Meet the candidates running for OK House District 64

LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) - The race for Oklahoma House of Representatives District 64 is on, with three candidates campaigning to earn your vote.

About 34,000 people in Comanche County, mostly in the Lawton area, are represented by the seat. Newcomer Zachary Walls is running as an Independent to unseat Republican Representative Rande Worthen, who’s been in the position for several years.

Representative Rande Worthen spent four decades as an attorney in Comanche County.

He said that, combined with his six years in the legislature, makes him the right man to represent District 64.

“I think just my time doing that has provided a great deal of experience to do this job, and so I’m just kind of looking forward to two more years to help the people and issues in areas that they need help in,” Worthen said.

When it comes to priorities at the capitol, alleviating inflation for Oklahomans and funding public safety is at the top of Worthen’s list.

“We need to make sure that we’re continuing to fund and support our first responders, our police officers, fire and other first responders, so making sure that we have as much public safety to those individuals in Comanche County,” Worthen said.

Worthen said if he’s re-elected, he’ll also focus on eliminating organized retail theft.

“It affects the prices in the store when things get stolen,” Worthen said. “The merchants can’t just automatically absorb those costs. They generally have to pass that on and I think that’s a growing concern in the country and we’re trying to get ahead of that.”

Lawton native Zachary Walls is running as an Independent.

The 23-year-old said what sets him apart from other candidates is his community involvement.

“I do have community experience and knowing the community and being a representative for that community,” Walls said, “I think the biggest factor when it comes to that is being a voice of the people and not just having a political background.”

Walls said he wants to remove any existing discriminatory legislation and support reproductive rights.

There are three issues he would concentrate on if elected.

“Quality of life, which includes infrastructure, mental health resources, rural infrastructure for internet and healthcare and also making sure that veterans that do come home have job opportunities and resources for them,” Walls said.

But there’s one thing Walls wants to change more than anything else as a legislator.

“A lot of our elected officials aren’t acting on behalf of their constituents,” Walls said. “They’re acting in party-pleasing mentalities, so I definitely think tackling that mentality and bringing the peoples’ voice back to the capitol.”

A third candidate, Kyle Meraz, is also running for District 64. He also ran against Worthen back in 2020. 7News reached out to Meraz multiple times to request an interview. He did not respond.

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