A Republican state senator from Stillwater says he won't seek a third term in office next year.
Sen. Jim Halligan said Wednesday that the upcoming legislative session will be his last. The 79-year-old Halligan is a former president of Oklahoma State University who easily won the District 21 seat in Stillwater with nearly 60 percent of the vote in 2008. He was unopposed in 2012.
Halligan said he felt like it was time to let someone else serve in the seat, and did not rule out a return to the private sector when his term is completed next year.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to represent District 21 in the Senate. My wife Ann and I have made many good friends—it has been an extraordinary experience. But after much thought and consideration, I have decided against seeking a third term in 2016. I want to express my deepest thanks to the citizens of Payne County for the opportunity to serve, and extend my sincere gratitude to my fellow members for their support and friendship and to our staff for their professionalism and dedication.”
Halligan is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, which oversees state funding for public schools in the state.
