A former UCO professor is again making a bid for a seat in Congress. Dr. Tom Guild, a 27-year veteran political science and legal studies professor at UCO, is campaigning against incumbent District 5 Representative James Lankford (R-Edmond) on a populist “progressive” Democratic platform.
“The middle class and the working poor are under attack, and it is becoming more and more difficult to achieve the American Dream,” Guild said. “The people of Oklahoma, and of our great country, deserve better in outcome and in representation.”
Guild told a small audience at his campaign headquarters in early February that government does, in fact, work, but not always.
“There are many times in the past year, when government has disappointed us and fallen short of the mark on the mature and professional behavior and performance we expect from our elected officials,” he said.
Guild’s platform was one of increasing funding to public education, raising the income tax of the top earners in the country, transparency in elections and strengthening social safety net programs.
“It is time to get to work to restore confidence in our government,” he said. “It is time to go to work to promote and protect policies that make people’s lives better—particularly the lives of the great American middle class.”
In 2010, Guild was beaten in the Democratic primaries by Billy Coyle, an attorney from Oklahoma City. So far he is running unopposed. His Republican opponent, the incumbent Lankford, ran on a largely religious platform.
Guild will likely utilize his lower- and working-class background as a way to connect with District 5 voters.
“I established Tommy’s Fund for students at Payne Elementary in Wichita, Kan., where I attended kindergarten and first grade,” he said.
The fund provides four children per year with school clothes and supplies.
“The experiences in my life helped shape who I am today; my character developed as I met and overcame difficult challenges,” he said. “If you obtain a good education, work hard and persevere, your life can make a positive difference in the lives of other people.”
District 5 covers Oklahoma City and its suburbs, most of Pottawatomie County and a part of Seminole County. There will be a primary election in June and a runoff election in August. The general election is on Nov. 6.