Rep. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City, has come under scrutiny recently due to a video interview about his thoughts on sexual orientation and passing legislation to protect discrimination in the workplace.

The blog Think Progress published a video of the interview Monday with the headline “GOP Rep. Lankford Explains Why It should Be Legal To Fire Someone For Being Gay: ‘It’s A Choice Issue.’”

Watch the interview below:

Lankford did an interview with News 9 Tuesday and explained his position, claiming that the blog twisted his words and most likely targeted him because he’s a Christian.

He said he does think sexual orientation is a choice, but he said behavior outside of the workplace shouldn’t matter if an employee is fulfilling his or her duties.

“My decision would be to have great work performance and be a good employee and people will keep you,” he said.

“I just don’t think you have special protections based on behavior.”

Photo by Hugh Scott: U.S. Representative James Lankford addresses the troops during the return ceremony for the National Guard’s 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team at the Army Aviation hanger at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base Sunday, March 25th, 2012.

The Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in finding a man who robbed a convenience store Dec. 5.

Officials said the robbery occurred at a convenience store located near the intersection of I-35 & Waterloo Road. The armed man is described as 24 years of age, 5-foot-8-inches tall, weighing between 140-160 pounds and possibly has blue eyes. The man was wearing a dark jacket with large paisley emblems all over it.

If you have information regarding the robbery please contact the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office at (405) 713-1006.

With all precincts reporting, Rinehart received only 21 percent of the vote. That wasn’t enough to make it to the Republican runoff for his District 2 Oklahoma County commissioner seat. 

Reached in the lobby of a movie theater, where he was attempting to watch “The Dark Knight” with his girlfriend, Rinehart reflected on what cost him his job in tonight’s primary election.

“Too many hurdles. Mountain too high. Too many battles,” Rinehart said. “You hope throughout everything that the public sees and understands and so you do your best, and I’ve done my best.”

Rinehart said there’s more work to be done before he leaves office, starting tomorrow morning at the weekly board of county commissioners meeting.

– John Estus

“I’d rather have won, but this gives me another chance. So, of course, I’m happy to be in the runoff now,” Johnston said.

He said about Maughan: “I’m not really knocking him. I just want to offer out my experience that I’ve had  —  the 10 years that I was with the city of Bethany. I was a councilman for three years and mayor for seven years.”

– Nolan Clay

96 of 96 precincts reporting

Democrats

Boyster 1,052, 20.4 percent

Dickinson 2,770 53.6 percent

Saunders 1,344 26 percent

Republicans

Maughan 4,230 47.4 percent

Johnston 2,808 31.4 percent

Rinehart 1,900 21.2 percent

CLERK

305 of 305 precincts reporting

Inman 11,409 42.3 percent

Caudill 15,531, 57.7 percent

– John Estus

County Clerk Carolynn Caudill and her opponent, Stan Inman, have a long history going back to Inman’s time as District 3 Commissioner.

Caudill was no fan of Inman’s predecessor, Stuart Earnest, and the two started off well enough after Inman won the commissioner’s seat in 2002. But their relationship deteriorated quickly once Inman took office.

The two clashed over Caudill’s desire to share software with other county clerks in the state, and as is common in county politics, the professional disagreement quickly became personal.

Caudill and Inman repeatedly sparred verbally at public meetings. The animosity only got worse when Inman and District 2 Commissioner Brent Rinehart decided to disband the county budget board, made up of all eight elected county officials, and put the budgeting responsibility in the hands of commissioners.

Caudill supported Ray Vaughn, a former state legislator, when he challenged Inman in the 2006 election. Vaughn won the seat easily.

When Inman decided to challenge Caudill for her job this year, not surprisingly, the campaign turned negative relatively quickly. Inman accused Caudill of releasing sensitive personal information of county property holders on her Web site, claimed she rarely showed up for work and cited a critical auditor’s report.

Caudill responded by calling Inman a liar and a “desperate man trying to deflect attention from his poor record as a county commissioner.”

So far, Caudill holds a lead over Inman.

– Bryan Dean

Supporters hung on, waiting to see if their candidate would push past 50 percent, and thus avoid a runoff.

“One more precentage point, and we’ll get it without the runoff,” supporter Guy Smith said.

– Devona Walker

Inman 8,399

Caudill 11,494

County commissioner Dist. 2, 80 of 96 precincts reporting

Democrats

Boyster 875

Dickinson 2,227

Saunders 1,148

GOP

Maughan 3,385

Johnston 2,178

Rinehart 1,472

A cake ready to be cut at the party read, in icing, “Congratulations and Happy Birthday Carolynn.”

– Nolan Clay