Important Announcement:

There has been a Leadership Transition.

Hello from the New Chair:

I want to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Cory Lakey, and while I am new to the role of Chairman, I am not new to Wagoner County. I have spent more than 40 years living, working, and staying engaged in Wagoner County. This County is special to my family and me, and we hope and desire that it continues to improve with every investment and change within.

As many of you know, there has been a recent change in leadership in our GOP organization. Terri Coulter has stepped down as chair due to work and family obligations, and I want to express my sincere appreciation for her service, leadership, and the strong foundation she helped establish. It is time for us, as a group, to build on the foundation she has given us and to grow and continue towards greater things, leading with courage, transparency, and purpose.

We are entering a critical period with the fast‑approaching primary and midterm elections. As we continue transitioning accounts and responsibilities, I ask for your patience—this process has been more complex than anticipated, but we are making steady progress each day.

Right now, your involvement is critical. I am actively seeking a recording secretary, a treasurer, precinct leaders, and volunteers who are ready to help strengthen our presence in the community. We need individuals who are willing to build relationships, engage with neighbors, and work together to move Wagoner County forward. If you fit that description and are interested in taking on one of these roles, I welcome you to contact me as soon as possible to get started. However, I ask that you stay engaged and participate to the best of your ability to provide the best possible representation on the local level.

If you have the capacity to get involved in local politics, if you’re concerned about the direction of our country, if you want to make a difference in our schools, or if you want to learn more about how to participate, we welcome you. I also encourage you to share any ideas that could improve our organization and help us grow. This group thrives when everyone is engaged, and I want to hear from you. If there is anything you would like addressed, please feel free to email or text me. My goal is for us to become a benchmark for how a local GOP organization should operate.

Please invite your friends to join our Facebook page, participate in upcoming meetings and events, and—if you are able—consider donating to support our efforts. Your involvement helps us stay connected, host meaningful events, and ensure our community has a strong voice. Talk with your friends and neighbors; many may not even know this group exists, just as I once did.

Thank you,
Cory Lakey

State Committee Position Election:

As many of you are aware, there is currently a vacancy in the State Committee Person position. We will need to elect an individual to fill this role before the next State Committee Meeting. This election will be conducted in accordance with the OKGOP 2025 Rules, outlined below:

Rule 4.3.2 – Vacancies

1. Unless otherwise specified in the rules, a position is considered vacant if the individual dies; moves from the precinct, county, or state they were elected or appointed to serve; resigns; or becomes otherwise disqualified.
2. Unless otherwise specified, any vacancy shall be filled in the same manner in which the position was originally elected or appointed, during any regular or special meeting or convention of the appropriate body, properly called in accordance with Rule 6.3.
3. Any individual elected or appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term, unless replaced as provided in the rules.

Rule 6.3 – Call of a Meeting

1. For the purposes of this rule, “notice” refers to a written or electronic notice of the meeting sent to all members of the committee.
2. Notice must be provided no fewer than five (5) days prior to a meeting of the County or County Executive Committees.

We will follow these procedures to ensure the vacancy is filled properly and in full compliance with party rules. Further details regarding the meeting and election process will be shared in the required timeframe.

OKGOP 2025 Rules

New This Month:

One of the challenges we face as a group is fundraising, and I am actively seeking ideas that provide the strongest return on investment. I am currently exploring several options to secure the resources needed to plan and host future events. As you know, successful events require time, volunteers, and financial support. While many ideas are being discussed, turning them into action will require broad involvement and consistent participation from our members.

I am currently reviewing a potential T‑shirt design for purchase, and would love your input. Having a unified shirt for events such as Rooster Days, the Fall Festival, and the Porter Peach Festival would help strengthen our presence in the community. These shirts could also be great identifiers for door‑knocking and a variety of other outreach activities.

At this stage, I am gathering a preliminary estimate of how many shirts members would be interested in purchasing. The final shirt color has not been selected, as I am still working with the vendor to secure the best possible pricing. Current estimates place the cost at approximately $25 per shirt, with an additional $3 charge for sizes 2X and above. As with most bulk orders, the more shirts we purchase, the lower the overall cost. I don't want to limit the purchase to just those within the organization; if you know of others who may be interested in purchasing one as well, please let me know.

If there is sufficient interest, we will move forward with the order, and all profits will be directed to the general fund to support future events and activities. If you are interested in purchasing one of these shirts, please email me your name, shirt size, the Style (1 or 2), and the quantity. at [email protected].