
Robert Keyes
Republican | Oklahoma
Candidate Profile
Conservative
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Robert Keyes
Party
Republican
Election Year
2026
Election
Primary & Special SD17
Race
State Senator, Dist., 24
Incumbent
No
EDUCATION
Candidate did not provide
WORK & MILITARY
Associated Industries, President & CEO, 1992-2026
AFFILIATIONS
National Groundwater Association, President-Elect, 2016-2026
Oklahoma Groundwater Association, Board of Director, 2002-2026
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Oklahoma State Senate District 15, 2024-2024
Oklahoma State Senate District 24, 2026-2026
ENDORSEMENTS
REPORTED BY CANDIDATE (3)
Jon McGrath
Mike Cantrell
Dr. Kevin Khoury
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS
CONSERVATIVE
GIVEN BY CANDIDATE (2)
Alexander Torvi (2024)
Steve Russell (2018)
RECEIVED BY CANDIDATE (2)
Darlene Wallace (2024)
OKAID PAC (2024)
QUESTIONNAIRE
RIGHT TO LIFE
Abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, should not receive taxpayer funds from federal, state, or local governments (including Title X grants).
Strongly Agree
Taxpayers’ money should never be used to fund abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, either directly or indirectly, such as through programs like Title X. Instead, taxpayer dollars should be directed toward healthcare providers that do not perform abortions, while upholding strong fiscal responsibility and respect for the sanctity of life.
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
There are very deep and personal decisions that are different for everyone. Although I am against abortion, there are rare instances in which I understand an abortion has to be performed.
Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.
Strongly Agree
The lives of human embryos created through artificial methods ought to be protected from purposeful destruction.
Strongly Agree
I believe human embryos deserve respect and protection, including those created through artificial means. This is a very complex area, and we should always promote ethical standards that protect life while also supporting families pursuing fertility treatments.
The Comstock Act, which bans interstate transportation of abortion-inducing drugs, should be enforced.
Strongly Agree
Federal law should be enforced as written. We cannot pick and choose laws, and the Comstock Act is no different. At a minimum, we should ensure that abortion-inducing drugs are not distributed in ways that bypass state laws and safeguards designed to protect women and unborn life.
ECONOMY
What is your position on the minimum wage?
I support letting the free market determine wages rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all government minimum-wage mandate on businesses here in Oklahoma, which face different costs and labor conditions.
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
Free enterprise and the right to private property are foundational to our state and country in creating a prosperous economy. They encourage innovation, investment, job creation, and personal responsibility, which ultimately benefit individuals, families, and communities.
List your top 3-5 priorities to eliminate government waste.
My top five priorities are strengthening state auditing and oversight authority, requiring measurable outcomes for state appropriations, restructuring the statewide public bidding system, improving transparency in agency spending, and eliminating redundant public programs. I believe that taking these five actions will help reduce government waste and help us invest more into our state.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
The separation of church and state, to me, means the government should not establish a national religion or interfere with the free exercise of religion. It was intended to prevent government control over religion, not to remove faith from public life or silence religious expression.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
Individuals and businesses should not be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and religious beliefs. When it comes to protecting religious liberty, it includes allowing people to operate according to their conscience, while also respecting the rights of others under the law.
HEALTHCARE
What most closely matches your view on healthcare: A) Healthcare for all should be guaranteed and funded by the government with no private healthcare option. (includes "universal healthcare," "medicare for all," etc.) B) Healthcare insurance funded by the government should be available for all who want it, along with private healthcare options. C) Medicaid and Medicare should remain available, but no other taxpayer-funded programs are necessary. D) Taxpayer funded health care should be abolished in all forms, and Medicaid and Medicare should be defunded.
C. Medicaid and Medicare are our safety nets and should remain available, but no additional broad taxpayer-funded healthcare programs are necessary. At the same time, we need to focus on lowering the cost of private health insurance by increasing competition, reducing regulatory burdens, and promoting price transparency so families can afford quality care and know what will and won't be covered.
The government should keep a database of people with various ongoing medical illnesses to assess the economic burden of treatment.
Strongly Disagree
The government should not maintain broad databases tracking individuals' ongoing medical conditions for economic analysis. Medical privacy should be protected, and people should not have their health constantly tracked by the state.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is the number one threat not only to our country but also to Oklahoma through military, cyber, and economic means. We must strongly resist its influence.
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Our relationship with Israel is the most important in the Middle East. It is the only country in the region that upholds democracy and stands for the same values that we stand for here at home.
IMMIGRATION
I support the existence of sanctuary cities to protect undocumented persons.
Strongly Disagree
I do not support sanctuary cities. Immigration is a federal issue, and local and state governments should not be actively going against our federal law enforcement and undermining them. This creates inconsistency in how immigration laws are enforced.
EDUCATION
I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.
Strongly Agree
The Department of Education is bloated and inefficient and has done nothing to improve education since its establishment in the 1970s. Oklahomans can do a much job handling this issue.
Foreign governments should be prohibited from funding American education.
Strongly Agree
Foreign governments should not fund American education.
VALUES
Government should recognize and support the fundamental right and essential duty of parents to direct their child's health and educational well-being.
Strongly Agree
I strongly agree. Parents have the fundamental right and primary responsibility to direct the upbringing, education, and health decisions of their children. Government should respect and protect this role, not replace it, and should support families by ensuring they have access to information and options, not mandates that override parental authority.
Attempts to physically or socially transition a child to the opposite sex constitute child abuse.
Strongly Agree
I strongly believe that any attempt to physically or socially transition a child to the opposite sex constitutes child abuse. Children should not undergo irreversible medical or social interventions.
Marriage is a God-ordained, sacred and legal union of one man and one woman. No government has the authority to alter this definition.
Strongly Agree
I believe that marriage is a sacred union between one man and one woman, based on my reading of scripture. However, I will respect other people's domestic arrangements.
I support the expansion of gambling in my state.
Neutral
I support the tribal gaming arrangements Oklahoma currently has.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
I am a Christian and family-oriented man whose faith and values guide my life and decisionmaking. I believe in living with integrity, honesty, and personal responsibility, and I strive to treat others with respect and fairness. My spiritual beliefs shape my commitment to serving others and upholding strong moral character in both my personal life and public service.
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
Photo identification must be a requirement in order to ensure the integrity and security of our elections. Requiring an ID is a reasonable and common-sense safeguard that protects against fraud and helps maintain public trust in the electoral process while still ensuring eligible citizens can easily access the ballot.
EQUALITY
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly Disagree
I do not and will not support reparations based on race.
Biological males should not be allowed to participate in women's sports or occupy biological women's spaces whether it be bathrooms, locker rooms, sorority houses, women's shelters, or prison.
Strongly Agree
Spaces such as sports, bathrooms, locker rooms, sorority houses, women's shelters, and prisons should be divided based on biological sex to ensure fairness, privacy, and safety.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Man-made climate change is a global threat and requires urgent political action.
Strongly Disagree
I believe that climate change is an exaggerated threat and that the solutions proposed to address it would cripple our economy.
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
Nuclear energy is one of the most reliable large-scale power sources, followed by natural gas and crude oil. These are the sources best positioned to meet our growing demand for electricity.
ABOUT YOU
When you consider your views on a wide range of issues from economic and social matters to foreign policy and religious liberty, which of the following best describes you overall?
Conservative
I support limited government, strong individual responsibility, free enterprise, and the protection of constitutional rights, such as religious liberty and the Second Amendment. I also favor local control over federal expansion in areas such as education and healthcare, as well as strong national defense and border security.
Have you ever been penalized for sexual misconduct in either civil or criminal court? If so, please explain.
No.
Have you ever been convicted of a felony? If so, please explain.
No.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE & PUBLIC SAFETY
What should be the goal of the criminal justice system?
The goal of the criminal justice system should be to protect public safety, uphold the rule of law, and ensure that justice is applied fairly and consistently. It should hold offenders accountable for their actions while also deterring future crimes and supporting rehabilitation where appropriate. At the same time, the system must respect constitutional rights and ensure that victims, families, and communities are treated with fairness and dignity throughout the process.
Government has a responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation during online activities.
Strongly Agree
Our government has a clear responsibility to protect children from online sexual exploitation. That means enforcing laws against predators, requiring stronger safeguards and accountability from online platforms, and supporting tools that help parents protect their children. We must prioritize child safety while respecting constitutional rights and ensuring enforcement is effective and targeted.
Sharia law should not be accepted or incorporated in any form within the legal framework of the United States.
Strongly Agree
The United States should be governed by the Constitution and our system of laws, not by Islamic law.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
I believe the focus should be on enforcing existing laws and keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals and those who pose a clear danger, while protecting the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. Any restrictions should be narrowly tailored, respect due process, and not infringe on responsible gun ownership.
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