Special HD55 Election On Tuesday

Voters in House District 55 will head to the polls on Tuesday to select a successor to Democrat Ryan McMullen.

The candidates in the special election are Democrat Larry Peck of Sentinel and Republican Todd Russ of Cordell.

The election is Tuesday, but voters in Washita County and parts of Caddo, Canadian and Kiowa counties may vote with in-person absentee ballots from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and Monday at their local election board offices. Votes also may be cast from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

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Peck, Russ Advance In HD55 Special Election

Democrat Larry Peck and Republican Todd Russ won their special election primaries in the House District 55 race on Tuesday and will meet in the October 13th special general election.

Peck, from Sentinel, and Russ, from Cordell, easily won their primaries.

Russ received 1,046 votes, or 89.3 percent, while Jeff Ledford of Hobart received 125 votes, or 10.7 percent.

Peck won 2,017 votes, or 78.6 percent, while Alex Damon, the mayor of Cordell, garnered 550 votes, or 21.5 percent.

Peck and Russ, who each sought the Senate District 26 seat in 2006 that covers most of House District 55, are seeking to succeed Ryan McMullen, a Democrat who accepted a federal agriculture post.

Peck, 52, recently retired as an agriculture education instructor and FFA adviser at Sentinel High School. He farms and ranches and his family owns Ag Youth magazine, which reaches 4-H and FFA youth across the Midwest.

Russ, 48, is on the Cordell City Council and is past president and chief executive officer of Washita State Bank in Burns Flat. He sold the majority of his bank stock last year and is now doing management consulting. He would have to resign his city post if he wins next month’s election.

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HD55: Russ First To File, Democrats Follow

Republican Todd Russ of Cordell was the first to file for the House District 55 seat this morning, followed by Democrats Larry Peck of Sentinel and Alex Damon of Cordell.

This afternoon, Republican Jeff Ledford, 52, of Hobart filed, ensuring a GOP primary.

Filing continues through Wednesday for the seat, being vacated by Ryan McMullen, a Democrat. McMullen left his House seat to accept the appointed post of director of rural development for the U.S. Agriculture Department.

Primary elections are scheduled for September 8, with the general election October 13.

Peck, 52, recently retired as an agriculture education instructor and FFA adviser at Sentinel High School. He farms, ranches and operates a family-owned business in the Sentinel area. His family owns Ag Youth Magazine, which reaches 4-H and FFA youth across the Midwest.

Damon, the mayor of Cordell, said he wants to fight for legislation to strengthen Oklahoma's mental health programs. Damon, 49, moved to Cordell in 2002. He was appointed to the Cordell City Council in 2003 and later that year was appointed president of the council. He was elected mayor in 2004 after serving as interim mayor following the resignation of the mayor. He was elected to a four-year term as mayor in 2007.

Russ, re-elected earlier this year to a second two year-term on the Cordell City Council, is past president and chief executive officer of Washita State Bank in Burns Flat. In 2006, he narrowly lost the state Senate District 26 race in southwestern Oklahoma, which covers much of House District 55. He's 48.

Ledford is a former Hobart auto parts plant manager.

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Henry Sets HD55 Special Election Dates

Governor Henry today set the dates for special elections in the House District 55 area in western Oklahoma.

The special elections were called after Rep. Ryan McMullen resigned to become state director of rural development with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Henry set the filing period for the post August 3-5. The primary election will be September 8 and the general election will be October 13.

The district includes all of Washita County and parts of Kiowa, Caddo and Canadian Counties.

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