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Candidate’s wife apologizes for taking opponent’s flyer

Posted at 7:30 AM, Oct 30, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-30 07:30:02-04

WAYNE, Okla. - A McClain County commissioner candidate's wife apologized Monday and said she made a mistake when she took a campaign placard of her husband's opponent from the door of a north Newcastle home Saturday, which was caught on camera.

"I can't tell you what possessed me to do it," Joyce Davis told KFOR. "I just wanted to read it, and I tried to right the wrong, I took [the campaign door hanger] back, I wrote a letter of apology, I've called. I've done what I can do."

Joyce said she and her husband, District 1 commissioner candidate Larry Davis, were canvassing Saturday ahead of the election next week when she was spotted on a front door camera of a home in Wayne, Oklahoma. In the video, it appears Joyce is reading the door placard for her husband's opponent, Glen Murray, she then removes the placard, places her husband's flyer in the door jam, and turns around and leaves.

An emotional Joyce told KFOR she doesn't have an excuse for why she took Murray's placard but said it was the "only one" she removed Saturday afternoon.

"I just wanted to read what was on it," Joyce said. "It's been terrible. I admit to it. I am ashamed. I'm sorry. This has nothing to do with my husband's character or who he is."

"I feel bad for her. I feel bad for him, too," said Jen Craig, whose camera caught Joyce taking the placard, as well as when she brought it back the next day, along with a note apologizing for what happened. "I understand, they’ve both worked very hard on his campaign, but unfortunately, it was a very bad error in judgement."

Craig admits she didn't know about either candidate ahead of the weekend's events and said it appears her campaign material was the only taken that day. When reached by phone Monday night, Murray agreed he didn't believe any other placards were taken from the neighborhood.

"I didn't see any other placards taken," said Murray, who was aware of the first video but didn't know the door hanger was brought back along with the apology note, which was also caught on camera.

Murray said he "wouldn't make any allegations of campaign fraud against them" and doesn't believe the incident will have a large impact, if at all, on the election.

Craig, however, who shared the first video online, wonders if the placard would have been brought back if it weren't for a camera watching from above.

"I totally accept their apologies. I sympathize with them. We're all human, and everyone's capable of making mistakes," Craig said. "It’s just, I think, when you're wanting to be in public office or related to someone that is, we're looking to that person for their character and honesty."