Drummond announces tentative poultry settlement while candidates debate agriculture, taxes, education and the proposed Inola aluminum smelter.
TULSA — Oklahoma’s leading gubernatorial candidates presented competing visions for agriculture, education, taxes and economic development Saturday during the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association’s gubernatorial forum, with Attorney General Gentner Drummond using the event to announce a tentative settlement in the state’s long-running Illinois River poultry lawsuit.
The forum brought together Republican runoff candidates Drummond and former state Sen. Mike Mazzei, along with Democratic nominee Cyndi Munson, for one of the campaign season’s most prominent agriculture-focused events.
Poultry lawsuit nears resolution
Drummond announced that a federal mediator has accepted a tentative agreement between the state and several poultry companies and recommended dismissal of the decades-old Illinois River watershed lawsuit, although final court filings have not yet been made.
The announcement came before the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association, which withdrew its endorsement of Drummond earlier this year because of concerns about the litigation.
According to The Oklahoman, Drummond said he inherited the decades-old lawsuit and has worked to negotiate a settlement that would provide certainty for poultry producers while addressing water quality concerns.
The Oklahoman reported that Drummond told the audience, “We will find a path where the water is pure and the land is strong and the poultry production of Oklahoma is great.”
The lawsuit has become one of the defining issues of the Republican gubernatorial runoff. Mazzei has repeatedly argued the litigation should have been resolved sooner, while Drummond has maintained the case required a negotiated settlement that protected Oklahoma’s interests.
Candidates differ on Inola project
The candidates also highlighted differing views on the proposed aluminum smelter near Inola.
According to Oklahoma Farm Report, Drummond reiterated his opposition to the project, arguing it would place heavy demands on Oklahoma’s utilities and natural resources. The publication reported that he again compared the proposal to the environmental damage caused by the Tar Creek mining site and criticized the project’s foreign ownership.
Oklahoma Farm Report reported that Mazzei defended the proposal, citing President Donald Trump’s support and arguing the project would create thousands of jobs while strengthening domestic manufacturing and Oklahoma’s economy.
Munson did not make the Inola project a focus of her remarks, instead emphasizing broader issues affecting rural communities.
Competing priorities
According to Oklahoma Farm Report, Mazzei centered his remarks on tax relief and economic growth. The publication reported that he called for eliminating Oklahoma’s income tax, eliminating property taxes for seniors and disabled veterans, protecting agricultural sales tax exemptions, banning foreign ownership of Oklahoma land and launching a statewide literacy initiative modeled after Mississippi’s education reforms.
Oklahoma Farm Report reported that Munson focused on public education and state government leadership. She criticized the removal of Oklahoma’s state forester while the position remains vacant, said the Department of Agriculture should continue to have strong leadership and called for a pause on major new industrial developments until the state better understands their effects on water resources, utility infrastructure and surrounding communities. She also argued Oklahoma should invest in public education rather than continue expanding private school tax credits.
According to Oklahoma Farm Report, Drummond said improving public education would be a top priority of his administration while expanding workforce development through CareerTech and other education initiatives to meet Oklahoma’s long-term economic needs.
Saturday’s forum offered voters an opportunity to compare the Republican runoff candidates alongside the Democratic nominee before Republicans choose between Drummond and Mazzei in the Aug. 25 runoff. The Republican nominee will advance to the November general election.
This story includes reporting by The Oklahoman and Oklahoma Farm Report. Oklahoma Politics Today independently reviewed both organizations’ reporting in preparing this story.
