Education remains vital, Oklahoma state Senate District 31 opponents say

By John Greiner

Published: September 6, 2008

LAWTON — Incumbent Republican Sen. Don Barrington is challenged in the Nov. 4 general election by Keith Erwin, a Lawton insurance company owner, for the Senate District 31 seat.

Barrington, the former fire chief of Lawton, is the author of a state law creating a sales tax holiday for back-to-school purchases of footwear and clothing costing no more than $100.

Democrats are targeting Barrington's seat in a bid to gain control of the state Senate, which has had 24 Democrats and 24 Republicans in office the past two years.

Barrington is co-chairman of the Senate Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee. He said staying in the Senate will enable him to continue working to move Oklahoma forward in areas of transportation, education, public safety, agriculture, economic development and reforms.

Such efforts will enable Oklahoma to be attractive to new business and industry, Barrington said.

Erwin has been in the insurance business since 1987 after receiving his bachelor's degree from the University of Oklahoma.

He is a native of Lawton and has also worked cattle and worked at a feed store.

Erwin's campaign literature states that he is a strong advocate for public education and rural schools.

He said he wants to make health care more accessible and affordable to Oklahomans.

Erwin said Southwest Oklahoma needs quality jobs so the children and grandchildren of area residents don't have to move away.

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