OU law student Emily Virgin was elected to represent Oklahoma House District 44 on Tuesday night, winning with 63.63 percent of the vote from all 16 precincts.
Virgin, the Democratic candidate for District 44 beat Republican Kent Hunt. The district encompasses a large section of Norman, including OU’s campus.
Several people yelled out the votes as they came in, and when it was announced that Virgin had won, the house shook with applause, cheers and rounds of congratulations.
“I’m obviously very grateful and so proud of her,” Virgin’s father, Blake Virgin, said. “She clearly resonated with the voters.”
Though surrounded by hugs and flashing cameras, Virgin still had trouble letting her victory sink in.
“This has been a whirlwind — it’s so surreal. I can’t believe how quickly the results came in,” she said.
Virgin said she always knew she wanted a political career, but her past experiences with Norman charities proved to her that she could really make a difference in the lives of those in need of help.
“The first thing I’m going to tackle is definitely getting more funding for higher education. But before that, I need a nap,” she said jokingly.
A crowd of about 50 gatherers mingled around a hors d’oeuvres-laden dining room table at the Virgin Law Firm, shaking hands and talking about the 24-year-old law student’s burgeoning political career.
As both fresh and familiar faces entered the firm, Virgin greeted each guest with a hug and smile, thanking them for their support.
Jay Scears, second-year OU law student, said he believes his classmate and friend is perfect for her new position.
“At school she’s always willing to help others and she has such a huge passion for this," Scears said. "I think she appeals to voters because she’s a fresh face — she’s not a career politician. She’s big on education, and as a grad student that’s definitely one of my top priorities.”
Hailey Green, also a second-year OU law student, said she knew Virgin would be successful because of her inherent intelligence.
“She’s so incredibly smart and is one of the most diligent people I know,” Green said. “That, combined with the fact that she’s so friendly and caring, is why people voted for her.”
Though the crowd consisted mostly of classmates and family members, others came simply to see what all the talk was about.
“In AP Government we talk about how candidates interact with their constituents and how they make their positions known,” Norman High School junior James Ross said. “I’ve never been to a watch party before, but I wanted to see what it was like. She obviously made herself known.”
Virgin is a life-long resident of Norman. She graduated with honors from OU in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. She is employed as a law clerk for a Norman law firm.
Virgin beat three candidates for the Democratic nomination in the July primary, including OU public policy senior Isaiah McCaslin and Norman City Councilman Tom Kovach.
Virgin received 52.7 percent of the primary votes.
She believes she has come to understand the wants and needs of her constituents by knocking on doors and talking to countless people across District 44.
An integral aspect of Virgin’s campaign is to make higher education more affordable.
She also is a supporter of the Second Century Promise Act, a piece of legislation proposed by Sen. Kenneth Corn, D-Okla. The act would provide tuition and fees for up to 64 credit hours at a state two-year higher education institution.
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soonerboomers 1 year, 6 months ago
She ran an excellent campaign of sending out pictures of her standing next to old white men she met through her family connections.