GOP candidates to appear at debate

The Republican candidates for state Senate District 45 and for Cleveland County sheriff will participate in a series of debates Friday, county GOP officials said.

Cleveland County Republican chair Roger Warren said Senate District 45 candidates, Steve Russell?and Kyle Loveless along with Cleveland County sheriff candidates Joe Lester and Mark Hamm will debate at Mid-America Christian University, 3500 SW 119th St., in Oklahoma City.

The event will be in the Chapel of the University. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Russell and Loveless will debate from 7 to 8 p.m. while Lester and Hamm will debate from 8 to 9 p.m.

Moderators will be State Rep. Scott Martin and County Commissioner Rod Cleveland.

The debate is sponsored by the Cleveland County Republican Party and Mid-America Christian University.

For more information, call Warren at 912-4341 or go to www.okgopcc.com.



Morgan to speak at Cornbread and Beans

Retired University of Oklahoma professor David Morgan will speak to the Tyner Cornbread and Beans luncheon Friday at StepBrothers restaurant, 423 S. Webster Ave. His topic will be "Renewing the American Electoral Process."

The luncheon is sponsored by the Cleveland County Democratic Party.

Morgan spent 31 years on the political science faculty at OU, retiring as the Henry Bellmon Chair of Public Service. He has published widely in the field of state and local politics. He also has about five years' experience?in city government, including service as administrative assistant to the city manager and acting city manager of Norman. Morgan was the first city manager of Yukon.?

Lunch starts at 11:30 a.m. Cornbread and beans are $5. The meeting is open to the public.



Loveless questions Russell's commitment

Republican candidate Kyle Loveless questioned Steve Russell's commitment to the people of Senate District 45 in light of Russell's trip to New England less than two weeks before the primary runoff on Aug. 26.

"Yesterday, I went door to door and made over 200 personal phone calls, meeting people at their doors listening to them about why they want a conservative leader. My opponent was off in New England campaigning for another candidate," said Loveless.

Loveless said Russell was in New Hampshire campaigning for Jennifer Horn for Congress.

"If the people of Senate District 45 aren't getting Russell's full attention now in the heat of a campaign, when will they? Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I believe representatives should earn the votes of the people who they want to represent instead of traveling across the country when they should be earning votes."



Rice against Social Security privatization

OKLAHOMA CITY -- On the 73rd anniversary of Social Security becoming law, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Andrew Rice said he would always fight to protect Social Security from the privatization advocated by President Bush and Sen. Jim Inhofe.

"I am running for the U.S. Senate to protect the interests of Oklahomans, and it is in the interest of every retired Oklahoman, every working Oklahoman and every Oklahoma child that we fight those who want to privatize and essentially undercut Social Security," Rice said. "We need to be vigilant in our support for Social Security. It is the most successful social insurance program in history."

Rice signed a letter urging Oklahoma's Congressional delegation to protect Social Security and focus on the evaluation process of options to ensure its solvency.

"We have seen great political courage from many politicians around the country to support this important social program in its most effective form, a form that has worked for 73 years and that will continue to work for the working Americans who were promised its benefit their entire adult lives," Rice said. "Social Security provides basic income so that no senior is without necessities. Privatization puts these low-income seniors most at risk."

-- Transcript Staff