54+ min ago (363+ words) Oklahoma political analysts share what they're thankful for this year and what they expect in the 2026 statewide elections. Watch their full insights on Your Vote Counts. As families across Oklahoma wrapped up Thanksgiving celebrations, News 9's political team spent the holiday weekend reflecting on gratitude, family and what lies ahead in next year's election cycle. During this week's Your Vote Counts segment, host Scott Mitchell was joined by Rep. Jason Dunnington (D), and Paul Rosino (R). The panel shared what they were thankful for this year and what they expect will shape Oklahoma's political landscape in 2026. Dunnington said he spent the holiday with family, including his brothers and their children, and joined thousands of Oklahomans in the annual Turkey Trot in downtown Oklahoma City. He also visited a longtime friend and veteran in Morrison. "It's a good time to remember our friends,…...

6+ hour, 59+ min ago (376+ words) Oklahoma's congressional delegation shares Thanksgiving messages and concerns about health care, spending bills and agriculture issues. Here's what they expect after recess. Washington Bureau Chief Alex Cameron visited as many offices as possible for this week's DC Debrief, gathering Thanksgiving messages from members who expressed appreciation for Oklahomans while acknowledging months of gridlock, budget deadlines and high-stakes policy debates. Several members showed signs of fatigue after a year marked by repeated spending standoffs and unresolved policy fights. Even so, they urged Oklahomans to reflect on the country's continued strengths despite daily frustrations. Rep. Frank Lucas, Oklahoma's longest-serving member of Congress, shared memories of his parents growing up during the Great Depression, noting that today's challenges pale compared to earlier hardships. Lucas also addressed concerns in the agriculture sector after the Biden administration's recent decision to increase beef imports from Argentina....

4+ day, 17+ hour ago (149+ words) Congress is off this week for the Thanksgiving holiday. Before Oklahoma's members left town, however, they shared their Thanksgiving messages with Griffin Media's Washington Bureau Chief Alex Cameron: Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK1) Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK2) "George in 1789, he issued a Thanksgiving proclamation. It says "it's the duty of all nation to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to be grateful for his benefits, and to humbly implore his protection and favor." Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK3) Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK4) Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK)"We are so blessed to live in the greatest nation in the history of the world. This Thanksgiving, I am extremely grateful for my faith, my loving family, and for the trust Oklahomans put in me every day. Christie and I hope you have a joyful, safe, and fun-filled Thanksgiving holiday with your loved ones."...

4+ day, 20+ hour ago (93+ words) Jonathan Cooper started at News On 6 in 2018 as the weekend evening anchor and moved to News On 6 at Noon in 2019. Now you can find Jonathan anchoring News On 6 at 4 p.m. and News On 6 at 9 p.m. on the Tulsa CW." WATCH: Pay raises for Oklahoma elected officials explained Compensation Boards in Oklahoma recently approved pay raises for elected officials. News On 6 anchor Jonathan Cooper breaks down the numbers, how it fits into the big picture of the state budget, and what's next....

5+ day, 17+ hour ago (973+ words) Alex Cameron is Griffin Media's Washington Bureau Chief, reporting from our nation's capital on issues that impact Oklahomans. An award-winning journalist, Alex first joined the News 9 team in 1995, and his reporting has taken him around the world, covering stories in Bosnia, Colorado, Washington, D.C., Seattle, New York and Ukraine." Lucas hopes remainder of Farm Bill passed by early 2026 The Cheyenne representative/rancher believes the Trump administration is trying to help, even if many in agriculture right now are struggling. The legislation Congress passed two weeks ago to end the longest government shutdown in the nation's history contained not only an extension of FY 2025 funding through January 30, but also an extension of the 2018 Farm Bill'or at least what remained of it. Several key components of the Farm Bill, which is typically updated and renewed every five years, were inserted into the Republicans…...

5+ day, 17+ hour ago (973+ words) Alex Cameron is Griffin Media's Washington Bureau Chief, reporting from our nation's capital on issues that impact Oklahomans. An award-winning journalist, Alex first joined the News 9 team in 1995, and his reporting has taken him around the world, covering stories in Bosnia, Colorado, Washington, D.C., Seattle, New York and Ukraine." Lucas hopes remainder of Farm Bill passed by early 2026 The Cheyenne representative/rancher believes the Trump administration is trying to help, even if many in agriculture right now are struggling. The legislation Congress passed two weeks ago to end the longest government shutdown in the nation's history contained not only an extension of FY 2025 funding through January 30, but also an extension of the 2018 Farm Bill'or at least what remained of it. Several key components of the Farm Bill, which is typically updated and renewed every five years, were inserted into the Republicans…...

1+ week, 2+ hour ago (370+ words) Two Oklahoma compensation boards corrected last week's inconsistent pay decisions. Lawmakers say the focus should now shift to state employee raises. A week after public criticism over inconsistent salary decisions, two Oklahoma compensation boards reconsidered their votes " and lawmakers say this time the outcomes were consistent. On this week's "Your Vote Counts," host Scott Mitchell spoke with Sen. Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City, and former Rep. Jason Dunnington, D-Oklahoma City. They discussed the Legislative Compensation Board's approval of another pay raise for lawmakers and the Statewide Elected Officials Compensation Board's decision to reverse last week's large and inconsistent salary increases. Dunnington said the Legislative Compensation Board needed three attempts to approve a pay raise for all lawmakers, marking the second increase since 2019. Legislative salaries will rise to about $54,900. "They've now had two pay raises since 2019," Dunnington said. "State employees, there was…...

1+ week, 2+ hour ago (370+ words) Two Oklahoma compensation boards corrected last week's inconsistent pay decisions. Lawmakers say the focus should now shift to state employee raises. A week after public criticism over inconsistent salary decisions, two Oklahoma compensation boards reconsidered their votes " and lawmakers say this time the outcomes were consistent. On this week's "Your Vote Counts," host Scott Mitchell spoke with Sen. Paul Rosino, R-Oklahoma City, and former Rep. Jason Dunnington, D-Oklahoma City. They discussed the Legislative Compensation Board's approval of another pay raise for lawmakers and the Statewide Elected Officials Compensation Board's decision to reverse last week's large and inconsistent salary increases. Dunnington said the Legislative Compensation Board needed three attempts to approve a pay raise for all lawmakers, marking the second increase since 2019. Legislative salaries will rise to about $54,900. "They've now had two pay raises since 2019," Dunnington said. "State employees, there was…...

1+ week, 5+ hour ago (340+ words) Congress has just two working weeks to vote on Affordable Care Act subsidies and wrap up nine federal spending bills. Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole is helping lead the process. Congress returns from Thanksgiving break with roughly two working weeks to advance Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidy legislation and finish nine appropriations bills, creating a tight end-of-year schedule with major implications for federal spending. The timeline also affects a key promise tied to the recent federal shutdown deal: a vote on extending ACA subsidies by mid-December. News 9 and News On 6 Washington correspondent Alex Cameron reported that Senate Minority Whip John Thune agreed to hold the subsidy vote in mid-December as part of negotiations that persuaded a small group of Senate Democrats to break ranks and reopen the government. Those Democrats said they were willing to discuss the subsidy extension, but not…...

1+ week, 16+ hour ago (454+ words) A new federal spending bill includes a provision that bans intoxicating hemp products, closing a 2018 Farm Bill loophole. The federal spending bill that ended the government shutdown includes a surprise provision that cracks down on intoxicating hemp products. This bans the unregulated sale of hemp-derived THC products, something Governor Kevin Stitt pushed state agencies to crack down on earlier this year. For years in Oklahoma, intoxicating hemp products have been sold openly: in gas stations, vape shops, and even Tulsa dispensaries, complete with signs that say "no medical card required." But that could soon change. The government funding bill signed by President Donald Trump includes a provision that recriminalizes those products, closing a loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill that removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act. Back in April, Governor Stitt sent a letter to multiple agencies aimed at coordinating…...