OKLAHOMA CITY – An Elgin lawmaker announced this week that she would be the eighth candidate for the o_ce of State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Rep. Toni Hasenbeck, a Republican from Elgin, said Wednesday that she would seek the Republican nomination for the position. Hasenbeck made the announcement during a speech at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City.
A former schoolteacher, Hasenbeck has served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives since 2018. Her legislative district includes parts of Caddo and Comanche counties.
She said she was seeking the post because she wants to restore Oklahoma values to the state’s public schools. She dened those values as faith, family, freedom, and fundamentals.
“We will mandate the Science of Reading with full phonics to skyrocket literacy,” she said. “We’ll enforce high standards in math, science and patriotic U.S. history that celebrates American exceptionalism.
We’ll teach nancial literacy, personal responsibility, free-market economics and character through honesty, respect, integrity, virtue, and excellence.”
Hasenbeck joins a crowded eld in the race.
So far, the candidates include Republicans Dr. John Cox, Rob Miller, Sen. Adam Pugh and Ana Landsaw. They join Independent Gerald Grifn, and Democrats Jennettie Marshall and Craig McVay. Cox ran for state superintendent as a Democrat in 2014 and 2018 before running as a Republican in 2022.
So far, campaign lings show that a total of $292,503 has been raised by the candidates for the race. Of that amount, the campaigns reported spending $134,000. Oklahoma’s primary election is scheduled for 7 a.m.
to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16. Early voting is set for 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on June 11 and 12 and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 13.
A primary runo 4election – if needed – is set for 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 25. Early voting is set for 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Aug. 20 and 21 and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 22.
The general election is scheduled for 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Early voting is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 28 through 30 and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 31.