Law student Emily Virgin and public policy senior Isaiah McCaslin are both on the ballot for an open seat in the Oklahoma State House of Representative.

Tuesday’s election is a primary, and both students are seeking to become the Democratic candidate for the Nov. 2 election. The open seat is for District 44, which includes the OU campus.

McCaslin said one of the reasons he is running is because things being done at the Capitol today are not working.

“We rank too high on tragedies like suicides, child abuse and poverty, and we rank too low on the health of our citizens, the quality of our infrastructure and the number of college graduates,” McCaslin said. “I am running to do something about this. It won’t be easy, and it won’t happen overnight, but my ultimate goal is to be able to sit on my porch 50 years from now and know that my community is better because I got involved.”

Virgin, who graduated with a degree in political science from OU in 2009, told The Daily in January that she is following family footsteps into politics. Her grandfather, George Skinner, is a Cleveland County commissioner representing District 3.

“When you grow up around something, that’s what you end up loving,” Virgin said. “It’s really what I feel called to do. It’s my passion.”

Virgin did not respond to The Daily’s request for a follow-up interview.

Even in the midst of a budget crisis, McCaslin said the priority of many elected officials has been to push extremist laws and play political games.

McCaslin’s resume include serving the U.S. Army Reserves, working full time as a law office administrator and being on the board of the Norman Sustainability Network and OnTrac, which advocates for rail transit.

“Previously I was an intern in the Norman City manager’s office where I researched policy issues,” he said. “This blend of business, government and grassroots leadership experience will allow me to bring a fresh perspective to the Capitol.”

McCaslin said he understands how different sectors of society can work together to make change.

A few of the issues he would work on as a representative are expanding mass transit, attracting green jobs and renewable energy industries, restoring education funding and protecting women’s rights, McCaslin said.

“Even given those goals, in the legislature we’re going to deal with many issues, and all of them are important and interconnected,” he said.

McCaslin said he would approach all of these issues through a philosophy of sustainability.

“Sustainability is not just about the environment. It is fundamentally about preparing for the future and preparing for change,” he said. “It’s about ensuring everyone has an opportunity for a high quality of life. It’s about making sure the way we raise and spend money is tenable over the long term. It’s about ensuring that we don’t overextend our resources. It’s about making sure that we have access to the things that make our lives possible, like good jobs, strong families, healthy food and a built environment that encourages all of these things.”

At age 18, McCaslin moved to Los Angeles to volunteer with a mission that operates many poverty-fight efforts.

“I saw some of the worst living conditions in the developed world,” he said. “This taught me how important it is to have a strong community that watches out for people in hard times, not just for the needy, but for all of us.”

Without these protections, McCaslin said people lose trust in their neighbors, and with that the stability and basic quality of life needed for prosperity.

“It also showed me how uneven the playing field in our country can be sometimes, as things like social capital, familial support, quality of education and of neighborhoods are just as important as financial resources,” he said.

District 44 primary candidates

Republican:

• Kent Hunt

Democrat:

• Tom Kovach

• Emily Virgin*

• Isaiah McCaslin*

• Robert T. Murphy

(*OU student)

To learn the location of your polling place, click here.