J.J. Dossett becomes newest member of the Oklahoma State Senate

Friends, family, and supporters looked on Thursday as Senator-elect J.J. Dossett was officially sworn in to represent District 34 in the Oklahoma State Senate. Dossett, D-Owasso, won the seat in a special election held January 12, becoming the first Democrat chosen to represent that district since 1990.

“I am extremely grateful for the support I received and for the faith the citizens of District 34 have placed in me,” Dossett said. “I don’t take it for granted, and I will always endeavor to be the strongest voice possible for all those I represent here in the Senate.”

Dossett, a teacher, coach, and combat veteran, grew up in Owasso where both his parents were educators. He and his wife, Ashley, also a teacher, have two sons and are expecting a third in February. A graduate of Oklahoma State University, Dossett is a technical sergeant in the Oklahoma Air National Guard. He served two active duty deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Senate Democratic Leader John Sparks said he was excited to welcome Dossett to the Oklahoma Legislature.

“J.J. is a native of our state with strong Oklahoma values. His life is about service to his family, his community, his state and his country,” said Sparks, D-Norman. “I know he will do an excellent job serving the people of District 34 as a member of the Oklahoma State Senate.”

Dossett acknowledged with a looming shortfall for the 2017 budget that could well exceed $1 billion, he knows his first session will be a challenging one.

“We’re going to be faced with many tough decisions—but at the end of the day, we have to recognize that Oklahoma’s future prosperity is directly tied to the investments we make in education. I’ve seen it first-hand as a teacher and that’s something that will guide me throughout my service in the Senate.”