OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma State Rep. John Waldron has resigned from the legislature, less than 24 hours after News 4 reported that a second woman claims he behaved inappropriately toward her.
Waldron submitted a resignation letter to Gov. Kevin Stitt on Thursday, announcing that he will leave his seat effective October 1, just a few months before the end of his term.
As questions mounted, News 4 attempted to speak with Waldron at the Capitol on Wednesday, but he walked away without responding when asked about the multiple women who now claim he behaved inappropriately toward them.
The resignation follows a series of events over the last week.
Last week, NonDoc reported that Waldron admitted resigning as chair of the state Democratic Party in response to a complaint that he sent a woman an AI-generated picture of him kissing her.
Waldron stated that he did not intend to send the picture.
Following this revelation, Waldron announced on Monday that he would not seek reelection in November.
Then, on Wednesday, News 4 reported that a second woman claimed Waldron behaved inappropriately toward her.
The woman told News 4 that Waldron made an unwanted physical advance on her in a professional setting.
Waldron resigned on Thursday, just hours after the report was released.
On Thursday, House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, told News 4 in a statement:
“I have received notice of the delivery of Representative Waldron’s letter of resignation to the Governor. He will resign as State Representative for House District 77 effective October 1, 2026. He remains suspended from the House Democratic Caucus and will remain suspended through the effective date of his resignation.
I stand by my previous statement from Friday, April 10, 2026: I take all allegations of misconduct seriously, and I took swift action in contacting and working alongside the victim to hold Rep. Waldron accountable. Victims deserve privacy, justice, and accountability, and every decision made regarding this situation prioritized that. Nothing was done without consulting the person affected by this abhorrent behavior. My goal as a leader, and as a woman, is to continue to hold everyone up to the same standard and stand for all victims’ privacy, dignity, and safety.
I want to make it very clear that Rep. Waldron was asked multiple times by Caucus leadership to step down and not seek re-election. He was told should he seek re-election, he would not receive Caucus support.”
Munson’s Senate equivalent told News 4 something similar on Thursday.
“I was part of the group that respected the victim’s wishes in seeking his resignation,” Senate Minority Leader Julia Kirt, a Democrat from Oklahoma City, said Thursday. “I believe we respect victims. You should know that we are listening. I absolutely respect and listen to victims, and I want to support their wishes. So take that very seriously. And I believe you will see that among my Democratic counterparts.”
It is unclear whether Waldron will maintain his House committee assignments for the remainder of the current legislative session.
House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, stated that he is waiting for all the facts.
“We hold our members to a high standard because we represent the people. He has admitted that those actions were unacceptable. And if there is anything else going on, I would certainly want to know about any additional allegations or anything along those lines and go through the process of vetting any of those charges,” Hilbert said on Thursday.
News 4 attempted to speak with several Democratic lawmakers regarding Waldron’s resignation.
They referred all requests back to Munson’s comments, with the exception of Rep. Amanda Clinton, D-Tulsa, who issued the following statement:
“First, I am pleased that Rep. Waldron has chosen to resign from the House of Representatives, although an Oct. 1 effective date suggests a continued lack of personal responsibility. Even so, I appreciate the work of Leader Munson and our Democratic caucus in taking serious action while preserving the anonymity of the young woman he harmed. I am ready to turn the page on this chapter and refocus our efforts on solving problems for everyday Oklahomans.
But more broadly and far more importantly, there is no universe in which it is acceptable for any person, especially someone in a position of public trust, to use their power to harass, abuse, sexualize or otherwise demean another person. Ever.
As one of countless women who have experienced sexual harassment in a professional setting, I desperately long for a day when this behavior no longer exists, and women can pursue their chosen career path and life choices free from abusive and inappropriate behavior. At a bare minimum, we deserve that.
To any victim of sexual harassment or abuse, you are not alone. You have nothing to be ashamed of, embarrassed by or anxious about. Those feelings should be reserved for abusers. Never forget that you have value and strength, but most importantly, you have a voice. I hope we join our voices together to demand safety, dignity and respect for one another, until the day these conversations are no longer necessary.”
