An OU professor and OU students were among the politically-minded people serving up steaming chili and speeches Saturday at the Cleveland County Democratic Party's chili cook-off.

Isaiah McCaslin, public policy junior, and first-year law student Emily Virgin, along with volunteers for both campaigns, set up serving stations and addressed those that paid $10 each to attend the fundraiser at the J.D. McCarty Center. Both students are running for the Oklahoma House of Representatives in District 44.

"This is the core of the Democratic group in Norman," Virgin said following the event. "Having the support of these people is extremely important."

Norman Mayor Cindy Rosenthal also attended the event to hand out yard signs and make some remarks. Rosenthal, a political science professor, is running for reelection in a nonpartisan campaign and she said she tried to focus on issues, not party politics, when speaking.

"There aren't Republican and Democratic potholes, there's just working hard to solve problems in the city of Norman," Rosenthal said.

Another OU student took the mic to stump, but first-year law student Jeff Riles wasn't trying to garner votes for himself, but instead for gubernatorial candidate Jari Askins.

"These are my favorite kind of [campaign] events, because these are the real people that are out there every day, working, living wherever their local community is," he said. "This is the real deal."

Askins, currently the lieutenant governor, is running for governor as a Democrat, as is Attorney General Drew Edmondson. Both campaigns set up chili stations Saturday, with Edmondson in attendance and Askins not.

Riles is currently volunteering for Askins' campaign, but said he has worked for her office in the past.

"[Askins] just called me and said 'Hey, I know you're going to be there. I know that you're a good supporter and you'll have lots of friends there so, I'd appreciate it if you spoke for me,'" Riles said.

The chili cook-off has been going on for more than 15 years, said Suzette McDowell, chairwoman of the Cleveland County Democratic Party.