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Former Tulsa DA Tim Harris announces run for Congress

TULSA — The former District Attorney for Tulsa County announced Monday he will seek the office of U.S. Representative for Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District.

The seat is currently held by Rep. Jim Bridenstine, who has so far stuck to his pledge to serve three terms and step down.

And, as Harris mentioned Monday, Bridenstine is potentially going to take the top job at NASA.

That would lead to a special election to fill his Congressional seat, so Harris felt the time was right to gear up for a campaign.

Harris first signaled his intent to KRMG several months ago, saying he still felt called to serve.

But asked Monday when he first seriously thought about running for Congress, he said he’s been contemplating the idea for a long time.

“The truthful answer to that is, I’ve been mulling this over for 19 years,” he told KRMG.

In his remarks to those assembled to hear his official announcement on the 8th floor of the Tulsa County Courthouse, he said he finally decided the time was right.

“When your education, and your background, and your family and your experiences all converge to a moment in time when it becomes absolutely crystal clear what your next direction is, what your purpose is, what your plan is - that’s what brings me before you today,” Harris said.

Harris went to work at the Tulsa County DA’s office right out of law school.

After twelve years, he was elected as District Attorney, an office which he held for 16 years.

Several other names have been bandied about as possible contenders for the 1st District, including former Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett and former Oklahoma House Speaker T. W. Shannon.

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