Drew Edmondson in State of Oklahoma Archives
On Principles & Values:
Condemned with IFFY award for running "Issue-Free" campaign
OnTheIssues attempted and failed to compile the issue stances of this candidate--which means the candidate actively sought to hide issue stances from the internet, the news media, and the voters. OnTheIssues undertook due diligence--including writing to
the campaign--and got no response. We will eventually infer the candidate's issue stances from a future voting record--but voters should demand to know about the candidate's stance on their favorite issues (and then send them to us!)
We consider "issue-free campaigners" to be untrustworthy of holding elected office--the IFFY award means they are "iffy" officeholders. KGOU's Trevor Brown reported that the sole one-hour debate on Sept. 24 "waded into social issues, including
abortion, parental rights and gun control. Neither candidate, however, seemed to want to press these issues as campaign focal points." Edmondson's opponent, however, has made public his stances on those three issues (and more), while Edmondson has not.
Source: IFFY disendorsement in 2018 Oklahoma Gubernatorial race
Oct 31, 2018
On Education:
$300M more for education and healthcare systems
Both Democrat Drew Edmondson and Republican Kevin Stitt agreed the state's education and healthcare systems need more money but disagreed over where the funding should come from.Edmondson promoted his plan to increase the state's gross production
tax to 7%, do away with the capital gains tax deduction and increase the cigarette tax by 50 cents, raising an additional $300 million.
"His solution is always more taxes on hardworking Oklahomans," Stitt responded. Stitt said finding more money for
state agencies will require cutting waste, stronger leadership and wisely spending $1 billion in new revenue coming to the state this year.
Edmondson called the $1 billion "a bogus number" that includes money already dedicated for services.
The two candidates agreed that school consolidation should be left up to local districts, recreational marijuana isn't right for Oklahoma and that teacher pay should be increased.
Source: The Oklahoman on 2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial debate
Oct 25, 2018
On Health Care:
Expand Medicaid to address the state's high uninsured rate
In a debate hosted by KOCO-TV in Oklahoma City, both Democrat Drew Edmondson and Republican Kevin Stitt agreed the state's education care system need more money but disagreed over where the funding should come from.Edmondson promoted his plan to
increase the state's gross production tax to 7%, do away with the capital gains tax deduction and increase the cigarette tax by 50 cents, raising an additional $300 million.
"There he goes again," Stitt responded. "It's always about new revenue, new taxes."
The two disagreed on Medicaid expansion, with Edmondson vowing to accept additional federal dollars that would address the state's high uninsured rate.
Stitt said he would make health care spending more efficient but didn't want to expand Medicaid and add to the number of Oklahomans dependent on a government system.
Source: The Oklahoman on 2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial debate
Oct 25, 2018
On Abortion:
No state in women's decisions regarding reproduction
A Republican forum asked in a survey if each candidate would sign legislation banning all abortions except in the cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother. Drew Edmondson, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, did not respond to the
group's survey. Edmondson's campaign manager said last week, "Drew believes in health care access for all Oklahomans. That includes women's decisions regarding their own reproductive health. Those decisions are intensely personal and should not
involve the Legislature."Two years ago, Gov. Fallin signed bills with abortion restrictions that were later struck down. One bill would have required a physician to perform an ultrasound test using either a vaginal probe or an
abdominal transducer and explain to the woman what the ultrasound was depicting. Another would have required doctors at abortion clinics to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.
Source: Press-Reader on 2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial race
Jul 15, 2018
On Corporations:
Close tax loopholes as one means to a fair budget
The budget should be written for Oklahomans, not lobbyists. Our budget process is broken and our priorities have been lost. Legislators are neglecting middle-class families while rewarding special interests.
To invest in our people, we'll close corporate tax loopholes in the state and expand tax deductions for middle-class Oklahomans and small businesses.
Source: 2018 gubernatorial campaign website DrewForOklahoma.com
Jun 23, 2018
On Education:
The future depends on investing in education and kids
Number one--we need to raise pay for our teachers and reduce administrative costs to put money back in classrooms. This isn't just about doing right by our teachers or giving opportunity to our kids. It's about our future.
If we want to grow our businesses and attract new ones, we must have the entrepreneurs and skilled workers to support them. We need to stop cutting higher education funding too, and invest in Oklahomans to build a more prosperous Oklahoma.
Source: 2018 gubernatorial campaign website DrewForOklahoma.com
Jun 23, 2018
On Energy & Oil:
Applauds oil and gas reps for backing up restoring GPT to 7%
Edmondson said Oklahoma should invest in its future by working to reduce its dependence on unstable income sources like the gross production tax and creating a capital improvement fund. Edmondson has also voiced his support for restoring GPT to 7% and
pledged to take the issue to a vote of the people should the legislature fail to make this necessary adjustment. He applauded a group of oil and gas professionals who have picked up that banner and are working on a ballot initiative to achieve that goal.
Source: 2018 gubernatorial campaign website DrewForOklahoma.com
Jun 23, 2018
On Government Reform:
Advocate of open transparency; the public has right to know
We start by cracking down on those who broke it--the lobbying industry and corrupting political donations and establishing new transparency rules.
And I'll establish an Office of Open Government within the governor's office to facilitate the public's right to know.˙ The Fallin administration's practice of stonewalling the public ends with me.
Source: 2018 gubernatorial campaign website DrewForOklahoma.com
Jun 23, 2018
On Health Care:
Reverse decision and accept Medicaid expansion funds
Every Oklahoman should be free to choose the best health care for themselves. Our governor's decision to reject Medicaid expansion not only robbed tens of thousands of health care, it created an insurance monopoly that robbed Oklahomans of choice
and let insurance companies set sky-high rates.˙ It also crippled the ability of our state's rural hospitals to provide care to low-income Oklahomans. Drew Edmondson will reverse our legislature's harmful decision to reject Medicaid expansion funds.
Source: 2018 gubernatorial campaign website DrewForOklahoma.com
Jun 23, 2018
On Homeland Security:
Services for veterans instead of for corporate donors
"Our legislative leaders still have a chance to set Oklahoma back on solid financial footing to fund education, health care and services for veterans," Edmondson said. "If they aren't willing to stand up to their corporate donors and their
corporate lobbyists and do what's right, I said in July 2017 that as governor, I'll put a plan before the people and let them vote to secure these critical services and put Oklahoma back on track."
Source: Tulsa World on 2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial race
Jun 4, 2018
On Immigration:
Don't back federal government deporting DREAMers
Democratic candidate Drew Edmondson said that he would see no compelling reason to help the federal government deport so-called "Dreamers" if he is elected governor. "I don't know if that's still going to be an issue in January 2019 or not, but that is
an area where I would see no compelling reason for the state of Oklahoma to assist federal authorities in taking action that we might not feel is just," Edmondson said at a forum on the campus of the University of Arts and Sciences of Oklahoma.
Source: The Oklahoman on 2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial race
Mar 8, 2018
On Government Reform:
Blames revenue shortfall on corporate donors and lobbyists
Edmondson said he will "put Oklahomans first and take on the outside interests and partisan politicians who are trying to hurt our way of life." He said the legislature had a chance to set Oklahoma back on solid financial footing but the state has been
hit with its 4th straight year of revenue shortfall. "If they aren't willing to stand up to their corporate donors and their lobbyists and do what's right, I'm prepared to put a plan before the people and let them vote," he said.
Source: Sequoyah County Times on 2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial race
Mar 7, 2018
On Technology:
Use tobacco settlement to fund school technology
While serving as AG, Edmondson was one of 8 attorneys general to negotiate a settlement with tobacco companies. He then led efforts to establish the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust, which protected the settlement money and ensured it can
only be spent on public health.˙ He negotiated a settlement in 2001 with then Southwestern Bell to establish˙ the Oklahoma Educational Technology Trust. The trust has invested more than $12 million in technology and training into Oklahoma schools.
Source: Sequoyah County Times on 2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial race
Mar 7, 2018
On Drugs:
Backs new drug law making possession of drugs a misdeameanor
Edmondson said recent drug law changes by 2 state questions make simple possession of drugs a misdemeanor--even a 2nd or 3rd offense. "So people's whose offense that is the simple possession of marijuana are not going to be prison eligible,"
he said. "Now possession with intent or actual distribution--that's another matter. It's the DA's discretion as to whether to file that as a felony." Edmondson said such measures will eventually help reduce the prison population.
Source: Edmond Sun on 2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial race
Feb 20, 2018
On Crime:
Remove profit motive from the prison system
Oklahoma gubernatorial candidates on Tuesday slammed the state's incarceration rate--and its reliance on private prisons--at a forum that also focused on education, health care and the budget.
Democrat Drew Edmondson said it was "immoral" to have a profit motive connected to incarceration. The state is spending 10 times as much to keep people in prison as it would to treat them, he said.
Source: Tulsa World on 2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial race
Feb 1, 2018
On Abortion:
Supports abortion rights for women, part of his platform
Drew Edmondson, a former prosecutor and four-term Oklahoma attorney general from one of the state's most well-established political families, announced Monday he will seek the Democratic nomination for governor in 2018. A supporter of the death penalty
and abortion rights for women, Edmondson served for 16 years as the state's attorney general before running for the state's open governor's seat in 2010. He lost the Democratic primary race against then Lt. Gov. Jari Askins by less than 1%.
Source: KOCO News5 on 2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial race
May 1, 2017
On Environment:
As AG, created the Environmental Protection Unit
In 1996, Edmondson created the Environmental Protection Unit to provide agencies with specialized legal advice and representation on environmental issues.
Since then the unit has filed lawsuits and drafted numerous AG opinions on environmental issues, including biomedical waste, discarded tires, animal-feeding operations, groundwater use, county zoning authority, solid waste and wildlife issues.
Source: Tulsa World on 2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial race
Jan 9, 2011
On Gun Control:
Long history of being an advocate of the Second Amendment
"The right to keep and bear arms is a crucial part of our history. Resources attacking that right would be better utilized to promote responsible gun ownership and
to educate our children about firearm safety," said Attorney General Drew Edmondson, who joined the effort to uphold the Second Amendment.
Source: The Oklahoman on 2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial race
Jun 27, 2008
Page last updated: Oct 13, 2021