Sen. Thompson sworn in for third term

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, was sworn in for his third and final term in the Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday.  He was automatically re-elected after being unopposed for the District 8 seat.  The swearing in ceremony was held in the Senate Chamber and was presided over by Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell. The oath of office was administered by Oklahoma Supreme Court Chief Justice Richard Darby.

“I just want to express my gratitude for the citizens of District 8 for their continued faith in my service,” Thompson said.  “We’ve accomplished so much in my first two terms.  We’ve taken our state from devastating budget shortfalls to having record emergency savings and making historic investments in education, transportation, public safety, health and mental health, and in programs and initiatives supporting our veterans. I am very thankful to have been a part of these accomplishments on behalf of our district and the state.”

Thompson was first elected to the Oklahoma Senate in 2014, and quickly rose through the leadership ranks.  He’s served as chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Select Agencies, chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Finance, and then in 2017, Thompson was chosen to become the next chair of the full Senate Appropriations Committee.  He also serves as co-chair of the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency’s oversight committee and co-chair of the Joint Committee on Pandemic Relief Funding.   In addition, Thompson has served as vice chair of the Senate Republican Caucus, and has received numerous awards for his support of education, agriculture, public safety and more.

“Throughout my tenure, I’ve worked with our leadership to promote greater transparency in the appropriations process, and I think you saw that effort continued throughout this past year as we worked to select infrastructure projects and made critical investments throughout our state utilizing the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds,” Thompson said. “Even as we prepare for the inevitable economic changes to come, because of our conservative approach to investments and savings, I am confident in the preparations we’ve made ahead of those economic shifts, and I’m very optimistic about our state’s future. I’m excited about the next four years and the challenges and opportunities ahead.”   

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For more information, contact: Sen. Roger Thompson at 405-521-5588 or email Roger.Thompson@oksenate.gov. 

CUTLINE:  Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, took the oath of office during a ceremony at the state Capitol on Wednesday for his third and final term in the Oklahoma Senate.