Yukon Review

Former AG pushes
Jun
16 plan to be governor
2018
By TERRY GROOVER
Page News Editor
A001
Clip
resized Drew Edmondson
73% says he’s the right per-
son to be Oklahoma’s
governor, and the fact
that he’s a Democrat
won’t be a problem.
The former
Oklahoma attorney
general visited Yukon
this week to make a
pitch for votes in the
June 26 primary, where
he will face former
state Sen. Connie
Johnson.
The winner will face
the Republican nomi-
nee in the Nov. 6 gener-
al election. There are 10 Drew Edmondson,
Republican candidates Oklahoma attorney general
vying for the nomina-
tion. The nominee will
likely be determined in Mick Cornett in head-
a runoff election set for to-head polling.
Aug. 28. “To be within five
“I don’t think I could points without spend-
have drawn it up any ing any money, I feel
better. It is going very like we are in good
well,” Edmondson said shape,” he said.
during a visit to the While Oklahoma
Yukon Review’s office. leans heavily towards
“The primary is in Republicans, the for-
good shape, we mer attorney general
believe.” said he is not con-
Edmondson said two cerned because there is
statewide polls show history on his side.
Edmondson with a lead “When there is a
going into the first-term president,
Democratic primary, there is a tendency in
but trailing Lt. Gov. Oklahoma to elect a
Todd Lamb and former
Oklahoma City Mayor Continued to EDMONDSON, Page 6A

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Yukon Review

Edmondson From page 1A

governor of the other They deserve our the funding is a priori- billions of dollars in MEDICAID Edmondson said that
party. That has worked thanks for passing ty. assets from under the Edmondson said he rural hospitals and
over the years, something even though “The next governor soil of Oklahoma. They was disappointed that nursing homes have
Democrat or it was less than half of can’t count on that $400 need to pay their fair Gov. Mary Fallin did gone bankrupt because
Republican it doesn’t what teachers had been million. He’s going to share,” he said. “It is not expand Medicaid of the decision.
make any difference,” asking for. Not just for have to come up with time for the horizontal services in Oklahoma
“We’ve had to lower
he said. pay raises, but across money to fill that hole drillers to go back to with the creation of the
He also pointed out the board increases in as well as fulfilling my paying what was the Affordable Care Act. He our reimbursement
that every time expenditures,” he said. commitment that this rate prior to the incen- said one of his first rates to hospitals, nurs-
Oklahoma has had a The package, which is the first in a series tive.” actions would be to ing homes and medical
two-term governor, the includes increases in of pay raises. We’ve got Edmondson also said “opt in.” providers. If a candi-
opposite party has won several taxes, including some work to do there,” he favors doing away “It is 150,000 to date has any interest in
the next election. He fuel and tobacco, is he said. with the capital gains 180,000 Oklahomans keeping rural
said that offers him a being challenged before Edmondson said he exclusion on income who earn just above the Oklahoma alive, that
boost of confidence in the state Supreme would like to move the tax. poverty level who candidates should be
his race. Court. Edmondson said gross production tax, He said when the would have had health supporting opting into
“We feel very confi- he expects a repeal which is charged exclusion was imple- care coverage. If you Medicaid expansion,”
dent there will be some measure to be on the against the production mented in 2004, the idea are a humanitarian,
crossover votes in general election ballot. of oil and gas, back to 7 was that taxes not he said.
you would be con- Edmondson said
November,” “Task 1 is to keep percent for horizontal charged on capital cerned about that
Edmondson said. that in the budget and drilling. gains would be rein- Oklahoma would need
150,000 to 180,000 to come up with some
not let that be He said vertical drill- vested. That hasn’t
THE BUDGET reversed,” he said. ers already pay that worked, costing the Oklahomans. If you are
matching funds, but the
“Job one is to pre- The other issue with amount, while horizon- state more than $475 a pragmatist, you
expense is worth the
serve what the that package is that the tal drillers receive a million in lost revenue, should be concerned
about the impact that cost.
Legislature did at the money is earmarked break because horizon- while generating only
end of March, first of only for the first year. tal drill was seen as $9 million. decision has had on “The flip side is we
April with the $400-plus Edmondson said find- experimental. “Good idea, but it rural health, in particu- can’t afford not to,”
million tax package. ing a way to continue “They are extracting didn’t work,” he said. lar,” he said. Edmondson said.

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