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Did members of the Oklahoma Republican Party condemn a Republican senator for working with Democrats on border security?

By Sue Bin Park
YES

The Oklahoma Republican Party issued a resolution condemning Republican Sen. James Lankford, who represents Oklahoma in the U.S. Senate, for his work on a bipartisan border security package. Party leadership retracted it two days later.

The resolution, passed during a Jan. 27, 2024 meeting, read in part, “The Oklahoma GOP strongly condemns Senator James Lankford ... and calls upon him to cease and desist jeopardizing the security and liberty of the people of Oklahoma and these United States.”

On Jan. 29, the Oklahoma Republican Party issued a statement characterizing the meeting as illegitimate, as proper notice was not provided to all members, and advised the media not to report on any business conducted that day as official party actions.

Republican Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell has privately acknowledged that former president Donald Trump’s opposition to the deal presents a dilemma for the party, The Oklahoman reported.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
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Oklahoma Watch is a nonprofit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) corporation that produces in-depth and investigative journalism as a public service for the benefit of all Oklahomans. Through investigative, fact-driven journalism, we dig deep and examine significant issues facing our state. Our work engages all Oklahomans, amplifies the discussion of important issues and leads to change. We help develop the journalists and journalism of the future.
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