Republican Lisa Standridge defeated Democratic candidate Elizabeth Foreman in the race for the state Senate District 15 seat on Tuesday.
According to unofficial results from the Oklahoma State Election Board, as of 8:30 p.m., Standridge received 61.12%, or 23,361, of 38,224 votes. Foreman received 38.88%, or 14,863.
Standridge is a health care professional and graduate of the OU College of Pharmacy from Noble. Her husband, incumbent Rob Standridge (R-Norman), served as the District 15 state senator for 12 years, the term limit for state legislators. The couple opened two pharmacies in the Oklahoma City area.
According to her campaign website, Standridge’s policy priorities include supporting law enforcement and decreasing homelessness. She is anti-abortion and a supporter of the Second Amendment.
During a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Norman on Oct. 17, Standridge said her first priority in entering the Legislature would be decreasing taxes by cutting spending on “unchecked” state programs.
Standridge is a proponent of school tax credits, which enable parental school choice, and “local control” in education, according to her website.
Standridge said Oklahoma needs more vocational-technology schools and programs that prepare high school students for higher education, and teacher pay should be based on merit.
In the forum, Standridge said she will be a trustworthy legislator because she will consider both sides of an argument before making a decision.
“I will always vote for what is best for the state of Oklahoma,” Standridge said in the forum. “And I full well understand that the people that vote for me expect me to do that, and they’re trusting me to do that.”
Standridge’s term will begin on Jan. 7, according to the Senate rules.
This story was edited by Anusha Fathepure and Ana Barboza. Mary Ann Livingood and Grace Rhodes copy edited this story.
