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Published November 19, 2008 12:02 am - OKLAHOMA CITY — Republicans officially assumed control of the Oklahoma Senate for the first time in history Tuesday after a swearing-in ceremony for newly elected members. Oklahoma: Lawmakers sworn in for 2009 session The Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY — Republicans officially assumed control of the Oklahoma Senate for the first time in history Tuesday after a swearing-in ceremony for newly elected members. Sen. Glenn Coffee, R-Oklahoma City, presided over the low-key ceremony. Coffee has been designated by his caucus to be the Senate’s first Republican president pro tem. Several former Republican leaders of the Senate were on hand for the Senate session, including Denzil Garrison of Bartlesville, who remembered the legislative body had only five GOP members when he was first elected in 1960. “I never thought that we would have the majority in the Oklahoma Senate in my lifetime,” Garrison said. “One-hundred-and-one years is a long time to be out of power.” Coffee barely noted the significance of the ceremony after opening the Senate meeting and welcoming a crowded gallery. He said there will be plenty of time to discuss and analyze that. “I am excited about working with our leadership team and the entire Republican caucus to advance pro-family and pro-jobs issues in the state Senate,” he said later in a statement. Coffee will be officially installed during an organizational meeting of the Legislature on Jan. 6. Lawmakers will begin work on legislation in February. Sen. Jay Paul Gumm, D-Durant, said it was “disappointing but liberating to some degree” to be in the minority. “It will be interesting to see how the new GOP majority deals with the cold, clammy hands of responsibility,” Gumm said. Oklahoma Supreme Court Chief Justice James Winchester administered the oath of office Tuesday to 23 senators. Winchester also swore in newly elected members of the 101-member House, which has had a GOP majority since 2004. Sen. Jim Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City, will be sworn in Wednesday after his election results are certified. Reynolds’ Democratic opponent has withdrawn a challenge to the incumbent’s close victory. Republicans hold a 26-22 advantage over Democrats in the Senate after the Nov. 4 general election. Democrats and Republicans operated under a power-sharing agreement the last two years with 24 members each. The GOP picked up two Senate seats in November and gained four seats in the House to increase its majority to 61-40. Twenty-four Senate posts were up for grabs this year, but several incumbents were unopposed. Five of the six first-term senators are Republicans. The only incumbent defeated was Democrat Nancy Riley of Tulsa. 
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