Tulsa Mayoral Debate: Closing Statements

The Tulsa mayoral debate between candidates Karen Keith and Monroe Nichols is currently underway. Monroe Nichols, a Democratic representative for Oklahoma House District 72, is vying for the mayor's seat.

Karen Keith, also a Democrat, is the Tulsa County Commissioner for District 2. Her jurisdiction includes Sand Springs, Tulsa, Jenks, and Glenpool.

Closing Statements:

Nichols: Yeah, well, again, I want to thank everybody who's watching, and I also want to thank Commissioner Keith. We've been at this for over a year now, and I've known you for a long time, and I'm very proud of you for taking this big step in your public service. We've talked about issues from the start. We got started in this campaign, I decided that we weren't going to make this about partisanship. We weren't going to make this about personalities. We're going to make it about you. That's why we talked about ending homelessness by 2030; that's why we talked about improving student outcomes. That's why we've talked about an economic plan that centers workforce development so we can put people to work and make this the safest big city in the country. We're now about to get to the part of the campaign where folks get a little bit desperate and start attacking, but what I want folks in Tulsa to understand is that we've built something special together since we launched this campaign last July, and while there will be folks who try to distract us and try to divide us and try to threaten the fact that we are unifying around our ideas and a vision that we created together, we're going to stay the course, and I need you to help stay the course with me. I have served this community, and I'm proud of it, even if somebody wants to try to make it as though I shouldn't be, I'm a proud dad. I'm a proud son of a police officer and a probation officer. I am actually the proud grandson of a pastor. Those values are what drive this campaign. Those values are what drive me, and I'm so excited about the opportunity to serve each and every one of you as your mayor. You hold me you can hold me accountable, you know, I'll get results. And on the other side of it is a city that wins next decade and becomes the best place in America to raise and educate a child, to open a business, to do everything like enjoy Route 66. This is the story of us in Tulsa. I'm looking forward to being your mayor, and I can't wait to get back out there on the doorsteps and in neighborhoods to talk about this joint future for our community that we've designed together.

Keith: Thank you all for being out there and listening to us today. I think everybody knows I love this city. I have loved telling the stories of people as a journalist. I have loved working under Mayor Lafortune and being part of his team. We passed Vision 2025, which transformed our downtowns, not just in Tulsa, but throughout Tulsa County, and I have loved, and loved serving as a county commissioner for the last 16 years. Working across party lines comes naturally to me, and of course, you know, I've been successful in getting federal and state funds for projects that are important to our community. Running for mayor is not a stepping stone for me. It is my chance to continue giving back to the city, tackling some issues that might not be easy for everyone to tackle, and using my decades of experience building relationships, working with stakeholders, helping families, and cultivating bipartisan solutions, I am the one who is best prepared to lead our city. And being mayor is about showing up. It's about rolling up your sleeves, and you cannot do that if you miss a third of your job, like my opponent has done in this past year, running for office and serving. It's not easy. It is about making progress for the people we serve. And I have shown you over and over again that I know how to get things done. I know what the issues are, and I know how to work across the aisle to move the needle on these issues. And you can go to karenkeith.org and check out our plans. These plans were built with community leaders, with community engagement, so that I can tell you that these plans are things that we can accomplish and get done, because I know how to do that. On November 5, you have the opportunity to have your voice heard on the future of our city. So I ask that you work with me, we can make Tulsa the absolute best place to live, work and play, and I want to do that for you.