It appears Oklahoma City businessman and former Oklahoma Senator Leo Kingston is getting serious about the Oklahoma Labor Commissioner race. According to Ethics Commission filings, Kingston loaned his campaign $750,000.
Kingston will face a tough road in the campaign ahead. He was convicted in 1990 in federal court of defrauding the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He was sentenced to eight years in prison for the felony. Kingston has never shied away from his past, but points to his successful businesses built since.
Kingston also faces two strong opponents in the Labor Commissioner race. Cathy Costello is the widow of Mark Costello who was Labor Commissioner when he was murdered by his son. Costello has become a champion for mental health awareness. Also in the race is Rep. Leslie Osborn who was the House Appropriations and Budget Chair during the last legislative session and was a regular on Scott Mitchell’s Your Vote Counts on KWTV 9.
Kingston sounds like the best of the three choices. He’s built and rebuilt half a dozen businesses from zero to generating multi-millions. It takes a business mind like that to transform our business climate in Oklahoma.
Great, a convicted felon running for office.