Sen. District 8’s Press Releases

State Sen. Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, issued the following statement on Monday following the news that former Sen. Roger Ballenger, D-Okmulgee, had passed away. Thompson was elected to the District 8 seat in 2014 after Ballenger announced his retirement from the Senate after eight years of service.

“Roger Ballenger was the epitome of a dedicated public servant. He represented the citizens of District 8 with integrity and was extremely gracious and helpful to me when I was elected to the Senate.

Media and internet attention over a ruling handed down by the federal 10th Circuit Court of Appeals from last winter has resulted in confusion and misinformation, said State Sen. Roger Thompson.

Last February, the federal appeals court upheld a lower court’s ruling that said a Fort Collins, Colorado city ordinance banning women from going topless violated the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection clause because it was gender specific.