Via The Oklahoman
Aug. 28, Oklahoma Republicans will select nominees in several statewide races. One race that hasn’t received much attention, but shouldn’t be overlooked, is for lieutenant governor between Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy and former Oklahoma GOP Chairman Matt Pinnell.
The Oklahoman endorses Pinnell, who has the political experience and vision to take the relatively weak office and maximize its value to citizens.
Pinnell understands the lieutenant governor’s specific responsibilities primarily involve tourism and promotion of Oklahoma. His vision is focused on those areas. Pinnell vows to be a salesman for Oklahoma and has tracked how lieutenant governors in other states handle that task. That he has already done his homework inspires confidence. So does his track record in other positions.
Pinnell is a successful small-business owner and family man. He was the nation’s youngest state Republican Party chairman and helped the Oklahoma GOP win all five congressional seats and every statewide elected office simultaneously for the first time in state history. From there, he went to work as National State Party Director at the Republican National Committee, where he helped elect a Republican majority to the U.S. Senate in 2014 and Donald Trump as president in 2016.
In his work at the RNC, Pinnell traveled the country. When he told people he was from Oklahoma, Pinnell noted they had no impression of the state, good or bad. As lieutenant governor, Pinnell vows to do all he can to create a positive impression of Oklahoma outside the state’s borders. That’s a vision Oklahoma Republicans should eagerly embrace.