Dustin Payne, the owner of a local restaurant called Paw Paw’s Hamburgers, announced Friday that he will be a Republican candidate for the open House seat vacated by former representative Scott Biggs.
“Things at the State Capitol are a complete mess right now,” said Payne. “Instead of continuing to complain, I decided I would take action and try to help solve our problems.”
Payne graduated from Chickasha High School in 2001 and went on to attend the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. He said he is disappointed the Legislature has not provided public education with the funds they need to give school children the quality education every child deserves.
“I am a product of public schools, and my children attend our local public schools,” said Payne. “I believe we must invest in education by sending more dollars to the classroom and demanding high student achievement in return. That includes investing in our teachers, who are long overdue for a pay raise. It’s time to send leaders to the Capitol who will make public education a top priority.”
Today, Payne owns and operates Paw Paw’s Hamburgers, with locations in Chickasha, Tuttle and Blanchard. The business has been in the Payne family since 1968, first owned by his grandparents, Wayne and Juanita Payne. Three generations later, Dustin runs the same restaurant with more locations. It has enjoyed great success and growth since he bought the business in 2012, and Payne plans to open more locations and create a franchise model for wider expansion.
“It has been a tremendous honor to be part of a business that has been in my family for nearly fifty years,” said Payne. “We love doing business here in the same community where we have so many close ties. There is no better place to live, work and raise a family than our part of Oklahoma. I think the legislature could benefit from the perspective of a small business owner like me. There are too many decisions made in government without ever considering how it might impact jobs and economic development in the real world. I hope my experience owning and operating a business that employs Oklahomans will help the Legislature make better economic decisions.”
Payne said he believes it’s time for new leadership at the State Capitol.
“I’m downright frustrated with the direction we have been heading as a state,” said Payne. “The budget is a mess, the politicians never seem to get along, and the vital services we care about–like education, health care and public safety–keep getting cut and neglected. Whatever they have been doing, it isn’t working. It’s time for a change. I hope I can be a new kind of leader for our district and our state so we can get moving in the right direction again.”
Payne is married to Allicia with four children, ages two up through fourteen.
The special primary election has been scheduled for January 9, with a special general election March 6.
