Gov. Kevin Stitt delivered his 4th State of the State address Monday before a joint session of the Oklahoma legislature. 

Stitt was stopped nearly 40 times by applause during his 43-minute address to lawmakers. He talked about state/tribal relations, ending a state tax on groceries, and included plenty of election-year red meat. 

“We have a clear mandate to enact conservative policies that protect liberty and defend against the Biden Administration’s federal overreach,” Stitt said. 

The Governor never directly mentioned COVID-19 but instead talked about people “escaping liberal lockdown states.” 

“House Republicans found plenty to like in the governor’s speech,” House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, said. 

One of the largest applauses came when he talked about cracking down on illegal marijuana grows. 

“To the citizens of rural Oklahoma, I hear you,” Stitt said. “This is causing major problems in our communities, and we must get it under control.” 

He endorsed ending the state sales tax on groceries, something legislative Democrats have long pushed for. 

The Governor also talked about his feud with tribes, highlighting the case of a 12-year-old Cherokee Nation Citizen who was killed in drunk driving crash. The Governor said the conviction of the “white” driver was in jeopardy of being overturned and cannot be retried in federal court.   

“This isn’t about winning and losing. This isn’t personal. It’s not Kevin Stitt versus the tribes,” the Governor said.” Instead, it’s about certainty it’s about law and order it’s about fairness equal protection under the law and one set of rules.  

“It’s time for the governor to move forward and work alongside our tribes,” Cherokee Nation Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said. “Tribal nations have been crucial to the successes in Oklahoma, contributing to jobs, economic growth, public safety, COVID response, health care and supporting education, communities, roads, and law enforcement.” 

Stitt also called on lawmakers to invest $13 billion in transportation over the next 10 years, widening the Turner Turnpike to 6 lanes between Oklahoma City and Tulsa. 

He said he wants to pay the state's top teachers more than $100 thousand a year and took a shot at teachers’ unions. 

“The same unions that have pushed critical race theory and school closures intimidate new teachers into handing over part of their salaries,” Stitt said. 

"It’s also disappointing to see the governor spread misinformation about professional organizations. Professional groups like OEA are opt-in; to say otherwise is a lie,” Oklahoma Education Association President Katherine Bishop said in a statement. 

Legislative Democrats called the speech "divisive." News9’s Augusta McDonnell had more on their response.