Cyndi Munson, a Democrat and state representative from District 85, is running for Oklahoma governor in the Nov. 3 general election. Republican Mike Mazzei is also running for the seat.

Asked why she is running, Munson said in our questionnaire: "I am running for Governor because I believe that Oklahomans deserve better than where we are at as a state right now. It is simply unacceptable that we are at the top of every bad list and the bottom of every good list."

Candidate information

Hometown: Munson said in our questionnaire: "I grew up in Lawton, Oklahoma and was raised by my single father, a Vietnam War veteran."

Education: Munson said in our questionnaire: "I was the first in my family to attend college, as an Oklahoma's Promise recipient. I graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, followed by the University of Nebraska with a Master of Science in Leadership Education."

Family: Munson said in our questionnaire: "Everyday, I watched him put on his uniform to serve his country in the morning, and deliver pizzas or work at convenience stores at night - always working multiple jobs to give my younger sister and me the best possible future."

Endorsement: Sally's List has endorsed Munson, according to BallotReady.

Experience and public service

Munson became the first Asian-American woman elected to the Oklahoma Legislature in a special election in September 2015, according to the Oklahoma House of Representatives. She has represented District 85 since then.

Asked about her work history, Munson said in our questionnaire: "My professional career began in the nonprofit sector, where I spent over a decade at the Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma, providing leadership programs for girls in low-income schools, juvenile detention centers, and public housing. In 2015, I became the first Asian-American woman to be elected in the state legislature, and in 2021 I was elected as the House Democratic Leader."

On the issues

Top priority — public education: Munson said in our questionnaire: "Public education is unequivocally Oklahoma's biggest issue and is critically at stake in this election. … Fixing our public education crisis comes down to investing, and as Governor this looks like raising teacher and support staff pay, providing free school lunch and breakfast, expanding Oklahoma's Promise to veteran and public school employee families, increasing CareerTech opportunities, and repealing the private school tuition tax voucher."

Economy and cost of living: Munson said in our questionnaire: "Oklahoma cannot have a prosperous economy when basic needs are not being met, which is why I am focused on policies that help lower costs for everyday, working families. … I led the bipartisan effort to repeal the state sales tax on groceries and provided tax relief to everyday Oklahomans. As Governor, I would support a clean, simple minimum wage increase bill through the legislature."

Public safety: Munson said in our questionnaire: "I believe that preventive action is key in improving public safety and reducing crime, which is why mental health is a high priority of mine. Addressing the issues within the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse is crucial, and that begins with appointing a commissioner who not only has clinical experience, but has a comprehensive approach to serving people in urban/rural areas."

Rural health care: Munson said in our questionnaire: "I have always stood up and fought for protecting the Medicaid dollars that our people and hospitals rely on, especially in rural Oklahoma. … I will work to broaden access models, like telehealth networks, increase community paramedic/EMS coordination, expand rural scholarship programs, and utilize federal rural health funding."

Tribal relations: Munson said in our questionnaire: "Oklahoma's tribal nations are our greatest friends and partners. As Governor I will work to heal the fractured relationships with the state, treating them as sovereign nations, with the respect and dignity they deserve."

On June 16, Munson won the Democratic primary with approximately 74.9% of the vote. The general election is Nov. 3.