Woodward, Okla. — For the first time in Oklahoma history, 2 women are facing each other in the race for governor.

Republican Congresswoman Mary Fallin and Democrat Lt. Gov. Jari Askins won their parties’ nominations for governor in the Tuesday primary election.

Woodward Industrial Foundation President LaVern Phillips said he views the match up as “a good thing.”

“Woodward is extremely fortunate because both are good friends with Woodward and Northwestern Oklahoma,” Phillips said. “We got to know both of them really well through the Turkey Hunt (held annually in Woodward). They know a lot of people in this community.”

“We also met with (both as) the Lieutenant Governor for other events, so there was a lot of contact. Whoever wins, I think Woodward will have a good friend in the governor’s office,” he said.

However, the fact that 2 women are running against each other has drawn mixed reactions from residents who visit the Woodward Senior Center.

Wynona Bartow, 82, of Woodward, doesn’t know much about the “friend” part of this race, but said she sees no reason why either Fallin or Askins shouldn’t win.

“Women keep up on things just as good as men nowadays,” she said.

Alice Heusel, 82, also of Woodward, agreed.

“I think it’s fine 2 women are running for governor,” Heusel said. “Women should be allowed to serve. It’s women’s rights. I personally know Askins. My daughter and she taught school together in Duncan, and Askins has been to the senior center.”

“It’s certainly a change from the way things used to be when you had to stay home and be quiet,” she said.

In addition to women’s rights, Bartow said she thought it might be a nice change to have a woman for governor because “men’s minds run more on business and politics, where women’s minds run more on concern for the family and morals.”

“I was very disappointed when our last governor brought gambling into the state,” she said.

“I think women need to get more involved on the family side because we have things creeping in and ruining our children’s lives,” Bartow said.

However, she said, in the end "It’s not the sex (gender) that makes the difference. It’s what’s in their hearts.”

Dr. Deena Fisher, professor of history and dean at Northwestern Oklahoma State University-Woodward, called it “groundbreaking in the fact that our next governor will be a woman.”

“It’s a first and it’s going to go in the history books that way," she said.  "Whichever of those 2 women win, they will always be in every history text book as the first woman governor for the state of Oklahoma.”

For Fisher, the results of Tuesday's primary “shows it’s time in the state of Oklahoma that women stand up and take the lead,” because “we now have the opportunity to be in a position to lead the state.”

Bartow made an observation that women seem to be coming into their own in politics nationwide.

“They have as many women talking up there (in the administration) as men, and they’re smart, too,” she said.

“Women have to be smart,” Heusel said. “They just haven’t been able to voice their opinion as freely as men because of tradition.”

However, C.A. Johnson, 86, another visitor of the senior center, said he prefers the traditional way of things.

“I think a man can do a better job, but you have to give them a chance,” Johnson said. “Women don’t get all the help in the political arena that men do.  I’m old fashioned enough to believe it’s a man’s job. A woman’s place is in the home raising the kids. But I don’t have anything against women.”

L.E. Myers, 89, was more democratic about it.

“I guess it’s all right if it’s the choice of the people,” he said.