2024 Race for Mayor

[patric]

A state representative, a county commissioner, a piano bar owner, a perennial candidate, a former candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates, a Who Wants to be a Millionaire contestant and a man wanted in Creek County filed to run for mayor of Tulsa last week, setting up the most crowded field in the city's elections this year.

While a prior Tulsa County contest of candidacy hearing in April drew a crowd of observers and media, only about 10 people turned out for perennial candidate and self-described gadfly Paul Tay's contest of Karen Keith's eligibility to run for Tulsa mayor. Tay argued that neither Keith nor any other municipal candidate was eligible to seek such office because the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that Tulsa lies within a pair of Indian Country reservations and that non-Indians living there are in violation of federal law.

Calling himself a "gadfly" — a reference to the Greek philosopher Socrates famously executed by Athenians for being generally unlikeable — Tay has run for mayor several times before and even announced a campaign for governor in 2022, though he did not file to appear on the ballot. He is perhaps most famous for interrupting the 2016 Tulsa mayoral debate, wearing dildos on his head, and stirring up minor trouble in Tulsa's political scene.

https://nondoc.com/2024/06/20/tulsa-county-election-board-rejects-paul-tay-challenge-to-karen-keith-candidacy/

[Hoss]

Well, hell no...

Tulsa Mayoral Candidate Says 'We Need to Get Back' to Requiring Elected Officials to Be Christians

[Red Arrow]

Well, hell no...

Tulsa Mayoral Candidate Says 'We Need to Get Back' to Requiring Elected Officials to Be Christians

Maybe he is living in Medieval Europe. 

As such, VanNorman then proclaimed, "my number one qualification for being mayor of Tulsa is that I am an unashamed follower of Jesus."

Number one qualification.....  WOW!

[patric]

Well, hell no...

Tulsa Mayoral Candidate Says 'We Need to Get Back' to Requiring Elected Officials to Be Christians

Moderator Sheyda Brown Challenges Candidates on Stray Dog Mitigation and Street Lighting Plans.

During the forum, moderator Sheyda Brown posed direct questions to the mayoral candidates:

    "If elected, will you commit to taking action to improve funding and support for stray dog mitigation, starting in North Tulsa? Yes or no?
    "If elected, will you commit to creating a plan to turn street lights back on equitably in Tulsa? Yes or no? As a reminder, you have one minute to answer."

Karen Keith responded affirmatively to both questions. "Absolutely, yes, to both questions," she began.
On street lighting, she emphasized the necessity of collaboration between PSO and the city of Tulsa. This collaboration ensures that every neighborhood is adequately lit. "Everyone deserves to have the light they need to feel safe and comfortable in their community," she said.

On street lighting, VanNorman cited its role in reducing crime by up to 40%. He argued that this improvement could justify its cost through decreased policing needs. "Improving lighting will help people feel safe and reduce crime," he concluded.
https://theblackwallsttimes.com/2024/08/01/monroe-nichols-leads-tulsa-mayoral-race-addressing-stray-dogs-and-lighting-issues/

That pretty much pegs the BS meter.

You *can* find industry funded studies saying streetlights eliminate crime, but the underlying theme leans more towards the perception of safety versus actual safety.  Independent studies pretty much show as much crime is facilitated by lighting as is prevented, so its a wash.

VanNorman's numbers are right out of the evidence-free world of make-believe.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Maybe he is living in Medieval Europe. 

Number one qualification.....  WOW!

Nope!   He is in Okrahoma, all right!

[Red Arrow]

Nope!   He is in Okrahoma, all right!

Please refrain from insulting Okra that way.  Okra is a fine veggie, easy to grow.

My crop is doing well.  I got enough to make Gumbo and am now building up enough harvest to make pickled okra.  But I have to grill some too.

Yum yum.

[patric]

This is a little disturbing:


The central committee of the Oklahoma Democratic Party voted 23-1 to revoke Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith's access to the party's
voter database Thursday because her campaign is employing prominent Republican campaign consultants.

"She's registered as a Democrat out of convenience, but not because she believes in the beliefs and ideals of democracy or the Democratic
Party," Williams said. "If you instead are going to engage on the other side in every race you possibly can against us, there are no
reasons you should have access to one of our greatest assets.

https://nondoc.com/2024/09/07/odp-database-drama-cut-out-keith-irks-fellow-democrats-by-blaming-activists/

[heironymouspasparagus]

 

Please refrain from insulting Okra that way.  Okra is a fine veggie, easy to grow.

My crop is doing well.  I got enough to make Gumbo and am now building up enough harvest to make pickled okra.  But I have to grill some too.

Yum yum.

I know.  I border on sacrilege at times.

I just picked one of my Burgundy seed pods yesterday.  I am only growing about half a dozen plants this year to get some fresh seed for next year.

I did plant several hundred sq ft of sunflowers last week though.  Should get some good decorative stalks for fall.   And some Hickory King corn - same goal.   And green beans!  Because, why not?   I am betting we have time to get the beans this year.  Would like to can a few dozen jars....

I have about 1,800 sq ft of beds ready to plant for some fall stuff, including some ground cover.  Iron Clay cow peas, red clover, and some rye grain.  Keep growing plants covering everything, all the time!  May just go ahead and put in some more okra just to see if it will work.  The Burgundy (Baker Creek) is only about 60 days.

[heironymouspasparagus]

This is a little disturbing:


The central committee of the Oklahoma Democratic Party voted 23-1 to revoke Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith's access to the party's
voter database Thursday because her campaign is employing prominent Republican campaign consultants.

"She's registered as a Democrat out of convenience, but not because she believes in the beliefs and ideals of democracy or the Democratic
Party," Williams said. "If you instead are going to engage on the other side in every race you possibly can against us, there are no
reasons you should have access to one of our greatest assets.

https://nondoc.com/2024/09/07/odp-database-drama-cut-out-keith-irks-fellow-democrats-by-blaming-activists/

Geez.... have been a yellow dog for almost 60 years.  But these idiots.... just Geez....

[patric]

Geez.... have been a yellow dog for almost 60 years.  But these idiots.... just Geez....

My bet was on Karen Kieth from the start. Ive been comfortable with her character since we worked together at channel 2 in the 80's despite some second thoughts about the way her campaign was being managed.

Today that changed:

Former Republican mayoral candidate Brent VanNorman, whose supporters will play a key role in determining who leads the city over the next four years, said he would accept a position on Democrat Karen Keith's transition team should she win the Nov. 5 runoff election.

VanNorman confirmed that news Sunday night after he and Keith posted separate Facebook messages that seemed to indicate as much.

"Yes, if Karen is elected, I will accept her offer to serve on her transition team," VanNorman told the Tulsa World.

 "If I am fortunate to be elected Nov. 5, in the name of unity, I would welcome Brent to join my bipartisan transition team to work alongside Democrats, other Republicans and Independents to ensure a city government that will work for all Tulsans."

Keith faces fellow Democrat Monroe Nichols in the Nov. 5 runoff election for mayor. Both are working to court Republican voters after Keith narrowly edged out VanNorman in the Aug. 27 general election.

Nichols finished first in the election with 33.1% of the vote, followed by Keith at 32.6% and VanNorman at 31.8%.

VanNorman, who has lived full time in Tulsa less than four years, ran a particularly strong campaign emphasizing his conservative Republican credentials as a businessman, attorney and devout Christian.

He pledged to work with all Tulsans to solve the city's problems but never shied away from drawing a partisan distinction between himself and Keith and Nichols.

https://tulsaworld.com/news/local/government-politics/elections/brent-vannorman-to-join-karen-keiths-transition-team-if-she-wins-tulsa-mayor-election/article_ca98e9b2-8fa2-11ef-8fce-af113960a44c.html