Two Tulsa County judge candidates continue to general election - Tulsa World
A Tulsa County special judge and assistant district attorney remain in the running for a district judge position after edging out a private attorney in their Tuesday primary.
Out of about 75,500 total votes cast for the 12th judicial office of Oklahoma's District 14, Special Judge Tanya Wilson received 33,449 or 44.3%, and Assistant District Attorney Kevin Gray received 30,018 or 39.7%. Todd Tucker, of the Welsh & McGough law firm, received about 12,070 or 16%.
Wilson and Gray will advance to the November general election in the nonpartisan race.
District 14, which serves Tulsa and Pawnee counties, has 14 judicial offices; two are being contested.
Wilson and Gray are competing for the seat District Judge Martha Rupp Carter will vacate upon her retirement.
Office 13 was vacated in March after Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed former District Judge William Musseman to the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals, and Special Judge David Guten and private attorney Kyle Alderson are campaigning for the seat; the only other contested race in the district.
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Both Wilson and Gray said they were enthused by their numbers and pleased to advance to the general election, which Gray said was "always the goal" in the race of three.
"Anytime you have 30,000-plus of your citizens" choose you, Gray said, "that's a high honor."
Although the candidates have many similarities — both lifelong Tulsans are graduates of Booker T. Washington High School and the University of Tulsa — each drew on different strengths they would bring to the table.
Gray currently heads the homicide team of the Tulsa County District Attorney's Office and said in his 11 years serving as an assistant district attorney, he has gone to trial 94 times in almost every type of criminal case, including 56 times in homicides, which is more than any prosecutor in the state in the last decade.
His experience sets him apart as a candidate, he said, for the office he's running for will be a trial position, and he's spent a good deal of time absorbing and applying pertinent case law to issues that arise at trial.
Although he "loves" his current position, Gray said he's keen on taking on a new challenge, and he believes his skills will transfer well to the judicial bench.
"The role of a prosecutor is to advocate for the state of Oklahoma and to secure justice for both victims and their families and the defendants as well," he said. "I think (the latter is) also the role of a judge — not to win, but to get it right, to be just and to be fair."
It's a reputation Gray believes he's developed through personal practice and treating people with dignity and respect.
Gray also spoke of his love of public service and of Tulsa, encouraging voters to invest in their research to select the best candidate for a role of such incredible power and extraordinary public trust that's often forgotten in the background of residents' otherwise busy lives.
A special judge for two years, Wilson also has an 11-year background at the DA's office but says her current position and time spent as a defense attorney in private practice affords her well-rounded experience — the ability to see a case from both sides and manage a docket.
Selected by the district judges, special judges handle misdemeanor trials, small claims, protective orders, etc., while district judges take on challenges such as felony cases and major civil trials.
Wilson currently presides over preliminary hearings, which could be described as mini-trials where she hears from both sides, makes rulings on case law and determines whether a case against a defendant is solid enough to continue on to trial before a district judge.
Before assuming the position in 2020, Wilson was the head of the juvenile division of the District Attorney's Office, and she said she still has a passion for helping deprived and neglected children.
She believes the role of district judge would give her a greater platform from which to serve her community.
"I am currently a judge so I know part of the responsibilities," Wilson said. "And people have already been able to see me, as a judge, handle cases; (to see) my temperament and ability to be fair and impartial."
The general election will be Nov. 8.
Editor's note: This story originally misstated the office numbers for which these candidates competed. The story has been corrected.
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kelsy.schlotthauer@tulsaworld.com
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