TULSA, Okla. — Two billboards in Tulsa are gaining attention on social media.
"Women, the Republican party doesn't respect you... Vote Democrat," the sign reads.
At the bottom of the sign, it says, "Paid for by Burt Holmes."
You may also have seen his name on similar all-black-and-white full-page ads in the Tulsa World aimed at State Superintendent Ryan Walters.
That ad said, "Ryan Walters, we are tired of your lies and B.S.!"
Holmes co-founded the QuikTrip Corporation in 1958 and is known as a lifelong Republican.
The 93-year-old has many accomplishments in the Tulsa area, like serving as director of the Tulsa Botanic Garden and promoting Tulsa's first high-rise suburban office building, the Southland Financial Center.
He was inducted into the Tulsa Hall of Fame in 2014. Read more about his history here.
2 News reached out to Holmes to learn more about his motivation behind the signs. One is on the north side of the IDL downtown, and the other is near the intersection of Hwy 169 and Hwy 64.
On the billboard's message, Holmes said it's simple.
"Well, I believe that the Republican party does not treat women well," he said. "It's that simple."
We asked him, out of all the messages he could share, why this one?
"Because I think women can win the next big election in the country if they will get out and vote," he said. "And it would help me, too, because women will make a difference in what's going on."
Holmes told us he's not afraid to put his name on these ads but that it's often a requirement with political material.
With such a bold statement and his name attached to it, we asked him about the feedback he's getting.
"I'm getting some emails on them, all positive, and then they hit the internet yesterday or the day before, which just gave them a lot more coverage, which I love," he said.
On his ad about Ryan Walters, he said he received over 300 responses, only eight of which were negative.
With Oklahoma widely being seen as a majority Republican state, Holmes is definitely going against the grain.
"I don't care about the grain," he said.
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