety resources, his website reads.

In the 2022 Legislative session, Rosecrants authored and passed a bill to increase stalking to a felony in Oklahoma and to require law enforcement to issue warning letters to alleged stalkers unless told otherwise by the victim. It passed the House and Senate with mostly bipartisan support, except for a handful of fellow Democrats who voted against it. He also supported a raise for Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers.

Rosecrants also co-authored the Oklahoma Play to Learn Act, which empowers early childhood educators to teach with play.

If reelected, Rosecrants hopes to introduce a bill to require at least 40 minutes of recess for pre-K through eighth grade in public schools, according to his website.

Kendra Wesson, Republican

Wesson, an accountant, plans to demand "proper budgeting" of tax dollars at the state level, fund public safety, pursue "excellence in education" and promote Christian values. She also said she will "fight back against Washington. D.C.'s, attacks on our state and personal freedoms," but did not give specific examples on her campaign website.

Wesson also plans to use her accounting background "to shine a light on government waste, fraud and abuse, and bring transparency to Oklahoma taxpayers and citizens," her website reads.

Wesson is also a cofounder of the civic advocacy group 4 Norman and a business consultant, her website reads.

She has been endorsed by the Norman Fraternal Order of Police and Mayor Larry Heikkila, according to her website.

District 44

Jared Deck, Democrat

Deck, a business owner and musician in Norman, hopes to replace the seat left open by House Minority Leader Emily Virgin.

If elected, Deck hopes to expand Oklahoma's uncompensated care fund, which provides care for uninsured patients. He also plans to oppose school voucher programs, fight for tenant rights, advocate for services for the unhoused, work to reform cash bail and pre-trial detention, and work to provide sustainable energy sources, according to his website.

Deck also plans to fight against legislation that targets Black, LGBTQ+ and Indigenous communities, and protect reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy, his website reads.

Following the 2008 recession, Deck worked to organize ballot initiatives. He also serves on several community boards, including for the Moore Norman Technology Center, ACLU of Oklahoma and Variety Care Health Centers.

R.J. Harris, Republican

An attorney and veteran, Harris said he will support school choice and keep "Critical Race Theory and transgender grooming out of primary education." He also says he hopes to increase the amount of money Oklahoma is spending per student.

Harris also supports personal choice for masks and vaccines, is against the war on drugs, supports legislation to more clearly instruct jurors on when to vote "not guilty" if they believe a defendant is prosecuted under an unconstitutional law, and supports the Second Amendment. He also supports native sovereignty, is for funding police and is against abortion.

Harris also said he favors "protecting women's sports and safe spaces from intrusions by men claiming to identify as women."

Harris has said he hopes to repeal as much legislation as possible, propose legislation to protect Oklahomans from the state and federal governments, and fight against "proposals of radical leftists whose national efforts have led to the near ruin of the republic."

District 45

Annie Menz, Democrat

Menz, a nonpartisan executive assistant in the state Senate and a veteran, hopes to protect natural resources from government overreach, expand mental health care access and provide support for working families, according to her website.

Menz says she's opposed to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority's expansion through Norman and "will fight to protect the Lake Thunderbird watershed" if elected. She also supports affordable housing, living wages, fully funding public schools, and plans to "remove hurdles that keep people in jail simply for being poor," her website reads.

Menz is also a member of the American Legion, founder of Hispanic Cultural Day at the state Capitol and a founding member of the Oklahoma Legislative Latino Caucus, her website reads.

Teresa Sterling, Republican

Sterling, a retired Oklahoma City police officer, said after winning the runoff in June that she will address sex offender registration laws in light of an overnight homeless shelter proposed by the city in spring 2022.

Sterling also said that she will advocate for the elderly and fight Critical Race Theory.

After her victory, Sterling argued "people are tired of seeing what they're seeing in Norman."

Cleveland County Commissioners

County District 3

Rusty Grissom, Republican

After knocking out incumbent Harold Haralson in the primary, Grissom, a business owner and Noble resident, has said his top priority if elected will be to reinstate the county budget board and strengthen relationships with other elected officials.

Grissom served 12 years on the Cleveland County Fair Board, where he saw several improvements to fairground facilities. He also served 21 years on the Oklahoma Electric Cooperative Board, where he was elected to serve as its representative on the Western Farmers Electric Cooperative Board. He advocated for fiber optic cable on both boards.

He has been endorsed by Patrick Grace, CEO of Oklahoma Electric Cooperative.

Mo Vaughn, Democrat

A small business owner and Norman resident, Vaughn said affordable housing, social services, transportation needs, environmental control and talent retention are priorities that "rank the highest," according to her website.

Vaughn plans to reinstate the county budget board "on day one," according to her website. She also plans to evaluate spending, give available resources to the community, aim to attract businesses that pay well and collaborate with public and private sectors to create opportunities for growth, her website reads.

County District 1

Rod Cleveland, Republican

District 1 incumbent Cleveland hopes to bring back the county budget board. He also hopes to hold more public discussion ahead of big purchases.

Cleveland, a certified "Road Scholar," also said he's in negotiations with Oklahoma City officials to develop a road maintenance program through a five-year maintenance plan to collect resources from the city and his district. He also hopes to lobby at the Capitol to change how counties receive state money for road and bridge repairs.

On his website, Cleveland says he's anti-abortion, a supporter of the Second Amendment, supports "America First" policies and supports parental education rights.

Matt Peacock, Independent

Peacock, Norman Ward 8 city councilor, is running as an independent.

Peacock, an architect, said his knowledge of urban design and road engineering would be of use to the county.

Peacock also said he plans to find "common ground" with voters instead of relying on partisan politics.

21st Judicial District Court

District Judge

Michael Tupper

Incumbent District Judge Michael Tupper hopes to extend his 13 years as Cleveland County District Judge.

Tupper oversees criminal, civil and family cases in Cleveland, McClain and Garvin counties. He was a special judge for eight years and oversees the district's drug court program, which aims to expunge program participants' drug possession offenses if they complete requirements.

Tupper presided over Rebecca Hogue's case, in which she was convicted of a murder the prosecution knew she didn't commit. The prosecution argued Hogue reasonably should have known her then-boyfriend was going to kill her son, but admitted during the trial they had no way to prove she knew he was going to kill her son.

Tupper gave Hogue a 16-month prison sentence — one month for every year her son would have stayed in her legal care — followed by a suspended life sentence. His recommendation contradicted the recommendation from the prosecution and jury, who recommended life in prison with the possibility of parole. It was more than the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, which recommended no prison time.

Patrick Crowe

Patrick Crowe, an assistant district attorney in the Cleveland County District Attorney's Office, is running for Tupper's seat.

Crowe argues cases far too often "wind up in the hands of a judge," which discounts victims' experiences and pain. He argues defendants who need help should receive help, but not at the expense of safety; he also says treatment and rehabilitation can't be done without accountability, his website reads.

As assistant district attorney, Crowe has prosecuted robberies, homicides, sex crimes and gang crimes. He has also provided training to area law enforcement and first responders on domestic violence, arrest laws, search and seizure, and evidence, according to his website.

Crowe is endorsed by the Oklahoma City Fraternal Order of Police.