The former chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party is the latest candidate to announce they are running against first-term Republican State Superintendent Janet Barresi.
Longtime university professor Ivan Holmes officially announced his candidacy at a press conference Thursday at the state Capitol.
The 76-year-old joins a crowded field of Democrats seeking to oust Barresi, who also is facing a primary challenge from fellow Republican Joy Hofmeister, a former state school board member from Tulsa who was appointed by Gov. Mary Fallin.
Holmes earned a bachelor's and master's degree in education from Oklahoma State University and a doctorate in education administration from the University of Tulsa. He taught at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah and also served a term on the Board of Regents for the Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical Colleges.
