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Oklahoma
State Senate For Immediate Release: January 2, 2007
Sen.
Williamson Comments on Election of First Republican President Pro
Tem Sen. James A. Williamson issued this statement following
the Senate’s election of Senator Glenn Coffee to serve as
the first Republican President Pro Tempore of the State Senate in
July 2007:
“The State Senate made history today by electing the first Republican to serve as president pro tempore,” stated Williamson, R-Tulsa. “Ensuring that a Republican serves in this position in the 51st Legislature – even if only for one month – was a very important part of the power-sharing negotiations for term-limited Republican senators like myself and Senators Wilcoxson and Laughlin. After the significant gains Republicans have made in the Senate during our tenure, it is important to us that we are able to serve with the first Republican president pro tem. “This important step also is recognition of
the equal status of the president pro tem and the co-president pro
tem in governing the Senate for the next two years,” he said. |