(Update:Â On Tuesday, June 16, Megan Hornbeek Allen won the Democratic nomination to represent House District 81.)
Megan Hornbeek Allen and Jason Lankford are first-time candidates with familiar names running for the Democratic nomination to represent House District 81.
At a recent forum, Lankford said people always ask if he is related to U.S. Sen. James Lankford, which he is not. Conversely, residents of HD 81 may recognize Hornbeek Allen’s name owing to the 2025 Edmond mayoral candidacy of David Hornbeek, who is her father.
The two Democrats and a trio of Republicans are vying to succeed Rep. Mike Osburn in HD 81 after he decided not to seek a sixth and final term in the Oklahoma House. The winner of the June 16 Democratic primary will move on to face either Amber Canary, Rusty Rains or Troy Talley in November.
The candidate ultimately elected to House District 81 will represent residents living in south-central Edmond and a small portion of northern OKC. The primary elections will be held June 16.
At a May 8 forum hosted by the Edmond Chamber of Commerce, Lankford and Hornbeek Allen emphasized interests in improving education and health care for Oklahomans.
“The teachers are going to create the students who go on into our workforce. The teachers are the heartbeat of this city, and they need to be treated as such,” Hornbeek Allen said at the forum. “They need to receive a living wage and be able to support themselves. And we need to show up with our action and stop saying that’s what we are going to do.”
Lankford, who also spoke to the need for teachers to be supported by administrators, touted his work experience in the health care industry and his current career in education.
“Those experiences have given me a front row seat to real issues that affect real Oklahomans. I’ve seen rising health care costs. I’ve seen workforce shortages. I’ve seen struggling schools, hard working people simply just trying to keep up,” Lankford said. “As an administrator, I’ll tell you, if those teachers don’t feel supported in their jobs, they’re not going to stay in that classroom. They’re going to go somewhere else, and most of the time that’s out of education and into a different industry.”
The following cheat sheet offers an overview of the HD 81 Democratic candidates based on information from publicly available sources, such as social media profiles, and a forum hosted May 8 by the Edmond Chamber of Commerce. Candidates are presented in alphabetical order.
Megan Hornbeek Allen
Age: 44
Background/profession: Megan Hornbeek Allen and her husband founded LiveBetter at Home, a senior care agency, according to her campaign website. She holds a degree in religion from Oklahoma City University and two graduate degrees in theological studies and higher education administration from Boston University.
Platform: At the May 8 forum, Hornbeek Allen said her first priority is to hear from constituents, followed by education and health care. Hornbeek Allen says on her website that “fully funding our public schools isn’t a political talking point — it’s an economic investment.” She also expressed support for lowering prescription drug costs and improving health care access.
“I’ll fight to lower out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs, protect coverage for pre-existing conditions, and push Oklahoma toward a health care system that treats working families the same way it treats wealthy ones: like they matter,” Hornbeek Allen wrote on her website.
Hornbeek Allen has also expressed a desire to explore new career options for Oklahomans.
“Everything that we have in existence is great, but that’s not necessarily growing. So what are we looking at that’s innovative and different, that we can bring to Oklahoma, that brings jobs, therefore, into Edmond that we’re trickling down to train our students to have those jobs?” Hornbeek Allen said at the forum. “So oil and gas, we know we built that in Oklahoma. It will be here. It’s not going anywhere. But what can we add? And who can also have a seat at the table so that innovation, creativity — that synergy when you are working with people with multiple perspectives and in multiple industries — that will eventually drag those prices down.”
Jason Lankford
Age: 39
Background/profession: Jason Lankford is the assistant site director for Metro Technology Centers, according to his LinkedIn. He holds a degree from the University of Oklahoma in health care administration and a masters from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in educational leadership.
Platform: Lankford’s website highlights his goals as being respectful and staying focused on problem-solving.
“People in Edmond are tired of extremes and constant division. They want leaders who are level-headed, respectful and focused on solving problems, not simply trying to be the loudest voice in the room,” Lankford wrote on his website.
He plans to prioritize quality education that will prepare students for careers by providing hands-on training opportunities to ensure “those wishing to continue their education graduate ready for their next step.”
Lankford wants to lower the cost of living for residents in terms of housing, groceries and childcare.
“Voters want practical solutions that help them keep more of what they earn and maintain a high quality of life,” Lankford wrote on his website. “Families should be able to go to the grocery store without having to worry if they have enough in their account to pay their bill.”
Further, Lankford says he hopes to foster community by focusing on wellness, disease prevention and infrastructure that is walkable and bicycle-friendly.
“I always believe that quality health care starts with quality education, so if we can get them on the early days, we’ll do better on the end,” Lankford said at the forum.
