Mike Dobrinski is a Republican candidate for the Oklahoma House of Representatives District 59. He is seeking the seat being vacated by Mike Sanders, retiring because of term limits
Ḋobrinski is a rancher who has lived in Okeene his entire life. For many years he ran an auto dealership with a sister dealership in Kingfisher run by his late brother, Jim. He currently serves as a trustee for Pioneer Telephone Co-op.
Dobrinski said he considered running for office before his quadruplets were born in 1995 but was afraid of the time commitment. “As it turned out, with four kids at a time, it would have been a train wreck,” he said.
When Mike Sanders was in office, Dobrinski said he worked with the representative on projects to bring industrial development to the area, including a dog food factory, a Seaboard facility, a trucking company and a private prison.
Dobrinski said he had his career and raised his children where he grew up, but the children, now young adults, cannot find jobs in the area.
“I want to give back to the area that has been very good to my family,” he said. “And I’d like to see public service be about serving the public again. Too many career politicians are giving a bad taste to politics.”
Dobrinski said he knows people in all walks of life all over the area. “I know if I am blessed enough to get to the capitol, I don’t know everything, but I know somebody who knows. “
That expertise from district residents with real world experience can help him move outside the sphere of lobbyists, he said.
Dobrinski wants to work to ensure the viability of rural hospitals. “When rural hospitals close, they don’t come back,” he said. He also wants to support rural schools and change how we look at education. “All careers are important, engineers and plumbers.” The career tech programs give students a path to a lucrative career even if they are not headed to a traditional fouryear college or university.
Connie Burcham can be reached at Editor@WatongaRepublican.com