By Patrick B. McGuigan

Published: 30-May-2010

State Senator Debbe Leftwich, who
represents south Oklahoma City in the upper chamber at the state Legislature,
announced Friday that she would not seek another term in office.

Filing for the 2010 primary and
general election contests begins next week.

In a statement sent to CapitolBeatOK
and other news organizations, Sen. Leftwich said:

“After much consideration, I have
decided that I will not seek another term in the Oklahoma State Senate. My
husband, Keith, served District 44 with tremendous distinction, but when he
lost his fight with cancer in 2003, he still had unfinished work at the State
Capitol.  At the urging of constituents who then sent me to the Senate to
complete the rest of Keith’s term, I continued that service. I felt extremely
fortunate to be reelected to another full term in 2006 without opposition.
However, this will be my last session.

“During these past seven years, I’ve
had the opportunity to pass bills to better protect victims of domestic
violence, improve access to breast and cervical cancer treatment, and I’ve
authored legislation to keep teen drivers safer on the road through the
graduated license program. I fought for ethics reform, senior nutrition funding
and worked to prevent underage drinking.

“I’m proud of what I accomplished,
and I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who have helped me
pass important legislation and who welcomed me into the Senate family from my
first day here. It has been a more fulfilling experience than I could have ever
imagined.  At this juncture though, I feel I have accomplished what I set
out to do. Now I feel it is time for me to begin a new journey and a new
chapter in my life.

“I’m looking forward to having more
time to spend with my sons, Kevin and Kurt, and my father. I want everyone at
the State Capitol and in Senate District 44 to know how much this experience
has meant to me and what an honor serving in the Oklahoma State Senate has been.”