Republican Brad Boles has won a special election for a vacant seat in the Oklahoma House.
The Marlow mayor defeated Democrat Charles L. Murdock of Cheyenne with 72 percent of the vote in Tuesday's special election for the vacant state House District 51 seat. The district comprises Grady, Stephens and McClain counties.
Republicans already enjoy a solid majority in the 101-member chamber. Before Boles' election, there were 72 Republicans and 28 Democrats in the state House.
The vacancy resulted from the resignation of three-term Republican Rep. Scott Biggs of Chickasha, who stepped down in November to accept President Donald Trump's appointment as Farm Service Agency state director. Among other things, Biggs is responsible for implementing U.S. Department of Agriculture policies in planning, organizing and administering FSA programs in the state.