Grellner avoids runoff in race to November election

Jun. 19—Oklahomans gave a resounding "yes" to State Senate candidate Randy Grellner, who ran for the District 21 seat and won the June 18 Primary Tuesday.

Grellner won a total of 4,130 votes, or 79.67%.

More than 3,600 of the votes were cast Tuesday, 406 were cast during early voting and 89 were cast via absentee mail.

The News Press followed up with Grellner following the results of Tuesday evening, and he expressed that although he was relieved and excited, he felt what he described as "a heavy burden."

"I had a good feeling going into the race, but you just don't know," Grellner said. "It looks like the people we've talked to and been engaged with really rolled out and voted. We're appreciative and humbled that they're entrusting us to go do a job that is important to their livelihood and their families."

District 21 includes towns such as Mannford, Cushing, Oilton, Yale, Perkins and most of Stillwater — and covers much of Payne County and Creek County.

Candidate Kurt Murray, who withdrew from the race in May, came in second with 556 total votes, or 10.73% of the vote.

Candidate James Winn received 498 votes, or 9.61% of the vote.

The News Press spoke with Grellner again Wednesday after he'd finished a string of morning clinicals at his clinic in Cushing.

Grellner said many people had come up to him and expressed their desire to help his campaign because they wanted "this state and this country to turn back to what it was."

"They trust — obviously, in this case, me," Grellner said. "....You don't want to let them down, because number one, they're friends or they're people you take care of, but they believe in you."

Grellner compared the confidence people had in him in the Primary Election with his 23 years serving in the healthcare industry.

"There's a confidence when they walk in this office that you care," Grellner said. "And number two, that you'll do your best."

Grellner said he won't accept lobbyists' funding, stating that he "won't sell" the people out.

"It's not worth it," Grellner said. "It's not worth what I've built here in Cushing and the trust and the respect that I have for the people that I take care of."

Some of his biggest concerns are the national debt, less government interference in State issues and renewable energy.

He said the national debt is "definitely a State issue."

"(The State) does a lot of matching funds with the federal government," Grellner said. "...We have to change our way of thinking in this country. Money is not infinite, and debt is something that is crippling this country."

He said it's the "connection back to the economy," and it's why people are fearful of losing jobs or maintaining their own budgets.

Grellner said he's "all for green energy," but that "we're subsidizing the heck out of it." He's worried that jobs will be sent overseas because the U.S. doesn't have a "competitive edge" with green energy. He said the U.S. produces the cleanest oils and fossil fuels as well as anyone else in the world.

Grellner pointed out that Oklahoma's gross production tax has been raised and since that time, the oil and gas industries have slowed their production.

Although production is bigger in western Oklahoma, he said, there is natural gas available that could be used to "power our communities."

"Why not locally have power and pump it back into the grid?" Grellner said. "... We can go three miles south of town and get all the natural gas we need."

Grellner said he plans to work across party lines to make decisions. Although he said the Legislature needs to cover the "basics" such as providing jobs, electricity and heat for people, he doesn't think every agency is needed and should be audited.

"I think we all have to be reasonable on issues that strike a chord with somebody heavier than somebody else," Grellner said. "...The first problem is we make every issue personal, and then life-and-death up front.

"...It never works well that way. ... I see life and death situations every day and there are times to get nervous and to panic, but it's not every day."