Republican Jessica Garvin was asked to run for state senator of District 43 because of some decisions current senator, Paul Scott, had made that “shook” conservative citizens in Duncan.
Garvin said back in the fall of 2018, she was approached by people asking her to consider running for state senate.
“I don’t want to run a negative campaign, but there were some decisions that were made that
really brought a negative light to our district and our town, our community in general and it was hard for a lot of people to swallow in Duncan,” Garvin said. “I just really felt like somebody had to run [for senate].”
Garvin grew up in Duncan, Okla., but also considers Marlow her home too because she and her family spend a considerable amount of time there.
“I work in Marlow; my kids go to school in Marlow; we own property in Marlow, so we spend a lot of time between the two [towns],” Garvin said.
However, growing up, Garvin never dreamed of becoming a politician.
“I wanted to be a doctor for a long time whenever I was little, just like my dad,” Garvin said.
Garvin surmises her childhood was different from others who also grew up in the same town because her father was one of the only two physicians in town. She said growing up felt she lived in a glass house because her father was very well known in the community.
“I had a very simple life; my childhood was fantastic,” Garvin said. “My parents are just really good people and we never wanted for anything.”
Despite the status as a physician her father brought to her family, Garvin said her parents still held her responsible. She helped to pay for her first car when she turned 16, and paid for most of her college education.
“Growing up as a doctor’s daughter, I think a lot of people assume that I’m this spoiled rotten brat, but we were never brought up thinking that we were better than anyone,” Garvin said. “My parents have always served people.”
Garvin started college as a political science major, but quickly switched majors to communications with a minor in psychology. For a short time, she also considered being a psychologist and a teacher.
“I still feel like I am trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up,” she laughed.
During her sophomore year at the University of Central Oklahoma, Garvin transferred to University of Oklahoma where she went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in communications.
She said she did rush while she was at OU, but at the last minute decided she needed to focus on school because she had to work in effort to pay for her tuition.
Regardless, Garvin said she still had a good college experience. “I still had the same experience, but it just looked a little different to most people.”
In Garvin’s spare time, she and her husband love fishing and hunting and are very invested in their community. Garvin also coaches cheerleading and dance.
“I’ve always felt like that was my way to give back to my school and my community, by investing in some of the kids,” Garvin said. “ It’s really important to me.”
Garvin maintains both a nursing home and assisted living administrator license and also owns a portion of a hospice company.
“I love what I do,” Garvin said. “Taking care of people is what I grew up knowing.”
Garvin said from day one of her campaign for state senate, she is not desperate to win. She will do whatever is needed become senator, but she has set strict ethical boundaries for herself.
One of the issues Garvin’s campaign focuses on is mental health and substance abuse.
“In Oklahoma I feel like we have this gaping wound that is mental health and substance abuse, and nobody even tries to stick a Band-aid on it,” Garvin said. “We have to recognize that substance abuse is a mental health issue; addiction is a problem.”
Garvin said one of her biggest issues with Oklahoma is how much mental health and substance abuse is costing the state. Unless leaders address the root of the problem, Oklahoma will never get on top of the issue, she stated.
“I think if we could get to the root, instead of trying to treat the symptoms, if we would treat the diagnosis, which is substance abuse and mental health issues, I think we are never going to fix it,” Garvin said.
Garvin said it is really important for people to know that she says a lot of things thinking out loud and her ideas to help fix some of the state’s issues might not work, but collaborative leadership is important in her process to find a solution.
Rural economic development is also something Garvin will be focusing on during her campaign.
“Rural economic development is important to me. It is something that I want to be very aggressive about,” Garvin said. “I did marketing and sales for almost 10 years before I came into doing what I’m doing now. I think it’s really important to have people that know how to sell their district and know how to bring in new revenue streams and new jobs.”
Additionally, Garvin believes it is important for Oklahoma to improve on its educational outcomes.
“I think we’ve got to start teaching kids that [going to college] does not measure your success,” Garvin said.
Garvin did not make the decision to run for state senate lightly, but she felt like it was the right thing to do.
“I hope to be that change for our district and just give people someone that can really help to move our district forward,” Garvin said.