Is there anything that a government can do to s- essentially say there have to be so many hospitals within a certain range of Antlers, Oklahoma?

[laughs] Yeah.

Yeah, well, first I, I wanna highlight that I've been to, um, Henryetta, Muskogee, and Hugo.

I've hosted events in each of those communities, and I'm very grateful for the, um, support I've received and the welcoming that I, I w- I was given.

Uh, yes, you know, here, here is also, um, why it's important to have a governor who understands what people are going through, listening, being on the ground.

Just a couple Saturdays ago, I was in Stilwell, Oklahoma, and passed their hospital that just closed a year ago.

I think they have, uh, maybe some emergency room services that are available, but otherwise, a big empty building, empty parking lot, no physicians, no nurses.

... expansion?

So I say all of that to kind of ask you, what are your thoughts about that? And if you are our next governor, how will you approach these reductions? Because in many communities, it will be transformational, but in the wrong direction.

Yeah, well, you mentioned just seeing me all across the state and where I've been.

I will have traveled to all 77 counties hosting at least one event talking to Oklahomans.

And that also includes getting on the ground and visiting a few of our hospitals in our rural communities.

and i want to highlight just a couple of my a few of my visits one in shaddock oklahoma so in the panhandle at newman memorial went to southeastern oklahoma and mccurtain county and you know these are bordering you know communities on the opposite ends of our state and then also went to grady county memorial hospital a couple weeks ago and of course i'm a patient at mercy's and i'm in oklahoma city so i'm in a larger hospital system And the reason I was invited to come out is really to be on the ground and see what's going on, both what will happen when these cuts come, and also what are some innovative things that they're doing and how they're providing health care to their community.

And just the importance of why securing and protecting these hospitals is so important, not just for health care services, but economic development in the rural communities and protecting the workforce, our doctors and nurses and those who work within the hospital system.

When I went to Grady County Memorial Hospital, I was impressed that the hospital CEO took me to the boiler room.

And I