Since Oklahoma’s state elections are fast approaching, The Cougar Call has decided to officially endorse Ronny Johns for State Representative of House District 25.

Members of The Cougar Call had the chance to sit down with Ronny Johns and Danny Manuel and conduct face-to-face interviews of each candidate, to question them about their candidacy and and how they, as individuals, will make an impact if elected. After many class debates, The Cougar Call staff decided Johns would best represent the issues we felt most affected us.

The qualities we considered most important when making this decision were the candidate’s ability to work well with other political parties, their education policies, and their views on First Amendment rights for student journalists. While both candidates had many positive qualities, we are endorsing Johns because because he wants to do what is best for the people in this district, and he is more than willing to connect with other political parties to do so if he is elected.

“I’m not worried about representing the republican party,” said Johns. “Am I a republican? Yes. Do I believe in the values and things that they put forth? Absolutely-but my first obligation is going to be District 25. I hope people believe me… I’m a guy that keeps his word.”

Johns has been an educator for many years and has a great deal of experience fighting the gradual decline of public education. Johns, who became emotional when addressing the fact that some of his detractors have referred to him as “just a teacher”, feels that being a teacher is a job he has pride in and one that has offered him a great deal of applicable experience, if elected. We agree and feel that Johns has a good understanding of what is going on, and we believe that he will do everything in his power to make things right for the education system.

“I’ve been at the bottom of the teacher pay my whole life, because both of my parents were teachers,” said Johns. “So I’ve lived on a teacher salary for 56 years.”

We believe Johns will be an advocate for schools, students and teachers. He supports a reasonable right to free speech for student journalists, and he is willing to set party differences aside and work together to do what is in the best interest of the people of House District 25 and all Oklahomans.

Johns has the full endorsement of The Cougar Call, and we hope any of our readers who can vote will consider casting their ballots for Ronny Johns for State Representative of District 25.