OKLAHOMA CITY – State Senate Majority Floor Leader Greg McCortney (R-Ada) had plans to be the next Senate Pro Tem after Greg Treat (R-Oklahoma City) termed out this year. Voters had other plans.
In February, the Senate Republican Caucus voted for McCortney to be the Pro Tem Designee. Now the powerful legislative position will be decided when the caucus reconvenes Jan. 7, 2025, on Or ganizational Day for the 60th Oklahoma Legislature.
The June 18 Republican Primary election results haven’t been certified as of press time; however, unofficial results with the Oklahoma State Election Board show a political unknown. Jonathan Wingard, from Ada, unseated McCortney 51.77% of the vote to 48.23%. No Democrats ran for the seat in the June 18 state primaries.
Wingard, who served in the Oklahoma National Guard, was deployed to Afghanistan in 2012-2013, and served in Kuwait in 2016-2017.
“I have done countless Oklahoma Active-Duty missions,” he said on his website, jonathanwingardforsenate. com. “I love serving my state & my country. I love helping people. I love being a part of the community.”
The retired veteran describes himself as a “conservative in every sense of the word.” He ran on a platform of limited, small g overnment; the Second Amendment right to bear arms; individual rights and freedoms in areas such as homeownership and landowners’ rights. Wingard supports medical freedom, parental rights and law enforcement. He is against illegal immigration.
A contentious legislative session just wrapped up at the end of M ay, with Senate leadership opposing Governor Kevin Stitt and the House of Representatives’ leadership on several major issues, including a proposed income tax cut f or individuals.