Michael Ross (Oklahoma)

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Michael Ross

Democratic Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 3, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

University of Central Oklahoma, 2003

Personal

Birthplace

Oklahoma City, Okla.

Profession

Teacher

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Campaign YouTube

Michael Ross (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Oklahoma House of Representatives to represent District 68. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Ross completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Ross was a Democratic candidate for District 68 of the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 2018. He was defeated in the general election on November 6, 2018.

Biography

Ross was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2003. His career experience includes working as a public school teacher.

Ross has also achieved teaching certifications in the following: art (PK-12), English (5-12), journalism (5-12), U.S. history/OK history/government/economics (5-12), psychology/sociology (5-12), and training in advanced placement for psychology instruction.

Elections

2020

See also: Oklahoma House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 68

Incumbent Lonnie Sims defeated Michael Ross in the general election for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 68 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lonnie Sims (R)	66.8	11,194
		Michael Ross (D)	33.2	5,570

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 16,764
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

The Democratic primary election was canceled. Michael Ross advanced from the Democratic primary for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 68.

Republican primary election

The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Lonnie Sims advanced from the Republican primary for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 68.

2018

See also: Oklahoma House of Representatives elections, 2018

General election

General election for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 68

Lonnie Sims defeated Michael Ross, Heather Chenoweth, and J. Lee Miller Jr. in the general election for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 68 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lonnie Sims (R)	57.4	7,084
		Michael Ross (D)	30.8	3,802
	Submit photo	Heather Chenoweth (Independent)	9.2	1,135
	Submit photo	J. Lee Miller Jr. (L)	2.7	329

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 12,350
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary runoff election

Democratic primary runoff for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 68

Michael Ross defeated Angela Statum in the Democratic primary runoff for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 68 on August 28, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Michael Ross	54.5	700
	Submit photo	Angela Statum	45.5	584

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,284
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary runoff election

Republican primary runoff for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 68

Lonnie Sims defeated Nicole Nixon in the Republican primary runoff for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 68 on August 28, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lonnie Sims	58.3	2,008
		Nicole Nixon	41.7	1,437

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,445
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 68

Angela Statum and Michael Ross advanced to a runoff. They defeated Kyle Ellis in the Democratic primary for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 68 on June 26, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Angela Statum	49.4	1,695
✔		Michael Ross	32.9	1,131
	Submit photo	Kyle Ellis	17.7	608

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 3,434
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 68

Lonnie Sims and Nicole Nixon advanced to a runoff. They defeated Karen Wright and Christopher Brobst in the Republican primary for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 68 on June 26, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Lonnie Sims	33.4	1,577
✔		Nicole Nixon	28.0	1,320
	Submit photo	Karen Wright	23.3	1,100
	Submit photo	Christopher Brobst	15.3	724

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 4,721
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Michael Ross completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Ross' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a public school teacher, parent, and Tulsan who has devoted his career to serving others and advocating for kids and families. With 16 years in the classroom, I've seen first-hand how the policies of the past have impacted our state's future. I'm the son of a teacher and a public employee, both of whom instilled in me the importance of a life lived in the service of others. I am committed to using every resource at my disposal to create an Oklahoma that lives up to the promise we've made to the next generation, rather than perpetuating the "business as usual" attitude that has seeped into state government.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I am in touch with the issues that affect our district every day: education, healthcare, and a better quality of life for all Oklahomans.
• Unlike the incumbent, I am the candidate voters can count on to be transparent and open, even when dealing with difficult issues.
• The incumbent had an opportunity to serve our district, but he chose to serve the interests of the status quo and special interests. I will work for the people of our district - and only the people of our district.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Public Education - I am a staunch advocate for Oklahoma's public school system and will fight to fully fund the formula, protect the investment promised to our children, and push back against attempts to divert public funds away from public education.

Quality of Life - I will fight for better wages for Oklahomans, protections to curb the tide of evictions in the Tulsa metro and statewide, and to work to improve access to affordable, quality healthcare.

Transparency and Accountability - My priority is service to constituents, not special interests or political agendas.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to my parents, to Vaclav Havel, to Beverly Cleary, to Bobby Kennedy, to John Lewis, to Jack Kirby, and to so many more... I try to learn as much as I can from as many perspectives as I can. I deeply admire Senator Kennedy's evolution over the course of his too-short career, and would like to continue his commitment to serving all people, especially the poor and dispossessed.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Vaclav Havel's "Power of the Powerless" is an essay which has stayed with me since first reading it, and its picture of defiance in the face of a totalitarian regime inspires me each time to remember that everyday people have the power to change the world around them.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Empathy for others, especially those different from yourself. A willingness to be candid, forthright, and timely with constituents, especially on matters of grave importance. Authenticity in all things, and humility above all.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

The cardinal responsibility for any elected legislator, in my estimation, is this: spend every moment in the office working to make your constituents' lives better, any way you can. This takes many forms: it's in the research, authorship, and advocacy for legislation, yes, but it's also in providing the candor and accountability to your constituents so that they may know that you are leveraging the power of the office on their behalf at all times, even on days when the effort seems to come up short.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Sally Ride's first mission aboard the Space Shuttle - I was three years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My very first job was working as a bus boy and host at Old Germany Restaurant in Choctaw, OK, in high school. I worked there for approximately seven months.

What is your favorite book? Why?

My favorite book is 'The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay' by Michael Chabon. It weaves together some of my favorite things - history, camaraderie, romance, and the Golden Age of comic books - into a ambitious yarn that thrills, surprises, and occasionally breaks your heart.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Wouldn't it be fun to be Sam Beckett in 'Quantum Leap' for a little while? Not forever, but maybe just for a couple of leaps.

Otherwise, Jerry/Garry/Terry from 'Parks and Recreation.' He has a wonderful, happy life, regardless of everyone else laughing at him, and he seems like he's got a little slice of heaven in Pawnee, Indiana.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

"Big Ole Freak" by Megan Thee Stallion. That is not a typo.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I have struggled with both physical and mental challenges throughout my life. As a child, I was diagnosed with a high-frequency hearing loss, which led to struggles in adolescence and adulthood. This year, I finally began wearing hearing aids, which has opened a new dimension to my interactions in public. Additionally, I live with mental health issues including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and general depression and anxiety. With that said, the coping strategies I have developed have given me a unique toolset for dealing with the world, and my OCD diagnosis is something I view as my "super power": as I learn the way my brain works, I have also learned how to direct those processes to improve my performance professionally and to innovate in my work and personal pursuits.

Every state besides Nebraska has two legislative chambers. What do you consider the most important differences between the legislative chambers in your state?

In Oklahoma, the division of powers is similar to that of the Legislative Branch on the Federal level - the House maintains control of the purse, while the Senate retains the ability to approve appointments and maintains a longer term in office, which is supposed to afford them the ability to be more deliberative in their proceedings.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I believe that a fundamental understanding of the workings of government is a powerful asset to a legislator and, while that may be attained through experience in politics or government service, may also be achieved through other avenues.

What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?

The greatest challenge our state faces is in overcoming decades of attrition in public services and in modernizing our revenue sources. Presently, Oklahoma operates by basing its revenues in commodities, which has tied us to the increasingly-unstable fossil fuels sector. We're going to have to move to a services-based tax system and, ultimately, commit to a more equitable system that distributes the economic burden more evenly, rather than continuing to allow multi-billionaires to enjoy a tax rate that is roughly the same as a minimum wage worker.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?

The ideal relationship between the governor and legislature is one in which both the Executive and Legislative Branches are recognized as co-equal powers. In the past session, the state legislature (including my opponent) exhibited fealty to the governor by, essentially, giving him everything he asked for, which established a tone of subordination rather than collaboration. As we've faced more urgent crises in 2020, that has curdled into public battles between the two sides that reflect a failure to recognize that need for balance, especially on the part of the governor.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

It is absolutely beneficial to build professional relationships with other legislatures, both within and outside of one's caucus. One legislator alone does not get a law passed, and it's important to recognize that other voice within the legislature can provide perspective, insight, and expertise to help develop laws that may better serve all constituents.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

Ideally, I would like to serve on the Rules Committee, Public Health Committee, Common Education Committee, or Tourism Committee.

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the legislature, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

I would absolutely be interested in joining leadership in any capacity for which I could be seen of service.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

In the state of Oklahoma, my legislative role models are George Nigh and Gene Howard.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

I am, at present, focused on the race at hand.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I met with a woman who'd never had a candidate show up at her door, and listened as she spoke to me about her son. He was a student with profound disabilities who was about to age out of eligibility for services through public schools, and she had particular policies that she was concerned about because they directly impacted the quality of life her son would face moving forward.

This was in a precinct that is fairly working class and, in 2018, had not turned out in great numbers for my opponent. I still can't shake the thought that families like hers are struggling to navigate life-altering challenges in our state, and they don't have the sense that there is an advocate for them at the Capitol.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

2020 Elections

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Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

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External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• Oklahoma House of Representatives

Footnotes

[show]

Current members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives

Leadership

Speaker of the House:Kyle Hilbert

Majority Leader:Mark Lawson

Representatives

District 1

Eddy Dempsey (R)

District 2

Jim Olsen (R)

District 3

Rick West (R)

District 4

Bob Culver (R)

District 5

Josh West (R)

District 6

Rusty Cornwell (R)

District 7

Steve Bashore (R)

District 8

Tom Gann (R)

District 9

Mark Lepak (R)

District 10

Judd Strom (R)

District 11

John Kane (R)

District 12

Mark Chapman (R)

District 13

Neil Hays (R)

District 14

Chris Sneed (R)

District 15

Tim Turner (R)

District 16

Scott Fetgatter (R)

District 17

Jim Grego (R)

District 18

David Smith (R)

District 19

Justin Humphrey (R)

District 20

Jonathan Wilk (R)

District 21

Cody Maynard (R)

District 22

Ryan Eaves (R)

District 23

Derrick Hildebrant (R)

District 24

Chris Banning (R)

District 25

Ronny Johns (R)

District 26

Dell Kerbs (R)

District 27

Danny Sterling (R)

District 28

Danny Williams (R)

District 29

Kyle Hilbert (R)

District 30

Mark Lawson (R)

District 31

Collin Duel (R)

District 32

Jim Shaw (R)

District 33

Molly Jenkins (R)

District 34

Trish Ranson (D)

District 35

Ty Burns (R)

District 36

John George (R)

District 37

Ken Luttrell (R)

District 38

John Pfeiffer (R)

District 39

Erick Harris (R)

District 40

Chad Caldwell (R)

District 41

Denise Hader (R)

District 42

Cynthia Roe (R)

District 43

Jay Steagall (R)

District 44

Jared Deck (D)

District 45

Annie Menz (D)

District 46

Jacob Rosecrants (D)

District 47

Brian Hill (R)

District 48

Tammy Townley (R)

District 49

Josh Cantrell (R)

District 50

Stacy Adams (R)

District 51

Brad Boles (R)

District 52

Gerrid Kendrix (R)

District 53

Jason Blair (R)

District 54

Kevin West (R)

District 55

Nick Archer (R)

District 56

Dick Lowe (R)

District 57

Anthony Moore (R)

District 58

Carl Newton (R)

District 59

Mike Dobrinski (R)

District 60

Mike Kelley (R)

District 61

Kenton Patzkowsky (R)

District 62

Daniel Pae (R)

District 63

Hurchel Caldwell (R)

District 64

Rande Worthen (R)

District 65

Toni Hasenbeck (R)

District 66

Clay Staires (R)

District 67

Rob Hall (R)

District 68

Mike Lay (R)

District 69

Mark Tedford (R)

District 70

Suzanne Schreiber (D)

District 71

Amanda Clinton (D)

District 72

Michelle McCane (D)

District 73

Ron Stewart (D)

District 74

Kevin Norwood (R)

District 75

T. Marti (R)

District 76

Ross Ford (R)

District 77

John Waldron (D)

District 78

Meloyde Blancett (D)

District 79

Melissa Provenzano (D)

District 80

Stan May (R)

District 81

Mike Osburn (R)

District 82

Nicole Miller (R)

District 83

Eric Roberts (R)

District 84

Tammy West (R)

District 85

Cyndi Munson (D)

District 86

David Hardin (R)

District 87

Ellyn Hefner (D)

District 88

Ellen Pogemiller (D)

District 89

Arturo Alonso-Sandoval (D)

District 90

Emily Gise (R)

District 91

Chris Kannady (R)

District 92

Forrest Bennett (D)

District 93

Mickey Dollens (D)

District 94

Andy Fugate (D)

District 95

Max Wolfley (R)

District 96

Preston Stinson (R)

District 97

Aletia Haynes Timmons (D)

District 98

Gabe Woolley (R)

District 99

Ajay Pittman (D)

District 100

Marilyn Stark (R)

District 101

Robert Manger (R)

Republican Party (81)

Democratic Party (20)