Democrat Mary Newcome-Hatch has pledged “to support legislation to strengthen the letter and the spirit” of Oklahoma’s open government laws if elected to the House District 54 seat. In signing FOI Oklahoma’s Open Government Pledge for legislative candidates, Newcome-Hatch also promised “to support at every opportunity” the state’s public policy that “the people are vested with the inherent right to know and be fully informed about their government so that they can efficiently and intelligently exercise their inherent political power.”

Newcome-Hatch of Moore graduated from the University of Science & Arts in Chickasha in April with a double major in political science and history. She and husband Darin have two adult children.

Newcome-Hatch faces Republican Kevin West and independent Elizabeth Larios in the Nov. 8 election. Republican incumbent Paul Wesselhoft is term-limited.

House District 54 includes Moore, Valley Brook and parts of Oklahoma City in Cleveland County.

FOI Oklahoma invites all candidates for state, local and legislative seats to sign its Open Government Pledge. Instructions and lists of signers can be found on FOI Oklahoma’s website.

Joey Senat, Ph.D. Associate Professor OSU School of Media & Strategic Communications Mass Communication Law in Oklahoma