Inhofe to leave big shoes to fill

Inhofe announced last week he would be retiring from the U.S. Senate at year’s end, timing his announcement so his unexpired term will be filled by an election later this year. It will mean two U.S. Senate races for Oklahoma, because U.S. Sen. James Lankford is up for re-election.

Inhofe’s announcement prompted praise from Southwest Oklahoma leaders about the long-time senator’s staunch support of the military — an important influence on Southwest Oklahoma economy — and predictions that community leaders would have to step up to fill the role Inhofe has carried for decades.

Brown said his first reaction to Inhofe’s announcement was “incredible gratitude for his service.”

“But not only that. He’s been a man of the Army and of Lawton-Fort Sill for as long as I have been active in such things,” Brown said, adding Inhofe has been especially supportive of Lawton’s FISTA, a complex being created in Central Plaza to house military defense contractors who work with Fort Sill and the two U.S. Army Cross-Functional Teams housed there. “Jim Inhofe certainly will be missed in that arena because of his understanding and influence with all things FISTA and the Army Futures Command, Fires Center of Excellence.

“It’s just huge, huge shoes to fill there.”

Brown said while he doesn’t believe Inhofe’s departure from Congress will mean grave things for Southwest Oklahoma, he does realize it will have an effect.

“He is the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee, and that carries a huge amount of influence with it,” Brown said, adding if the U.S. Senate returns to Republican control after the 2022 elections, Inhofe was expected to resume his chairmanship. “That’s hard to replicate or replace.”

Brown said while Inhofe had the reputation of being one of the most conservative senators in Congress, he counts among his friends one of the nation’s most liberal senators, Sen. Bernie Sanders. Brown said Sanders has said while they don’t agree on much, he and Inhofe respect each other and are friends. Brown said Inhofe’s conservative views shouldn’t detract from the fact he is respected on both sides of the aisle.

“Oklahoma should be proud of him,” Brown said. “I know we are in Southwest Oklahoma.”

The FISTA Development Trust Authority unanimously commended Inhofe’s decades of service and his support of the military, the U.S. Constitution and Southwest Oklahoma.

“As an Army veteran, national security is Sen. Inhofe’s cornerstone legacy in support to the U.S. Constitution, as has been his public record of leadership in his community and Lawton Fort Sill, the State of Oklahoma, our nation and to the free world,” said FISTA Authority Chairman Clarence Fortney. “Locally, Sen. Inhofe’s ‘The Time Is Now!’ statement will forever be his bumper sticker in direct support to the defense industry, academic institutions and defense-related innovators part of Fires Innovation Science & Technology Accelerator located in the Lawton Central Plaza.”

Fortney said Inhofe has supported FISTA and its goals, which also will bring high-tech jobs that mean a generational change for Lawton-Fort Sill.

Mark Brace, FISTA trust authority vice chair, also lauded Inhofe’s service.

“We wish Sen. Inhofe the best of everything following his life-long commitment, and salute his sacrifice to others through his service. Because of the FISTA, we will always have great debt of gratitude to Sen. Inhofe. He has made Oklahoma proud. We hope and pray for his family’s health and joyful, well-earned retirement,” said Brace.