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Rosie Lynch
From Ballotpedia
This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.
Rosie Lynch (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Oklahoma House of Representatives to represent District 16. She lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Lynch completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Rosie Lynch was born in Sayre, Pennsylvania. She earned a high school diploma from Manheim Central High School, an associate degree from Tulsa Community College in 2008, and a bachelor's degree from the University of Tulsa in 2011. She also attended Northeastern State University. Her career experience includes working as a director and executive administrator.[1]
Lynch has been affiliated with the Okmulgee Rotary Club, the American Counseling Association, the Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity, Phi Theta Kappa, the Oklahoma Federation of Democratic Women, the Okmulgee County NAACP, the Okmulgee County Democratic Party, the Partner Advisory Council with NE OK Food Bank, the Okmulgee County Consortium, the OK Continuum of Care, the Okmulgee Homeless Task Force, and Oklahoma Democratic Party.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Oklahoma House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 16
Incumbent Scott Fetgatter defeated Rosie Lynch in the general election for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 16 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Scott Fetgatter (R) | 71.4 | 10,834 |
Rosie Lynch (D)  | 28.6 | 4,334 | ||
| Total votes: 15,168 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Rosie Lynch advanced from the Democratic primary for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 16.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Incumbent Scott Fetgatter advanced from the Republican primary for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 16.
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Lynch in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Rosie Lynch completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Lynch's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I am a community advocate and volunteer who is deeply devoted to collaborating with services to help Rural Oklahomans receive the help, funding, and services granted to other Oklahomans. My father, twin sister, and family members are all veterans, police officers, and I will do what I can to contribute to supporting our men and women who selflessly serve our community to help preserve our laws and health services. Attending a rural public school reminds me now of the importance of our rural public schools and what they mean to our communities. Rural Public Schools are the glue that unifies and grounds us in our small towns. Finally, with all of the above support of rural public schools, veterans and veteran services, police and civil servants, I am devoted to helping alleviate the problem of rural poverty, joblessness, and homelessness. My heart is to continue to serve my community with focus, engagement, and community presence to further unify our community and state.
- Alleviating issues of homelessness, job instability, and food insecurity
- Rural healthcare, including mental healthcare is a state crisis that combined with drug and alcohol addiction created an emergency in our communities. I will focus on bringing affordable healthcare options, including mental health and rehabilitation programs for people in need of stability in recovery.
- Connecting services with our community. It seems that our rural communities suffer and do not have adequate help in regards to veterans care, transportation, and wrap around services for people struggling to make financial ends meet.
Mental healthcare, lifting issues of homelessness, affordable healthcare, rural issues, quality pay for safe jobs, union and educational trainings, and public education. We must reinvest in our rural areas, remembering that Oklahoma exists far beyond our cities.
While this may come along trite, I have always looked up to my maternal grandmother, "nana." She was no stranger to pain and sorrow, yet always seemed to move beyond her personal issues to help her community around her. If a neighbor was hungry or had a death in the family, my nana was one of the first ones to provide a hot meal, a helping hand, and a listening ear. She introduced me to my favorite movies like Boys Town with Spencer Tracy and Keys of the Kingdom with Gregory Peck. Her lifestyle was one of integrity and transparency; she cared deeply for everyone but did not let people walk all over her. She had a wicked sense of humor and most people loved to be near her. There was just something about her. People call it innate charm or charisma, but to me it was simply straight forward living.
Today, I hear many people discuss how surprised they are when they meet me. I am a frank, straightforward woman. What you see is what you get. I am the same person in front of a crowd, as I am one-on-one, as I am with a dignitary, as I am with a homeless person down on their luck. I am proud of this trait I inherited from my Nana and always hope to make her proud.
Today, I hear many people discuss how surprised they are when they meet me. I am a frank, straightforward woman. What you see is what you get. I am the same person in front of a crowd, as I am one-on-one, as I am with a dignitary, as I am with a homeless person down on their luck. I am proud of this trait I inherited from my Nana and always hope to make her proud.
Movies that encourage the underdog to be their best. Going my way, keys of the kingdom, to kill a mockingbird, mr smith goes to washington, boys town, sparticus. All of these movies were films I engaged with as a child and all have made their mark on my purpose for standing up for what's right, to protect all people, and to be a voice for those who are so often ignored or rejected.
Being present, accountable, accessible, integrity, and dedication to all our citizens not just those who are in our political corner.
Many times, people in my community mention that I am a terrific listener as well as someone who is unafraid of a bully or to stand up for what is "right." These two natural abilities combined with my solid belief in community, I think makes me stand out from my opponent. I work with people from all kinds of diverse backgrounds, educational levels, and cultural beliefs. This also makes me able to lean towards understanding and communicating to people from all backgrounds.
Representation means we interact and know what our community wants, and needs. We know this by serving, working, and being committed in our community. We listen to the bills brought forward and with our constituents in mind, vote accordingly. We are to always represent compassion, dedication, and service to our state, our community, and our citizens.
This phrase, "I make my ancestors proud" is one that sticks with me. I hope everyday to make a difference in my world and community by serving, being humble, and hopefully, making a change for the better. I would like to always be known as someone who stands up to bullies. One who stands up for those who don't have a voice. One who meant what they said and said what they meant. Beyond that, I hope to help my community grow, get the positive changes longed for, and make others aware of the benefits of living in Okmulgee, Muscogee counties as well as Tulsa County. The rural community brings with it a charm and a situation of casual living so longed for by those who weary of the hustle-and-flow of the bigger cities.
We had a few emergency moments as a child that I lived through like floods and huge amounts of snow drifts, but I distinctly remember the 3-mile island nuclear plant almost melting down and the fear surrounding a nuclear mishap. Our family planned for evacuation and watched the newscast about the danger and if it was still an emergency. I remember the rings of safety and worried about those I knew that lived closer to Philadelphia who would have all perished, if the crisis was not averted and contained. It happened in 1979, so I was almost 10 years old.
so much has happened since the 3-mile island incident, and I still believe in nuclear energy. SIde thought: my youth pastor was one of the engineers for the island.
so much has happened since the 3-mile island incident, and I still believe in nuclear energy. SIde thought: my youth pastor was one of the engineers for the island.
Silly enough, my first job was working at a full-service gasoline station, where I pumped gas, checked fluids, checked tire pressures. I had zero experience, and many times looked foolish when I had to ask someone where their gas tank was located. This was in the mid 80s when some people had gas tanks behind their license plate. I looked foolish, but i did not worry about it. I knew I would learn and I trusted the process. I loved interacting with people and hearing about their day, briefly checking in with regulars. I had it for about 4-5 months beginning of summer to near the beginning of winter. The days were too short for my family to feel safe about my being alone at night to continue working there during the winter months. I still laugh at my blunders at this little gas station. I learned hard work and dirty work is honest labor, and tipping was always appreciated. Even today, i tip more than asked because I remember how hard I worked for that tip.
My favorite book is difficult to describe because I love reading and so many books have helped me over the years, both to escape and to learn. One of the books that I return to consistently, though, to help clients is the book called "Boundaries" by Drs. Townsend and Cloud. It is fairly straightforward without a lot of academic wording. It helped me when I was growing up to determine healthy boundaries and healthy relationships begin and end with personal boundaries. a must read for anyone.
Im not sure of any one character. I loved the Harry Potter series, and most of the English Literature from early 1800s-1900s. The notion of flying like in the Potter series or to be able to travel immediately and quickly seems to be something of a gift, especially after traveling like I have abroad with lay overs and delayed flights.
The last song worm is "Sound of silence" by a band called Disturbed. Normally, this band is not my music genre of choice, but there is something haunting and deeply reflective of our time when I hear him sing this version of the classic. His version calls out that we are still struggling with paying attention to the signs of distress and are more disjointed as a community than before. The song resonates with the despair many feel currently by not feeling connected to community, creating more loneliness than before. it is about the overwhelming amounts of data being shared but not really connecting personally with one another.
When thinking about my personal journey, I realize my struggle was being ok with being me. I had been pressured for years that being a female with an opinion, who loved education, and who was not afraid of work was something to be contained and frowned upon. Consistently the message to me was to marry and let my personality dim.
Unfortunately, many times the relationship is weighed heavily by the political party and not from the standard of us all being public servants working together to make our state a safer, more desirable state in which to live.
the division of the haves and have nots is increasing. Oklahoma's poverty and homelessness rates are steadily increasing, especially within our rural communities. Lack of access to rural services like quality healthcare, veteran services, transportation, and public education seems to be narrowing, squeezing average Oklahomans to make a decision to leave our state or our rural areas.
There will obviously be a learning curve, but everyone started somewhere. My concern is those representatives who care not for their constituents but only care for the paycheck and their puffed egos, becoming docile puppets of the party versus actually working and serving their communities. The lack of commitment to be a bipartisan, community driven, and purpose centered legislators is appalling and explains why Oklahoma struggles with basic services to our rural communities.
We must work with our fellow public servants. Being willing to serve together, focusing on our constituents and not political theater must be the focus. How can anything be completed at the capitol if we do not extend our hands and hearts to work together?
Ann Richards, Texas Governor, who said "we're not going to have the America we want until we elect leaders who are going to tell the truth - not most days, but everyday." Additionally her other quote I engage with deeply is, "I'd like to be remembered as She opened the government to everyone."
Carl Albert is one of my favorite Oklahoma models, because he detested political theater, and wanted to reach out to work together with both parties for the betterment of all.
My focus is strictly on the State House.
Listening to everyday rural Oklahomans brings with it an understanding of the struggle of being rural. We lack access to close quality healthcare; many times, having to drive for hours to a close hospital/doctor. I hear the joy of being known in a small town and the community built there, but I also hear the stories of young people forced to go to other communities or states as the jobs are so incredibly limited in our rural communities. The hope of folks being drawn to the desirable qualities of rural Oklahoma can be dimmed by the actual reality of lack of transportation infrastructure, veteran care, access to secondary education and trades schools.
I have favorite stories but not a favorite joke.
One person should not have the only say when it comes to points of emergency. Waiting on that one person to show up in crisis can limit a life's well being. For instance, when our Governor and Lieutenant Governor went out of town during a crisis, we had to have a "back up" to make certain our citizens received the care needed. There is a hierarchy within our political structure to avoid this stalled work.
I would ensure more funding would be granted for those struggling with mental health issues, by creating respite homes, group homes, and monitored homeless shelters helping families, women, and men out of crisis.
The Oklahoma Young Democrats, the Federation of Democratic Women, Heart of the Party, The Oklahoma Democratic Veterans Association, The Oklahoma Democratic Party, (Pending) IBEW of Tulsa,
Public education, veterans services, higher education, health services and long term care
we absolutely must remember we are civil servants, and this job requires commitment to clear and concise information, easily understood and explained in ways for all our constituent to grasp. We must be available to questions and reasoning on the "why" on what we decide. State funding/expenditures must be in an ethical manner, always above reproach and inquiry. State budget meetings must be available for our constituents to understand and not in a place where back room dealings take place for the betterment of the legislature. If one enters office with nothing, that representative must have clear, public financial records, available to be reviewed. Too many politicians make money from questionable connections. This must end.
I am against anything that would limit the powers of the average citizen to protest, to put forth a petition process, to question it's legislative body.
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Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate Oklahoma House of Representatives District 16 |
Personal |
Footnotes
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
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
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
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
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
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
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)
