Coburn announcement top political story

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – U.S. Senator Tom Coburn’s announcement in January that he would step down with two years left on his term sent a shock wave through what was expected to be a relatively quiet election cycle. It was Oklahoma’s top political story of 2014.

Coburn’s decision triggered a series of political dominoes as some of the state’s most powerful GOP politicians mulled jumping into a race ultimately won by two-term U.S. Representative James Lankford of Edmond in November.

Education also proved to be a top political issue in 2014, with grassroots conservatives pushing the repeal of Common Core education standards and ousting incumbent Republican Superintendent Janet Barresi, who supported them.

Other top political stories this year include an income tax cut and $120 million bond issue for Capitol repairs.