Former Tulsa Mayor Rodger Randle endorses Karen Keith

A former Tulsa mayor has endorsed Karen Keith in the city’s mayoral race.

In a letter to the Tulsa World this week, former Mayor Rodger Randle said Keith is “trusted” throughout local government and is the “safest” choice for mayor.

Keith is the county commissioner for District 2 and served as director of community relations and vision implementation for former Mayor Bill LaFortune.

“He’s had decades of experience in local government,” Randle said Thursday on Tulsa Public Radio. “She knows Tulsa, Tulsa knows her and she’s respected and she’s worked in all parts of the city.”

Randle served as mayor from 1988 to 1992. He is the second former mayor to endorse a candidate in the race — Kathy Taylor endorsed candidate Monroe Nichols, a current Oklahoma state representative.

Keith also received endorsements from the Tulsa Fraternal Order of Police chapter and the Tulsa Fire Department. Nichols also received endorsements from former Oklahoma Governor David WalterS and Brad Henry.

A third mayoral candidate, former businessman Brent VanNorman was endorsed by former Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor and Tulsa Congressman Kevin Hern.