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December 18, 2009

Sen. Todd Lamb visits Claremore

By Joy Hampton The Claremore Daily Progress Fri Dec 18, 2009, 11:56 AM CST

December 18, 2009 — Sen. Todd Lamb (R-Edmond) said he is running for Lt. Governor because he is passionate about public service. That passion has taken him to some interesting places in the past, including a stint with gubernatorial candidate Frank Keating in 1993 and four years alongside the governor following the election.

That passion once took him into the Secret Service where he investigated and made arrests in areas including counterfeiting, bank fraud and identity theft.

On protection details he traveled the U.S. and abroad during Clinton and George W. Bush tenures from 1998 until 2001.

During his time with the Secret Service, Lamb and wife Monica started their family with the birth of their son. Lamb was in Pennsylvania on assignment when his son crawled for the first time. Expressing his disappointment in missing that life moment to his colleagues, Lamb had a realization. His coworkers talked about the moments of their children’s lives they had missed.

The light bulb went on, he said. Lamb said he knew he did not want to miss out on his family’s most important moments. He left the Secret Service in 2002, accepting a position on the staff of U.S. Sen. Don Nickles.

Elected Nov. 2, 2004 to the state senate, Lamb said he has made friends in state government across party lines, including Sen. Sean Burrage (D-Claremore) who he considers a good friend.

“I want to be a very aggressive ambassador on behalf of our state,” said Lamb.

Economic development and tourism are key.

Lamb said Oklahomans are a tough breed, a people with the pioneer spirit bred into them by ancestors that raced for acreage in the Oklahoma Land Run, a unique means of settlement within the U.S.

“Go get what you want,” Lamb said of the spirit of the Land Run.

Oklahoma also has a state rich in Native American history. Those are strong roots and he said he is tired of taking a back seat to surrounding states such as Texas.

Football fans would never make excuses for losing to Texas in a ballgame, no matter the rankings or experience of the coaches. They always expect to win.

“Why with economic development and tourism is it OK for Oklahoma to be second?” said Lamb.

Diversity of economy with less reliance on the sometimes volatile oil and gas industry are important factors for future stability and economic growth, said Lamb. Texas has learned that and prospered. Oklahoma can, too.

Lamb said the entrepreneurs are already here that can lead the way. He wants to sit down and talk with business leaders and find out what is needed.

“What is Oklahoma doing that allows us to thrive and prosper?” he said.

He also wants to know what businesses need to draw them here for more job creation.

“Tourism dovetails into economic development,” he said.

Oklahoma’s Western heritage, country music, natural landscapes, and aeronautics are some special areas of interest.

“We have more astronauts per capita,” he said.

Public-private partnerships could be one solution to upgrading the state parks and creating a tourism friendly venue in the state, but working with business leaders to create jobs is very important. Creating more quality jobs will help keep our educated youth here after graduation, said Lamb.

“People are moving south,” he said. “We need more business here.”

Part of the problem is in the perception outsiders often have of Oklahoma.

“John Steinbeck didn’t do us any favors,” he said.

Oklahoma needs to put its best foot forward. That “best foot” includes work ethic and education.

“It’s not just marketing,” he said

Reform in recent years have moved the state in the right direction but the “high tax burden” of personal income tax is one thing that deters businesses from moving to the state, Lamb believes.

“I want to be a very aggressive ambassador,” he said. “I’m not going to just sit on my laurels.”

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