Debra A. Herlihy
Republican | Oklahoma
Candidate Profile
Leans Liberal
BIOGRAPHY
Name
Debra A. Herlihy
Party
Republican
Election Year
2026
Election
Primary & Special SD17
Race
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Incumbent
No
Links
EDUCATION
Cameron University, Lawton, Master's in Entrepreneurship Studies, 2004-2007
University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, Bachelor's in Managment Information Systems, 1997-2000
Rose State College, Midwest City, Associate's General Studies, 1995-1997
WORK & MILITARY
Candidate did not provide
AFFILIATIONS
Oklahoma Web Managers Group, President, 2011-2012
Center for Emerging Technology and Entrepreneurial Studies, Member, 2006-2007
POLITICAL OFFICES HELD
Candidate did not provide
POLITICAL OFFICES SOUGHT
Candidate did not provide
OTHER INFORMATION
Candidate completed the OKGOP Survey in 2026.
Candidate participated in a Superintendent forum in May 2026.
Candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026.
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
Individuals who want abortions should pay for the procedure themselves.
Under what circumstances should an elective abortion be allowed?
Sexual Assault, Risk to Health / Ectopic Pregnancy
Human life deserves legal protection from conception until natural death.
Strongly Agree
Adoption instead of abortion
The lives of human embryos created through artificial methods ought to be protected from purposeful destruction.
Strongly Agree
Many families have a hard time conceiving, and in vitro fertilization should be protected.
The Comstock Act, which bans interstate transportation of abortion-inducing drugs, should be enforced.
Strongly Agree
Abortion-inducing drugs can be dangerous to women who have gone too far into pregnancy, have blood-thinning medications, have anemia, or have other bleeding disorders. Taking the drugs through transportation by any means without a doctor's prescription is dangerous.
ECONOMY
What is your position on the minimum wage?
One solution is to raise the minimum wage through a combination of gradual increases toward a living wage, automatic inflation indexing, and regional adjustments to reflect the local cost of living.
Free enterprise and the right to private property are essential elements of a productive economic system.
Strongly Agree
List your top 3-5 priorities to eliminate government waste.
Reduce improper payments and fraud - implement better data analytics and auditing. Eliminate duplicate agencies and programs. End subsidies and earmarks.
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
What does "separation of church and state" mean to you?
The separation of church and state is a legal and philosophical principle establishing a "wall of separation" between religious institutions and government, derived from the First Amendment's Establishment Clause. Also prohibiting the government from establishing a state religion, favoring one faith, or interfering in religious affairs, thereby ensuring religious freedom and neutrality and preventing religious coercion.
Individuals and businesses should be required to provide services even if it would violate their moral and/or religious beliefs.
Strongly Disagree
Religious freedom and freedom of speech, First Amendment Rights. These rights go both ways.
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.
A) Single-Payer/Medicare for All: Advocates argue this is necessary for equality and reduces administrative costs. B) Public Option/Mixed System: Supported by many as a choice between government-funded and private plans. C) Status Quo/Limited Government: Focuses on maintaining current programs (Medicare/Medicaid) without expansion. D) Free-Market/Elimination: Advocates argue for eliminating government involvement in healthcare.
The government should keep a database of people with various ongoing medical illnesses to assess the economic burden of treatment.
Strongly Disagree
Privacy and confidential risks, not to mention discrimination. Governments use a mix of methods to track illness, including vital statistics (births/deaths), mandatory surveillance of communicable diseases, and ongoing monitoring of chronic illnesses. HIPAA is a primary regulation that enforces strict database protection through encryption, access controls, and auditing, and it requires the federal government to refrain from using such databases.
NATIONAL SECURITY
The Chinese Communist Party poses serious military, cyber security, intellectual property, and global economic threats to the United States.
Strongly Agree
These actions include stealing technology, pre-positioning within U.S. cyber networks, and undermining global norms. Documented cases of Chinese espionage on U.S. soil have grown, with numerous incidents across various states.
Is the United States' relationship with Israel important, and if so why?
Yes, due to strategic alliance—often based on shared democratic values—offers crucial intelligence, advanced defense technology partnerships, and regional stability for the U.S.
IMMIGRATION
I support the existence of sanctuary cities to protect undocumented persons.
Strongly Disagree
No township or city should protect undocumented persons who are involved in a criminal act against the United States of America. Sanctuary policies do not provide legal immunity for criminal acts. Whether a person is a citizen or undocumented, if they commit a crime, they are subject to arrest, trial, and sentencing under federal, state, and local laws. Citizens are not protected, so why should undocumented people be protected in sanctuary cities? No immunity from prosecution.
EDUCATION
I support eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and giving control back to states and communities.
Neutral
Equity Gaps, where the ED manages billions in Title I funding for low-income schools and IDEA funding for students with disabilities; critics fear these students would lose protections and resources. Shifting control to local levels might encourage diverse educational models and competition, potentially improving student outcomes. Overall, student loan management could face massive instability during the transition, threatening college access.
Foreign governments should be prohibited from funding American education.
Strongly Agree
Academic freedom is affected by undue influence, in which foreigners can gain access to influence over hiring, curricula, and universities, thereby violating the principles of independence.
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
Only if the parent is deemed unfit will the government step in for the child's benefit.
Attempts to physically or socially transition a child to the opposite sex constitute child abuse.
Neutral
Major medical organizations in the United States, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Psychological Association, generally support age-appropriate gender-affirming care. They argue that these interventions are medically necessary, evidence-based, and crucial for reducing high rates of depression and suicide among transgender youth. From this perspective, providing such care is seen as a way to support a child's well-being.
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
No government should interfere with equal rights based on religious freedom.
I support the expansion of gambling in my state.
Strongly Disagree
Between scratch-off cards and casinos, there is enough gambling in Oklahoma.
Briefly describe your spiritual beliefs and values.
Roman Catholic values and beliefs center on faith in Jesus Christ, the authority of Scripture and Tradition, and the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. Core pillars include the Trinity, the Eucharist as the true body of Christ, the dignity of every person, social justice, and stewardship of creation
ELECTIONS AND VOTING
People should be able to vote without photo identification.
Strongly Disagree
Need a photo to drive a car, the same should go for voting.
EQUALITY
Reparations should be given to people on the basis of race.
Strongly Disagree
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
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Man-made climate change is a global threat and requires urgent political action.
Strongly Agree
What do you believe is the most reliable energy source that will supply the growing demand for electricity?
Most experts believe a diversified mix is the true answer; using nuclear for a steady foundation and renewables (wind/solar) to handle the bulk of the growth, supported by a modernized, "smart" grid.
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
Economic: Advocating for free markets, capitalism, and fiscal responsibility. Social & Religious: Prioritizing religious liberty, traditional social values, and supporting policies aligned with moral absolutism. Foreign Policy: Supporting peace through strength and a robust national defense. Role of Government: Believing government should be limited, focusing on protecting life, liberty, and property.
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 purpose of the criminal justice system is to maintain public order and safety by enforcing laws, preventing and controlling crime, punishing offenders, and rehabilitating criminals. Through the police, courts, and corrections, it aims to deliver justice for victims while protecting individuals' constitutional rights.
Government has a responsibility to protect children from sexual exploitation during online activities.
Strongly Agree
Sharia law should not be accepted or incorporated in any form within the legal framework of the United States.
Strongly Agree
Replacing the American judicial system with Sharia law is not the principle due to harsh punishments, treatment of women, and the LGBTQ+IA community that would violate the U.S. public policy and constitutional rights. The American founding fathers were Deists, not believing in the Trinity or the divinity of Jesus, but this is not part of Protestant or Catholic Christianity, where many denominations believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
2ND AMENDMENT
What restrictions on gun ownership are needed to protect public safety?
Protecting public safety regarding gun ownership involves a combination of strengthened background checks, extreme risk protection orders (red flag laws), secure storage requirements, and prohibitions on high-capacity or military-style weapons. Key measures often cited include closing loopholes in background checks for private sales, implementing temporary removal laws for individuals in crisis, and raising the minimum age to 21 for all firearm purchases.
