Oklahoma GOP votes to condemn Sen. Lankford for role in bipartisan border talks
By Colin McCullough, CNN
(CNN) — The Oklahoma Republican Party approved a resolution over the weekend condemning and censuring Sen. James Lankford, the state’s senior senator, for his role in the ongoing bipartisan border negotiations in Congress.
Oklahoma Republicans accuse Lankford of “playing fast and loose” with Democrats on border policy and that he puts “the safety and security of Americans in great danger,” according to a copy of the resolution posted to X by Republican state Sen. Dusty Deevers.
The state party called on Lankford to “cease and desist jeopardizing the security and liberty of the people of Oklahoma” and said it will withhold support for Lankford until he ends the negotiations.
CNN has reached out to Lankford’s office for comment.
The resolution comes as text of a compromise border deal could be ready to go to the Senate floor in the coming days and as former President Donald Trump is seeking to kill off the deal that might ease the situation on the border. The state committee’s response illustrates the reality that most in the GOP are loathe to do anything that is seen as potentially undermining the former president.
“We do have a bipartisan deal. We’re finishing the text right now,” Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut told CNN’s Dana Bash on “State of the Union,” adding that the question remains whether Republicans are going to listen to Trump, who has tried to tank the compromise.
Lankford, appearing on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, said there is no vote count on the deal yet. However, he said he feels “positive about it because even the initial feedback has been good.”
As for Trump’s attempts to stop the deal, Lankford said that there is a lot of misinformation about the content of the bill and that he is “looking forward” to Trump having the opportunity to read it once there is a text.
Lankford won reelection in in 2022 and is not up for reelection until 2028.
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