Derrick Hildebrant .jpeg

Derrick Hildebrant kicked off his campaign for the State Senate District 2 seat this week.

Hildebrant is running as a Conservative Republican. He served on the Catoosa City Council as an at-large member and as Chief Master Sergeant for the Oklahoma Air National Guard.

“I love the constitution,” Hildebrant said. “In my career as a veteran, I get to support and defend the constitution of the United States and I want to continue doing that in the state legislature.”

Increasing support for Gold Star families, families who have lost a mother or father in the line of duty, is one of Hildebrant’s goals. He said he wants to advocate for Gold Star children to have the same benefits that the service member would have had, such as free tuition to a state-funded school, among others.

“[Gold Star Families] get support up front for the short-term, the first five years or so,” Hildebrant said. “There’s a lot of things, like the next-of-kin spouse who have things around the house that need to be done. I think we could have some partnerships with the National Guard and trades and services to be able to help take care of their needs.”

Another issue Hildebrant said he wants to tackle is the revitalization of District 2’s stretch of Route 66. He began addressing this during his time on the Catoosa City Council starting in 2015, but said he wants to add more signage and work with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation to improve the infrastructure in the area.

Hildebrant is endorsed by current District 2 State Senator Marty Quinn.

Hildebrant said he has a high level of respect for the Senator and the work he has done.

Quinn said he came to know the candidate through Hildebrant’s service in the community.

“I believe he will serve the community at the highest level and that’s extremely important to me,” Quinn said. “If it was not true then I would be making a different choice. It’s not for any reason other than I want District 2 to have the absolute best representative over the next 12 years. That’s it in a nutshell. There’s nothing in it for me financially. There’s nothing in it for me other than the fact that District 2 is important to me.”

If Hildebrant is elected he said he will continue his work as a bi-vocational pastor, but his work with the military will likely come to an end as he plans to retire in a few years.

With conviction is how Hildebrant said he would lead District 2 in the State Senate. He said he will “represent the conservative values” of the community and will show his love for the constitution and liberties it outlines.

Hildebrant lives in Catoosa with his seven children and his wife of 20 years, Amber. He is also working on obtaining a PhD in preaching from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

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