Edmondson And Stitt Campaigns Work To Energize Base

The race for governor is in the home stretch.

From now until election day, News 9’s Bonnie Campo and Aaron Brilbeck will be covering the candidates as they continue to travel across Oklahoma.

With both Republican Candidate Kevin Stitt and Democratic Candidate Drew Edmondson striking within just a few percentage points apart, both men have said this race will depend on who can motivate their base to get out and vote.

Kevin Stitt spent Monday in Okmulgee at the Covington Aircraft hangar speaking to a few dozen people.  His message is that rural Oklahoma matters just as much to a Stitt administration as the metropolitan areas. 

“Sometimes I hear that in the rural communities, that it feels like it's only for Oklahoma City, or Tulsa, and the big metro areas. I want them to know that the rural areas have a lot to offer, and there are companies that need to be located in Okmulgee and in rural Oklahoma,” Stitt said.

One supporter in Stitt’s audience said the republican candidate represents Oklahoma values. For that reason, he loaded a huge campaign sign in the back of his red and white vintage Ford pick-up and has canvassed the state.

Terry Shreve said that so far, he has covered more than 10,000 miles for Kevin Stitt. 

“I met Kevin about six or seven months ago, really disillusioned with politicians. The more I got to know the guy, and hear what he had to say, the more I realized that he is the guy from Oklahoma, for us, for governor,” Shreve said.

Democrat Drew Edmondson spent the day in Tulsa with the union that represents American Airlines maintenance workers. He tells them right now every vote counts.

“It’s going to be a close close race. All of the polling so far shows that within the margin of error, our own polling shows it virtually tied. “Edmondson said.

That’s why he spoke before the largely democratic Tulsa union. He isn’t working on swaying voters; his focus now is energizing the democratic base.

“It’s going to depend on who gets their people to the polls on who wins this race for governor.” Edmondson said.