Tulsa's Mayor-Elect Monroe Nichols Talks Priorities And Transition Plans

State Rep. Monroe Nichols will be Tulsa's next mayor after defeating Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith in last night's runoff race, he will be sworn in on Dec. 2.

Rep. Nichols spoke to LeAnne Taylor and Dave Davis about his victory.

Davis: Mayor-elect Nichols, congratulations. What does it mean to you to win this victory and to be Tulsa's first black mayor?

Nichols: I want to first just say, you know, thank you to my opponent in this race, Karen Keith. What she's done for the city, and I know what she's going to continue to do for the city. I think the big thing for me is more people voted in the mayor's race than ever before. There are so many voices that were heard this time around. I think that it means it's a special obligation to serve as the next mayor. But I'm excited for what it means for Tulsa.

Taylor: I know, when I talked to you after the earlier races, you said it wasn't lost on you what it meant. What it means now for the city to have a black mayor.

Nichols: I think a big thing is about us writing the next chapter in Tulsa's history. We've always been a city that was kind of a trailblazing city, and so we've now knocked that one off the list as a community. But now the question is, can we also knock homelessness off the list? Can we also improve student outcomes? Can we also make sure the safest big city in the country, and that requires us to do things a little bit differently? And I think this election shows that Tulsa is ready just to try something a little bit different.

Davis: What do you feel like separated yourself and Karen Keith in this race in the final stretch?

Nichols: I think we were very consistent from when we started. Over those 15 months, we talked about a vision for the future. We talked about very detailed plans for getting there, and we kept it to that. So, giving folks a reason to vote for me as a candidate and as the next mayor, not just to get somebody else. I think Tulsans have bought into the idea of us talking about how we can be bold and visionary and, frankly, accountable for the future, not necessarily just talking about, why not vote for the other person.

Taylor: How do you think your political career in the past will help you in the future?

Nichols: I think if we're going to get over on the other side of the challenges that we laid out over the last 15 months, we're going to need the support of the state as well. And I think knowing how to navigate Oklahoma City, working well with the majority of legislators, who are Republican, and navigating that system is going to be critically important. I think it's all about how we all come together and make sure that this city, as I said last night, is the best in the country.

Taylor: I think that's what's interesting is you will be the face of Tulsa, but you have already a presence in the city area.

Nichols: Yeah, I'm excited about it. I mean, I've had a lot of my colleagues who texted last night, and I talked to them last night. I think they're also excited about what this means for the state of Oklahoma. It's time for Tulsa to lead again, and we started that last night. We're going to continue that forward.

Davis: There are a handful of new Tulsa city councilors coming in, some of whom have never been city councilors before. What do you feel like your relationship is going to be with the Tulsa City Council? What do you want it to be?

Nichols: We're all partners in getting these things done, right? Tulsans last night said, we want an accountable city government, and accountable city government means the mayor and the nine councilors working together to get things done. So, whether somebody has served and we have incumbents that are returning to the council or folks are new, the message is the same, be accountable, deliver on behalf of the people in Tulsa, and I think that's what people are looking for.

Taylor: What are you going to do between now and December 2? What's going to be your first mission or goal as mayor?

Nichols: A lot of work tomorrow. We have a transition meeting with Mayor Bynum, so we start that work tomorrow. And I think between now and Dec. 2 and beyond is, you know, getting our feet under us on ending homelessness. I mean, we've talked about it for 15 months. It's going to be where we start. It's going to be what we're going to hold ourselves accountable to, and then begin to work on those other things as we go through.