Durant residents excited for President Obama’s visit

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The city of Durant in southeast Oklahoma is known for its annual Magnolia Festival and a monument in front of city hall dedicated to the "World’s Largest Peanut." But Durant will soon be able to bolster its credentials as a destination stop for the president of the United States.

The city of about 16,000 residents is buzzing with excitement about the prospect of President Barack Obama’s planned visit on Wednesday to the local high school. Obama plans to discuss economic opportunities in the Choctaw Nation, which is headquartered in Durant.

Obama received less than 30 percent of the vote in Bryan County in 2012 against Mitt Romney, but even Republicans say they’re enthusiastic about the president’s trip.

Republican state Rep. Dustin Roberts said he’s "ecstatic" about the visit.