Pauly Denetclaw
ICT
WASHINGTON — Indigenous Super Tuesdays continue with the Oklahoma primary election on June 18. There are 18 candidates running for office. After today’s primary, three will outright win their races and will not have to be in the general election. They will assume office in November.
One of the key races is the fourth congressional district where incumbent Rep. Tom Cole, Chickasaw, faces wealthy businessman Paul Bondar.
Bondar, a political newcomer who sold an insurance group he founded, has spent almost $4.9 million, according to campaign finance filings, essentially all of it from his own pocket. Cole, chair of the powerful House Appropriations and House Rules Committee, has spent $3.1 million but has approximately six times as much cash on hand. Though Bondar has criticized his votes supporting foreign aid, Cole has shored up his conservative bona fides with an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
Bondar has also faced questions about his residency. He most recently lived in Texas, even voting in that state’s Republican primary in March — a focal point of Cole’s attacks against him.
While Bondar’s well-funded campaign could cause problems for Cole, it’s the Oklahoma runoff threshold, plus the three candidates on the ballot besides Bondar and Cole, that presents a more pressing issue. If Cole’s four opponents together keep him under 50 percent of the vote, he and the next-highest vote-getter will advance to an August runoff.
Cole is running for his 12th term. He assumed office in 2003. He is the longest serving Indigenous member of Congress.
Rep. Josh Brecheen, Choctaw, is also running for reelection.
Brecheen, Republican, in the 2nd congressional district does not have a primary opponent but will face a Democratic challenger in the general election. The district is solidly Republican and it is unlikely that a Democrat will win. Since 2016, the support for a Democratic candidate in the general election has peaked at just 30 percent.
Brecheen is likely to maintain his seat as one of four Native Americans in the U.S. House.
There are two candidates, both Democrats, running for the U.S. House of Representatives. Madison Horn, Cherokee, is running for Oklahoma District 5 and Dennis Baker, Muscogee and Euchee, is running for Oklahoma District 1.
It is unlikely that Horn or Baker will be elected.
There are currently no Democrats in the Oklahoma congressional delegation. There hasn’t been one since 2021. Kendra Horn served one term after narrowly winning her seat with just 50.7 percent of the vote in 2019. Since 2000, Republicans have won congressional district 5 by some 60 percent of the votes.
Incumbent Kevin Hern won congressional District 1 with 60 percent of the votes since 2018. Before Hern, Republican Jim Bridenstine held the seat from 2012 to 2018.
Oklahoma’s state legislature is Republican. The governor’s mansion, state Senate and state House have all been controlled by Republicans since 2011. Republicans have had a three-fourths supermajority in both chambers of the state legislature since 2019.
Forty-four state House incumbents drew no challengers in their primary or from the other political party, so 36 Republicans and eight Democrats have an unencumbered path to another term. Five of the 24 state senators whose terms end this year are in a similar boat. All are Republicans.
Fourteen Indigenous candidates are running for the state legislature, according to a database by ICT and Advance Native Political Leadership.
After the primary election, three of these candidates who face no challengers will outright win. Amanda Swope, Muscogee and Osage, Brad Boles, Cherokee, and Mike Osburn, Cherokee, will be elected and join the state legislature.
Swope is the second Indigenous Democrat in the state House.
Christopher Weir, Cherokee, is one of three non–binary and/or Two-Spirit candidates running for election this cycle. Weir uses they and them pronouns so ICT will use they/them to refer to Weir. They are running for Oklahoma House district 4.
There are 11 incumbents running for reelection:
- Ajay Pittman, state House district 99, Seminole Nation of Oklahoma
- Scott Fetgatter, state House district 16, Choctaw
- Ken Luttrell, state House district 37, Cherokee
- John Pfeiffer, state House district 38, Cherokee
- Brad Boles, state House district 51, Cherokee
- Hurchel “Trey” Caldwell, state House district 63, Cherokee
- Mark Vancuren, state House district 74, Cherokee
- Mike Osburn, state House district 81, Cherokee
- David Hardin, state House district 86, Cherokee
- Shane Jett, state Senate district 17, Cherokee
- Amanda Swope, state House district 71, Muscogee and Osage
There are three non-incumbents:
- Kerri Keck, state House district 26, Cherokee
- Regan Raff, state House district 39, Chickasaw
- Christopher Weir, state House district 4, Cherokee
Earlier this year, Susan Bayro, Osage, ran for Mayor of Pawhuska in a special election and was selected by the other city council members, not by election. She is currently mayor. Her term ends in 2025.
This story will be updated with results.
- Tom Cole, Oklahoma District 4, Chickasaw: WON
- Josh Brecheen, Oklahoma District 2, Choctaw: WON
- Madison Horn, Oklahoma District 5, Cherokee: WON
- Dennis Baker, Oklahoma District 1, Muscogee and Euchee: WON
- Ajay Pittman, state House district 99, Seminole Nation of Oklahoma: WON
- Scott Fetgatter, state House district 16, Choctaw: WON
- Ken Luttrell, state House district 37, Cherokee: WON
- John Pfeiffer, state House district 38, Cherokee: WON
- Brad Boles, state House district 51, Cherokee: WON
- Hurchel “Trey” Caldwell, state House district 63, Cherokee: WON
- Mark Vancuren, state House district 74, Cherokee: WON
- Mike Osburn, state House district 81, Cherokee: WON
- David Hardin, state House district 86, Cherokee: WON
- Shane Jett, state Senate district 17, Cherokee: WON
- Kerri Keck, state House district 26, Cherokee: WON
- Amanda Swope, state House district 71, Muscogee and Osage: WON
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