STUNNER: Minority Leader Inman resigns, drops gubernatorial bid

House Minority Leader Scott Inman (D-Del City) stunned observers today by announcing his resignation from office and the end of his gubernatorial campaign. Here's the statement he made:

For the last eleven years, it has been my honor and privilege to represent the people of my hometown of Del City at the State Capitol. For the last seven years it has been a true pleasure to lead the honorable women and men of the House Democratic Caucus as House Minority Leader. And for the last six months, it has been the dream of a lifetime to travel across this great state to visit with my fellow Oklahomans about the issues important to them in my campaign for Governor.

Those roles and responsibilities, while at times enjoyable and rewarding, did not come without a price. Unfortunately, that price was paid by those nearest and dearest to me. The stresses and strains of my career, the time away from my family, and the choice to wrongly prioritize my life’s decisions have brought me to this moment. I can no longer ask my wife and children to sacrifice for me. It is time for me to reprioritize what is important in this world.

Therefore, I am announcing today, that I will be immediately ending my campaign for Governor of Oklahoma and will be stepping down from the legislature at the beginning of next year, leaving me time to complete the important work of the special session before us in the legislature.

To those who believed and invested in me over the years, especially during these last six months, I am truly grateful for your support. To the kind-hearted citizens who called, emailed, and messaged me during the campaign to encourage my family and me along the journey, I offer a sincere thank you. To those who volunteered for my campaign, sacrificing their time and talent to aid in our run for Governor, I thank you as well. To the campaign team that helped make my dream a reality, I will never forget your devotion, drive, and passion to make a real change in this state. To the incredibly talented and thoughtful Representatives with whom I have served in the House Democratic Caucus, those who honored me by allowing me to serve as their leader, words cannot express the love and gratitude I have for you. To the citizens of House District 94, my hometown, serving you will always stand as one of the highest honors of my life. And to my family, both immediate and extended, what you have sacrificed for me will leave me forever indebted to you.

This moment is certainly disappointing for me and I am certain it will come as a disappointment to those who believed in my campaign and our vision for Oklahoma’s future. To you, I would offer that my time in the legislature has taught me ideals and goals are much bigger than one person or one campaign. Those things we collectively fought for like better public schools for our children, access to quality health care for all of our citizens, a more fair and just criminal justice system, and a tax structure that fairly balances the burden of funding core services in this state are no less important or no less worthy today.

I implore you to keep up the fight. Always hold those in power accountable for the decisions they make that have sweeping effects on the nearly four million people who call our state home. And never forget that those of us blessed to be called Representative, Senator, or Governor work for you.

The next few days will be challenging for my friends and family. I ask for your understanding, your prayers, and privacy during this time. And I once again thank you for the allowing me to take part in this incredible journey. I have been abundantly blessed. I pray God will bless each of you.

Sincerely,
Scott

Rumors are swirling as to the impetus to the sudden announcement, and the final paragraph of the House Democratic Caucus statement below seems to lend credence to what's going around.

House Democrats Respond to Leader Inman’s Resignation

 OKLAHOMA CITY – Upon hearing House Minority Leader Scott Inman’s plans to resign from the House of Representatives, the House Democratic Caucus released the following statement:

“For the last 11 years, Minority Leader Scott Inman has been a voice for the voiceless in the Oklahoma Legislature. In an environment where big business and special interest rule, Scott has been the canary in the mine shaft by tirelessly voicing opposition to policies that prey on working class Oklahomans to the benefit of some of the wealthiest individuals in our state.

 As the leader of our caucus, Scott has encouraged us to fight for the future of Oklahoma by protecting and promoting democratic values. He has supported us when it seemed like the whole world was against not only us but the constituents we represent. He has done these things not with words but with true leadership.

 Moving forward, we echo his request to allow him and his family privacy through this difficulty period, and we simply want to thank him for the work he has done for this caucus, the Legislature, and Oklahoma.”