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Outgoing Tulsa GOP chair says party needs to be more ‘inviting to diversity’

Ronda Vuillemont-Smith
Courtesy
/
Tulsa County Republican Party
Ronda Vuillemont-Smith

Tulsa County’s Republican Party will be seeing a leadership change soon.

Ronda Vuillemont-Smith is not seeking a third term as chair of the county GOP.

She told KWGS there are a few things she hopes will change in the party going forward.

“I think we need to simplify our platform,” Vuillemont-Smith said. “I think we need to make it more inviting to diversity, whether it be that you’re gay, that you’re a different ethnic background than me, whatever.”

She also criticized lawmakers who have used the party platform as a “weapon” but haven’t backed up their rhetoric with votes.

Republican officials published a scorecard of GOP legislators in 2023, comparing them to the party’s platform.

“We had Democrats that came out with better scores than Republicans, and that’s ridiculous. That’s what I mean by using the platform as a weapon.”

On the local level, Vuillemont-Smith said she’s proud of E’Lena Ashley being elected to the Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education. Ashley has been highly critical of TPS’ lagging test scores, but has drawn scrutiny herself for views detractors say are homophobic and anti-immigrant.

Vuillemont-Smith also lauded Lonnie Sims replacing Democrat Karen Keith as Tulsa County Commissioner.

Charity Marcus, a public relations professional, and Melissa Myers, a businesswoman, are running to be the next chairperson. Elections will take place in March.

Ben Abrams is a news reporter and All Things Considered host for KWGS.
Check out all of Ben's links and contact info here.