Jon Shaw has announced this week his candidacy for House District 14. It is the seat in eastern Oklahoma currently held by Rep. George Faught.
Upon announcing his campaign, Shaw issued a personal media release which can be read in its entirety below.
I am pleased and honored to announce my candidacy for Oklahoma State Representative, District 14.
I come from a family of teachers. A lot of teachers. I chose not to follow this path myself, because I knew early on that I could not support a family on a teacher’s salary unless I was to move out of state. I didn’t want to move to another state. I love this state. I love the people, the history (both bad and good), and the potential we have to accomplish amazing things. So, I became something else that I love. Here we are 20 years later, our teachers are exiting the state in droves and the condition of our public schools is embarrassing. The situation is worse than it was back then.
I am so proud of the recent example set by Oklahoma educators, the brave souls who have dedicated their lives to inspiring our children. They have set an incredible example with their collaboration and tenacity during the statewide teacher walkout. This example of a group of citizens standing strong for what they believe to be the right thing has generated support from those outside of education. I truly believe that there are more of us willing to fight for public education in Oklahoma than those that are not. Their actions have once again inspired people; except this time, those people are adults who have the power to act. Having been a volunteer fire fighter in a past life, I can say with great certainty that it only takes a tiny spark at the right time to ignite a blaze that is hard to stop. I believe that very small spark has turned into a full-on blaze, and with the right winds of change it could soon be uncontainable.
Teachers have impacted my life in so many ways. Rather than spending my time and words defending them on social media, an un-winnable battle, I have concluded that it is now the time for me to put my money where my mouth is. It is time for me to stand up for what is in the best interest of the state of Oklahoma and EVERYONE who calls it home. I cannot allow the party that I’ve been registered with since the day I turned 18 be responsible for the total collapse of public education in Oklahoma. We are too small of a state, and have come from too much pain and suffering to continue with this division in our government. This is Oklahoma, we are all Oklahomans; our differences cannot be that great. I believe that we can’t begin to fix anything without open communication. Currently, some of my party members are effectively “taking their ball and going home” to brag about the money they gave and then took away. This shows a total unwillingness to continue the momentum that has been created, the momentum being both sides of the aisle working together to do the right thing. That is not leadership. That is unacceptable.
This is why it is with great excitement, and a bit of trepidation, I am officially announcing my candidacy as a Republican for Oklahoma State House District 14.
Education is on the forefront and currently the priority in the fight for funding, deservedly so. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge other areas including infrastructure and potential laws that are equally vital and need to be fought for this year and beyond. House Bill 1010X that recently passed the legislature was not ideal, but it was a start. It was not; however, a finish. There is money out there. It needs to be found and used to the betterment of our entire state. I believe that auditing every agency answering to the people is a good place to begin. Imagine an Oklahoma where public schools are safe, clean, up to date, and connected to the rest of the world. Imagine our roads and bridges not being the butt of the joke every time you cross the border into another state. Imagine an Oklahoma where our wounded warriors can get the relief they need not from addictive combinations of opioids, antidepressants, and sleeping pills; but by being prescribed one single pill or an oil derived from a naturally occurring plant.
As a Republican, this will probably be my most unpopular stance with those in my party; however, I have seen the evidence of the potential good that can come from the passing of State Question 788, the Medical Marijuana Legalization Initiative, and that evidence is overwhelming. There are too few negatives and too many positives for me to not support allowing for the already proven benefits and further study of medicinal cannabis by our medical community. The passage of State Question 788 will prevent the purchasing of marijuana illegally to treat illness, allow for proper restrictions and regulations, and prevent the waste of taxpayer dollars on enforcement of prohibition as well as the housing of those non violent criminals. A board certified physician would have to sign a prescription before a person could obtain a license to purchase and use marijuana for treatment of an illness. As I said, I know this is a controversial stance. However, I don’t believe it is as controversial as it once was. If I had not witnessed the benefit to veterans suffering from PTSD with my own eyes, I might be doubtful, as well. However, I can’t in good conscience ask those young men to live a life of addiction and suffering when I know that a natural, safe, and scientifically proven medication exists that can help. This is one of those things that’s just the right thing to do. Besides helping to stem the opioid crisis in our state, it gives us a chance to put a brand new revenue stream into Oklahoma schools without raising existing taxes. As it is written, 75% of the money made from State Question 788 is set to go to education.
I want to thank everyone that has already offered their support, and I would like to welcome you to the team if you aren’t already a part of it. I hope that I get a chance to meet each and every one of you impacted by this announcement. Please be sure to follow us on Facebook, INSTAGRAM, and Twitter to find out where I’ll be. Please stop and say hello! Better yet, if you have a group event and would like me to come to you, please do not hesitate to contact me. Let’s get back to a “government of the people, by the people, and for the people”. Less talking, more doing.
