June 16, 2026 election

early voting dates: June 11 12 (8 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and June 13 (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

NOTE: Many more races have been added and more information! Our voter guide provides our recommendations in Oklahoma elections in which we are familiar. There are some races that we may miss or don’t have the information needed to make a suggestion. We cover Osage County/Tulsa County/Wagoner County areas more extensively, but do our best to cover the major elections in other counties and across the state.

This guide originated as friends asked who we were voting for since they knew we researched the candidates. While this guide has evolved, it still reflects our personal opinions and insights.

OK SQ 832 - $15 Minimum Wage Initiative

Vote No.

This state question is detrimental, especially for lower-income workers. This allows for the minimum wage to get tacked to the minimum wage in NYC and California, which are completely different economies, and allows it to increase without a vote indefinitely. It will ultimately force some businesses to close or to fire part of their employees in order to have to pay the others the mandated rate. This will simply create more unemployment rather than help those it claims it will help.

U.S. SENATOR: -

Kevin Hern R

Hern has been our Oklahoma Representative since 2018 and has won handily ever since.

Nick Hankins R

An out-of-the box thinker with logic and discernment. He has unique ideas and is willing to work to try to implement them and get America back on course with our Constitution and America First principles. Not his first rodeo, but still a big race to enter. But a good choice.

Gary Ty England R

While voters may not recognize his name, he was the bandmate and close friend of Garth Brooks. He says he is for limited government and fully supports the Constitution along with our inherent rights and conservative principles. It appears this is a first run to build name recognition. I tried to get him to come to the area to speak and it never worked out.

Brian Ragain R

Brian has 20 years of experience as a firefighter-paramedic, and a registered nurse. He has some knowledge working in the energy field.

Sean Buckner R

Served in the Air Force through Desert Storm and then once out started his own real estate firm and built a small business into a bigger business. So has experience building something from nothing and leading people. He is a journalist and an advocate for justice.

Troy Green D

Jim Priest D

R.O. Joe Cassity, Jr. D

N’Kiyla Thomas D

Ervin Stone Yen - D

Sevier White L

Curtis Stinnett I

Ron Meinhardt I

Meinhardt is registered as a Republican, but changed to Independent once Hern entered the race. Is that just a strategy to avoid having to face all the candidates in the primary? But registered Republican so he can vote in the primary? He made a comment in a Republican chat that that he was going to vote for Nick Hankins evidently to skew the vote against the front runners.

U.S. HOUSE Dist 1 Our Choice - Jackson Lahmeyer R OK GOP Certified

He has been endorsed by President Trump, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and General Mike Flynn among others. Lahmeyer emerged in 2020 when he ran as an unknown against Senator Lankford. He has been actively involved in issues to stop child trafficking, and stood courageously against the illogical COVID rules from the beginning which brought harm to our economy, small businesses and the ability to just freely live life.

Mark Tedford- R

Has been a member of the House since Tedford missed almost half his votes in the House the last two years! He skipped the GOP-led candidate forum, refusing to face off with his opponents. Wonder what he was afraid of? His inability to show up and choices in the above decisions make his leadership questionable in my opinion. On the OK Grassroots 2025 Scorecard, which evaluated 149 House bills, he only scored a 30.85% for conservative voting. That score was the LOWEST score of all 81 Republicans in the entire state House of Representatives! Worse, 8 of the 20 Democrats in the state House voted more in accordance with the Republican platform than Republican State Representative Mark Tedford.

Of over 930 something bills he was supposed to have voted on during the 2025 and 2026 sessions in the State Legislature, he missed 427! How is that okay? How do you miss almost half of your votes? Well, for one, he took a vacation during one of the February May sessions. Why would you schedule your vacation DURING your session which only lasts 4 months? Then this year, he was on the campaign trail working to get this higher position rather than showing up for work. He wins the award for the most missed votes for 2026. I think he has shown us enough about who he is.

John Croisant D

A current member of the Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education representing District 5. He served as Vice President and later President of the TPS School Education Board under the failed leadership of former Superintendent Deborah Gist who resigned in August 2023. Even during that turmoil, Croisant continued to defend Gist and her failing policies. He clearly has been unable to see when something is failing and action when action needed to see change. That is a huge concern.

Jed Cochran R

Jed served as Northeast Oklahoma Field Representative and District Director for U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe with some varied experience in that position and in 2014 as a senior advisor and then political director for Rep Steve Russell. From 2019 to 2023, he served as Chief of Intergovernmental Relations for Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum for the city of Tulsa. Currently he is a partner and lobbyist for Capitol Ventures Government Relations. Hmmm.

Dan Rooney DROPPED OUT

Nathan Butterfield R

Endorsed by Tulsa Sheriff Vic Regalado.

Kim David R

She is currently the OK Corporation Commissioner. In 2022, 28% of her total campaign donations received were from energy-related PAC/lobbyist money. Really a BAD look for someone supposedly working for the good of Oklahomans. She recently said that she thought Oklahoma was doing everything right concerning data centers and argued they would not increase energy costs for Oklahomans, but statistics show that data centers are raising utility bills by around 30% wherever they go. When asked at a recent meeting about receiving over $100,000 in lobbyist money, David actually said she had no idea where her campaign contributions came from. All the above disqualifies her in my opinion. One of the most disturbing was her lead to table a bill that many citizens had showed up to have heard on the Floor and she pushed that it would be tabled without even being heard. The bill was regarding abortion. Click here to see what happened.

Courtney Gill R

A newbie to the political field, but she did well in the candidate forums. She knew about issues and was able to give solid responses. In my opinion, she is not ready to be elected YET but someone to keep our eye on for the future.

Todd Woods - R

Another one, who with a little more seasoning, could make a good showing in the next

Nancy Dyson R

Lacks discernment into people and issues.

Paul Royse R

Kelly Walsh - R

U.S. HOUSE Dist 2 Our Choice - Josh Brecheen (incumbent) - R

Will Webb R

Erik Terwey D

Brandon Wade D

Ronnie Hopkins I

U.S. HOUSE Dist 3 more next issue

Our Choice - Wade Burleson R

He holds a degree in Business Administration and Finance from East Central University and is the president of Istoria Ministries, a Christian nonprofit and was appointed by Frank Keating to the Higher Education Program Board in 1996. He ran against Lucas before and is now running again. Good job Wade. We need someone who stands for Oklahoma values in this position!

Frank Lucas (incumbent) R

Continues to show who he is as he has voted with Democrats to earmark funding supporting abortion, gender transition procedures on children, DEI activism, and partisan pet projects and also voted often to send money to Ukraine in which we all know there was virtually no oversight of where those millions went.

Jules Roberson D

Roberson identifies herself as an avowed progressive and a Democratic Socialist, advocating for universal healthcare, abolishing ICE, mass amnesty.

Suzie Byrd D

She is a former reporter for the Enid News & Eagle. She launched the “Purple Campaign,”

U.S. HOUSE Dist 4 More in the next issue.

Our Choice - Marcie Everhart R

fresh air in the midst of this district that has been held by Cole for too long.

Take a listen to Everhart: https://bit.ly/RopeReportEverhart

Tom Cole (incumbent) R

He has served in this position since 2003. His claims to be conservative are not holding up when voters would do some research. He has voted with Democrats to earmark funding supporting abortion, gender transition procedures on children, DEI activism, and partisan pet projects. All that money that our federal govt voted to send to Ukraine? You can thank Cole for that as he was for it. Time for his district to vote him out.

Mitchell Jacob D

Jeff Pixley D

Rocco Bonacci - I

U.S. HOUSE Dist 5 Stephanie Bice (incumbent) R

Jena Nelson D

Trey Martin D

Robert P. Henri I

Austin Nieves I

OK GOVERNOR: OUR CHOICE - Mike Mazzei R

But through the last few months, he has definitely shared his detailed plans to reshape the state, lower taxes, and turn our educational system around. His campaign, in my opinion, has been decisive with details, not just promises. However, his initial announcement regarding the Inola smelter for the needed aluminum and jobs it would create didn’t fly well with many of us because it appears he didn’t actually negotiate the deal and created AI commercials as if he negotiated the deal and was buddies with Hillary Clinton. All fake. LOL He did go further into his thoughts regarding the smelter which can be read here.

Jake Merrick - R

Merrick was my first choice initially and a strong fighter for conservative values. I still really like him, but after watching his campaign, I believe it would be in our best interest if he got a little more seasoned in some areas and then run in another 4 or 8 years, depending on who wins in November. I pray that his strong but small group of supporters don’t just split the vote from Mazzei. Some Mazzei supporters were overheard discussing their goal and efforts per social media to keep Merrick in the race to take Mazzei’s votes so Mazzei could be in the runoff. While it appears Merrick has had a surge in the last week, elections are math and he just doesn’t have the numbers expected to split the vote largely because he didn’t have the money to compete in the millionaires club. His creative run across Oklahoma didn’t register with the media and probably would see no different now.

Chip Keating R

And just nothing excited me with him. Plus, his approval of surveillance flock cameras across the state is an issue. When and if he doesn’t see how they are being used against us? It means he either doesn’t have discernment or he is good with the surveillance. Either way it’s not enough to get him across the finish line, because like myself, I had mixed feelings about his dad, as I do with Chip.

Gentner Drummond R

He is certainly the individual with the most money and most business experience of any of the candidates in the race. He is probably one of the strongest leaders, but still not my first choice. As Attorney General didn’t like his stand regarding the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual Charter School. Neither did some of the other Supreme Court members. Justice Alito really took him to task over it. I did like his creation of the Organized Crime Task Force to combat cartels and crime syndicates and his work to clean up the illegal marijuana grows that have peppered our state.

I have been frustrated over issues such as the case against the police officer who threw a 71-year-old man to the ground which resulted in his death, and the fact he was named the Secularist of the Week at one point by The Freedom from Religion Foundation which doesn’t exactly warm my heart. There is still the issue of he/his wife gave to Biden in 2020. And his campaign’s calls for Democrats to change their registration to Republican to vote for him is what has helped create the UniParty issue.

Charles McCall R

During his tenure as Speaker of the House in the Oklahoma Legislature, McCall blocked numerous conservative bills from ever seeing the light of day. As House leader, he green-lit SB 36X, handcuffing then-Superintendent Ryan Walters to the budget of his Democratic predecessor, Joy Hofmeister. No incoming leader should ever be held to the plans/budget of their predecessor. It appeared he simply had a personal agenda there and was hell-bent on using his position to do whatever served his purposes rather than what served the best purposes of Oklahomans. Hardly what we need in someone in the governor’s seat. McCall’s continual claim to be conservative is laughable when looking at his conservative index voter guide and can’t get past the banana.

Cyndi Munson D

She is currently the House Minority Leader and Representative for HD85 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. She has taken over $113,000 in PAC lobbyist money and aren’t we tired of elected officials who are taking lobbyist money for their votes?

Leisa Haynes R

She is a former city manager and Main Street program administrator with experience in local government and community development. She has a lot of spunk to her and has some good ideas. Doesn’t have a chance of winning and not my first choice anyway. But an A for effort.

Kenneth Sturgell R

A very nice guy and obviously a good heart running for the right reasons. I just never got the sense when I listened to him that he had the ability to do the job.

Jennifer Domenico R

Calup Anthony Taylor R

Connie Johnson D

Arya D

Jerry Griffin I

Previously a member of the Tulsa Public School Board of Education from 2020-24 until his resignation. In 2022 he ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Tulsa City Council. Several sites announced he was running for Superintendent of Public Schools in this election, which with his background seems a better fit, but he actually filed for the governor’s race. Haven’t heard much from him since.

Robert E Brooks Sr I

The lack of information on this guy, makes this candidate a laughable choice. He will show up on the general election ballot in November only because he ran as an independent and they have no primary election.

Orlando Bush I

OK LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR:

There is more than one good candidate in this race—

Our Choice Justin (JJ) Humphrey R

He has been serving in the Oklahoma House since 2017. If JJ is elected, we will see this position really become important as the Lieutenant Governor becomes the deciding vote in a tie in the Legislature and would be doing so much more than just marketing the state. It’s been a fluff job. He has been actively going after corruption in our state for the last several years exposing the corruption in DHS and bringing about a change of leadership there. He has been exposing corruption in the district attorney offices across the state and fighting for Oklahomans. The current controlling establishment run by Hilbert in the OK House hate him so much because he can’t be bought. When Humphrey was scheduled to give his farewell speech in the House, they managed to ensure the House camera was not broadcasting his speech to the public! These guys fear him because he has been a fierce advocate for uncovering corruption. We need him.

Darrell Weaver R

Has been serving as a state senator for Oklahoma since 2018. He is former law enforcement as an Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics agent for almost 30 years and has been a small business owner. He would probably be my second choice.

David Ostrowe R

David is Governor Stitt’s Chief Operating Officer for Oklahoma. Not sure that’s a good thing in my book because of my mixed feelings on Gov. Stitt at this stage. He is a Navy vet and has a wealth of business experience and has grown many companies.

T.W. Shannon R

I have always wondered about the hype around T.W. Admittedly he looks good and sounds good, but what has he actually done that is worthwhile for our state in the last 4-5 years? But to hear him talk, you would think he saved Oklahoma with one hand tied behind his back. Let’s remember he did help write the Amicus brief that brought us the McGirt Decision and the division that has come from that. And he was mentored by Tom Cole, who doesn’t hold true conservative values based on his voting record and stance.

When TW filed to run for Lt Gov, it appears he still owed $50,000 from his last campaign that had not been settled. But he recently attended a $40,000/plate fundraiser for JD Vance? Perhaps that money would have been better spent paying back the previous campaign? Recently at a candidate forum, T.W. got mad that one of the candidates was allowed to show up late and so walked out. What we can see from actions like that are immature candidates, who if elected would be immature elected officials representing us. They tell us who they really are and the lack of maturity when they don’t get their way.

Brian Hill R

He has served in the OK House since 2018 in District 47 which includes parts of OKC, Mustang and Tuttle. He created the Oklahoma ONE Plan which includes his strategy to strengthen the economy by investing in infrastructure, expanding workforce development, supporting small businesses, grow tourism, and attract new opportunities creating 10 distinct regional economic hubs to help all 77 counties thrive.

Victor Flores R

I think would be extremely hard for him to do well in this position if elected.

Kelly Forbes D

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Our Choice Jon Echols R

Choosing Echols not because he is a perfect candidate, but a better one than his opponents in my opinion. Of the things I have appreciated is how he helped stop a Senate bill to allow Drivers Licenses for illegals. And he helped fast track a bill that ensured Oklahoma would not be bound by requirements or mandates issued by World Health Organization, but we would remain to determine what is best for the state.

Jeff Starling R

Starling hasn’t shown up for several forums/debates with his opponents. What is he hiding? He obviously doesn’t want to be in a conversation with those he is running against to let the voters do a comparison. His work as a litigator for an organization that worked for Clinton and Obama is a concern as is my frustration which his determination to NOT pursue justice for Oklahomans regarding vaccine-related detriment and mandates. The evidence is overwhelming of the harm for many Oklahomans hospitalized during that time and those in nursing homes where families were blocked from seeing them and sometimes beneficial drugs blocked. Starling doesn’t see this as important. Maybe he should tell that to the families who lost loved ones over it.

Winner will face off with Nick Coffey D in November.

STATE TREASURER Our Choice - Todd Russ (incumbent) R

Todd has done a really good job in this position and there is no reason to fix what isn’t broken.

Cindy Byrd R

I think Cindy did a great job as auditor and taking on some really hard tasks. The last minute move to run for this position after running for months for lt governor, probably lost me.

Kiefer Perry L

SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION Our Choice Dr. James Taylor R

a History and Government teacher, community leader, pastor, he has lived the need for a change. His priorities center on improving academic outcomes, strengthening support for teachers, and building genuine partnerships with parents who wants to focus on teacher shortages, practical legislative solutions, and accountable spending that improves student outcomes. Something we currently don’t have.

2nd choice John Cox R

My concern with Cox, is although I like him overall, his performance as a superintendent in a smaller school district didn’t show anything outstanding in their results. So why should we expect suddenly in a bigger pond he can produce results? I think he could do the job but don’t think necessarily spectacular results.

Toni Hasenbeck R

Has been in the OK House since 2018. Since filing she has made the claim that she is the most conservative representative we have. She did like her Women’s Bill of Rights bill that she authored. However her voting record doesn’t put her as the most conservative representative. Her Conservative Index score is just 62%. When you did down part of the reason when she voted for HB 3379 to prevent state universities from being able to research if a student applying had a criminal background.

Adam Pugh RINO and appears ineligible per a previous ruling.

Has been part of OK Senate since 2016. He co-chaired the Economic and Workforce Committee on the Legislative Joint Committee to determine who would receive state ARPA funds (Pandemic Relief Funds). With his help, $10 million went to the Oklahoma Arts Council where his wife works. THAT kind of stuff is what we want to see quit happening. Also, Pugh shouldn’t be able to run at this time for state Superintendent because compensation for the position was increased during Pugh’s senate term. Meaning if he won, he was essentially voting in a raise for himself. This was prohibited in the case of Fair v. State Election Board (1994) which mirrors the current situation with Senator Pugh. In that case State Senator Mike Fair was prohibited from running mid-term for State Labor Commissioner because compensation for the labor commissioner position had been increased during Fair’s senate term. He terms out of his senate seat in 2028, so this simply looks like he is looking how to stay in politics. Yuck.

Jennettie Marshall D

She has served on the Tulsa School Education Board. She really worked hard for Tulsa families in this position, but too many positions on which I disagree with her.

Robert Franklin R

Debra A. Herlihy R

William E Crozier R

Craig McVay D

LABOR COMMISSIONER will share my reasons in next issue.

Our Choice Kevin West R

Fought for Oklahomans when he and Rep Tom Gann filed a brief asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to overturn $98 million in rate increases for Oklahoma Natural Gas (ONG) well as billions of the utility’s ratepayer-backed bonds. The rates were approved by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) and then commissioner Todd Hiett. Running West’s brief claimed the OCC failed to perform lawful audits of ONG’s bonds in every rate case since the bonds were issued.

Additionally, in December 2025, with Rep. Rick West, R-Heavener, Gann and Kevin West asked the court to overturn a $127 million rate increase and $760 million in winter storm bonds for customers of Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company (OG&E). Now THAT is the kind of action we want to see from our representatives who are standing up for us!

Lisa Janloo R

Her huge support of Otis Moses (D) makes me question why. He has donated to her as well, but politically it doesn’t appear they should be on the same page, but evidently they are.

John Pfeiffer R

Keith Swinton R

Kevin Dawson D

Mike Hall L

INSURANCE COMMISSIONER will share my reasons in next issue.

Our Choice Greta Shuler R

She is self-funded and has the kind of grit we need to bring needed change. Some say she doesn’t have the insurance experience needed. I disagree. She has been in insurance for around 15 years and has been a small business owner for several years as well. So she knows the importance of working for Oklahomans and not the big insurance companies. She also has a pretty ingenious plan on how to lower insurance rates, by working with fire depts to lower homeowners’ fire ratings (ISO ratings) to get response rates down so ratings are lower and insurance rates are lower as well. Something that hasn’t been said.

Bob Sullivan R

Has more of an insurance company backer compared to Quinn and Meredith and has the needed experience to do the job. However, one of his biggest endorsements is from RINO Chris Kannady, who called conservative Republicans in the OK House names. And if Kannady likes Sullivan, it tells us a lot.

Marty Quinn R

The biggest issue with Quinn is that his home is in Arkansas and his insurance license is for Arkansas as well. Evidently, he has been renting a house in Oklahoma to campaign here to see if he could win the seat and then move back to Arkansas. It seems he is the pick of the current insurance commissioner whose opinion I don’t hold in high regard who in my opinion stood firmly with the big insurance companies. That right there makes me think we would have a 2.0 version if Quinn were elected, which would not be good for Oklahomans, but great for insurance companies. No thanks.

Chris Meridith R

By his own admission he has been a lobbyist for State Farm. Need I say more? No way. We need someone fighting for US not the big insurance companies.

Craig MacIntyre D

He has around 30 years experience in many different areas of the insurance business which would be helpful in the position. He says his plan is to lower insurance rates but doesn’t share specifics. He was the only one I heard who shared specifics.

CORPORATION COMMISSIONER Our Choice Justin Hornback R

This guy gets an award for sticking with it as he has run for this office twice before. Maybe the third time is the charm. He has 20 years experience in pipeline welding industry which has included being an inspector and knowledge in regulations, safety, energy generation and transmission pipelines which would all be helpful.

Brad Boles R

He has served in the Oklahoma House for the last 6 or 7 years. His previous experience includes being a mayor and serving as former Chairman of the Board of OK Manufacturing Alliance. His grassroots voting record leaves something to be desired and his support of the Green energy scam voting yes on a law that apparently exempts solar and wind companies from property taxes.

Harold D. Spradling D

Rhonda Eastman D

Donald Anthony Clytus D

Question: Has this information been useful? If so, please consider chipping in $5-$10 or more to help us continue do the research & publish these guides. We exist based on donations. Awake Oklahoma is a 501c4 non-profit. But donations are NOT tax deductible. Help us continue! Donate at: https://bit.ly/DonateAwakeOklahoma

OKLAHOMA LEGISLATORS:

House of Representatives watch for more races and info in the June edition.

HD 6

Our Choice - Amber Ellis R

Rusty Cornwell - R

Eli Richard - R

HD 8

Our Choice Tom Gann R (incumbent)

Tom Gann’s record of service and fight for his constituents speaks for itself. Here is just one example of how he has fought for Oklahomans when he and Rep Kevin West filed a brief asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to overturn $98 million in rate increases for Oklahoma Natural Gas as well as billions of the utility’s ratepayer-backed bonds. The rates were approved by the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) and then commissioner Todd Hiett.

Running Gann’s brief claimed the OCC failed to perform lawful audits of ONG’s bonds in every rate case since the bonds were issued. Gann filed a similar brief asking the Court to overturn $250 million in rate increases and some $700 million in ratepayer-backed bonds that the OCC had approved for Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO).

Additionally, in December 2025, with Rep. Rick West, R-Heavener, Gann and Kevin West asked the court to overturn a $127 million rate increase and $760 million in winter storm bonds for customers of Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company (OG&E). Now THAT is the kind of action we want to see from our representatives who are standing up for us!

Todd Rice

HD 9

Our Choice Scotty Stokes R

Endorsed by Rogers County GOP, Stokes is the director of Rogers County Emergency Management with 30 years experience as a fire captain and paramedic.

Debbie Long R

Her record as Claremore mayor and the recall effort against her by citizens speaks for itself.

Crystal Campbell - R

Winner will face off with Andrea Biscardi D in the general in November.

HD10

Our Choice Jake Bair R

Lives in the Skiatook area and is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering. Said he refuses to take lobbyist money and completely supports the Constitution.

Judd Strom R incumbent

Liberal as a public Ukrainian with a conservative voting record of around 53%. So only a Republican about half the time. LOL.

Cuen Funderburke R

Winner will face off with Isaac Mattox D in November.

HD 11

Our Choice - Wendi Stearman R

Earned a conservative index score of 100% for the past two years.

John Kane R

Could not be as a bad choice but his voting record in areas such as economic development and growing the government not as conservative as Stearman.

HD12

Our Choice Mark Chapman R (incumbent)

More could be said for probably everyone. He is working to get back with his constituents when they call and understand the issues in Wagoner County. That’s a good thing and I believe him to be a good man who wants to do the right thing and is honest.

Sandy Hodges R

Currently the tax assessor for Wagoner County. Why has she not publicized to seniors that they can fill out an application to freeze their property taxes? (You can.) Seems like that would be helpful for citizens. At every meeting where I have heard her campaigning, she states she isn’t the one who determines how much our homes will be taxed. Of course she is. Yes there is software that gives guidelines, but if that is all she is doing is going by what the software says and not actually doing anything else but running software figures, then we can get a secretary to do that. The job is supposed to have EVALUATION based on the property. It’s dishonest to say she isn’t responsible because isn’t SHE the one who sits before the Equalization Board to defend their assessments?

She was formerly the Wagoner County State Committee person. But in that elected position, she missed several State Committee meetings which she had been elected to attend. When that was exposed, she claimed she hadn’t missed a meeting in years. The problem was she was referring to a monthly community meeting and we were talking the meetings she was elected to attend and she knew it. That’s just not honest, and honesty is certainly needed in an elected official. She’s a no.

HD14

Our Choice Roy Timmons R

Chris Sneed

The winner of the election will face off with Jeremiah Gantz D in November.

HD29

Our Choice - Brian Jackson R

This is more about a hard no against Hilbert. Anyone would be better. Vote Brian Jackson!

Kyle Hilbert Incumbent RINO

Hilbert repeatedly used his position as Speaker of the House to block conservative bills that NEEDED to be heard. He flexed his muscles to block bills as political retribution against those who made him mad to prove he could. What a child. Marzipan area dark represents at this point he only represents his own self-serving ideals and oh yeah, the lobbyists. Of ALL the Representatives in the State House he took the most money from lobbyists. Almost $250K. Bought and paid for? Working for Oklahomans or lobbyists? Check it out. https://moganetwork.com/research#chart-house-overview

HD32

Our CHOICE Jim Shaw R (incumbent)

Shaw is one of the strongest leaders and fighters we currently have in the House. He put together the Save Oklahoma Plan and has fought to ensure Oklahoma is protected. Liberal leadership worked to keep his bills from getting hearings on the Floor. His punishment for not going along with them but also proves that he is fighting for us against them!

Jack Vaughn R

HD33

Our Choice Molly Jenkins R

B.J. Roberson R

HD 36

Our Choice Jenni White R

Jenni has been in the fight to expose corruption and get election integrity back into Oklahoma. In fact she was on the Oklahoma County Election Board and got removed for her efforts to expose corruption. Think about that for a moment. She is a researcher who stands for conservative values.

John George

Joe Sarge Nelson

Winner will face off with Leslie Hellebuyck D in November.

HD 36

Our Choice Philip Weiland R

A political newbie, but sure seems like we need someone else in this position after Maka’s report showed his overall conservative voting score in 2025 was just 36%!

John Haste R (incumbent)

His authorship of SQ833, was rejected by Oklahoma voters 61% -38% which would have put infrastructure fees into our property taxes. Anyway you mix it his plan was to give us more taxes and project developers bigger financial breaks. Maka’s report said he believes Spoke’s Weiland simply confuses voters when he voted no. Now get this he did not want more taxes and developers should be paying. Now THAT is getting tax payers should be paying.

In my opinion Haste has done little to help his district.

Winner will face off with Rick Larsen D in November.

HD 38 covering parts of Grant, Garfield, Kay, Logan, and Noble counties.

this race we have two. We like them both. You decide.

Our Choice Brian Hobbs R

2nd time around running for this seat and lots of momentum. He has lots of varied experience. He has been a former mayor of Newkirk, OK. He is the former GOP Chair for Kay County and currently the Congressional District 3 Vice Chair. He is an Army veteran and very active in his local area.

Our 2nd Choice Michael Norman R

Resides in Logan county. He is a former teacher and a small business owner. He is against lobbyist money.

Jim Neal R

He previously ran for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina in 2008 as a Democrat.

Madison Bolay R

Received significant funding from the Oklahoma Conservative Coalition and direct contributions from the Hilliary family, who are linked to broadband grants.

Suzanne Callihan R

Danielle Deterding R

The winner will face off with Doyle Lewis (D) in November.

HD40

Our Choice Chris Banning (incumbent) R

Banning is still relatively new to this seat and so I will give grace in the areas I think he just missed it. But he needs to do better and more consistent with his voting record and his research. But the his opponent below is a hard no.

Casey Sutterfield (Grippando) RINO

She filed under the name Sutterfield, but her legal name is Casey Grippando. Her posts on Facebook under her real name reveal her hobbies include pole dancing, bashing and lying about Charlie Kirk and supporting Hamas and Oct 7 massacre of Israelis. No wonder she has a different name to run under or it is her real name and the other her dance name? If a candidate can’t even be honest in their filing how do we trust anything about them?

HD42

Our Choice Kaity Keith R

Cindy Roe

HD47

Our Choice - Kevin Warnemuende R

Toby Thompson R

Kevin Simon R

Kevan Gentry R

Indigo Oliver D

HD69

Our Choice Angela Strohm R

She has pledged to refuse lobby special interest money. She promotes defending property rights and stopping the forced data centers which have lacked transparency especially in the Tulsa area. She wants to see free turnpikes and is a conservative fighter. She can’t be bribed and is hard worker. She won’t bow to the Establishment and she has remained active in her volunteer work for Oklahoma. She supports pro-life and 2nd amendment among other things.

Carrie DeWeese R

A political outsider, new to this arena and making a good show for her this entry. She is a real estate agent and Chairperson for the National Association of Home Builders Professional Women in Building Council between 2003-2008.

Cody Nichols R

A marine corp veteran and an advocate for increasing limiting govt overreach, for Parental Choice Tax Credit and while increasing teacher compensation. He supports the Second Amendment and pro-life.

Sheila Dills R

She already served in this seat once from 2018 through 2022. Her Freedom Index voting score was 60% during that time. Sheila has all the establishment players behind her, which makes her not my choice as I want someone who will consistently vote conservative, not as told and not a puppet.

HD 86

Our Choice David Hardin R (incumbent)

David has done a great job, quick to respond and has fought for his constituents. No need for a change here.

Ryan Martin

HD98-

Our Choice Gabe Woolley R (incumbent)

Gabe has proven to be a fierce advocate for justice and for the people of Oklahoma. He actually talks/listens to the needs of his constituents and researches, researches, researches.

Dean Davis

With MiOSS and questionable behavior toward law enforcement revealing an entitlement attitude when he was previously in this position, there is nothing that should change in his thought process and probably would see no different now. He didn’t even bother to campaign until two weeks before the election. Can we say lazy? We have a really great representative (Gabe Woolley) in HD98 so why would revert to the previous?

Question: Has this information been useful? If so, please consider chipping in $5-$10 or more to help us continue do the research & publish these guides. We exist based on donations. Awake Oklahoma is a 501c4 non-profit. But donations are NOT tax deductible. Help us continue! Donate at: https://bit.ly/DonateAwakeOklahoma

State Senators

SD2 -

Our Choice Payton Pepin R

This is as much a choice of NO WAY for Seifried as it is a thumbs up for Pepin. He has vowed to not accept lobbyist money and will fight the green energy scam but instead promote real energy sovereignty.

Ally Seifried R (RINO)

Seifried is bad news all the way around. She claims to be a Trump conservative, but the number of hard-core Trump-hating Democrats that donate to her seems to negate that claim. Plus, her vote to continue to give SNAP benefits to illegals when our ability for SNAP benefits is already compromised in the state, makes her a no. Her conservative voting record is 37% and has taken over $130,000 in PAC money which tells the story about who she really is.

The winner of the above race will face Winner will face off with Randy Cowling D in the general election.

SD4

Our Choice Kenny Smith R

Kenny has the heart of someone who wants integrity and a fighter working for them. You need someone who will not only show up but has been doing good work and full of integrity. That is Smith.

Tom Woods - R

He joined the Air National Guard six months AFTER being elected and went to Japan and Virginia being “deployed.” Why? If he was elected to do a job, why would you do that there? How could he be there to do the job? That was not a good decision because he was elected to represent his constituents, but then he isn’t there half the time. When he was, it was pretty worthless. He voted to increase utility bills for utility projects yet to be built! (SB998) He voted yes for wind turbines to be able to be built ¼ mile from your front door (SB2). He voted yes to allow international corporations to lobby for your tax dollars to fund their corporations as long as they register with the OK Sec of State. (HB 2762) What??? And also voted to increase the spending budget in Oklahoma by $200 million (SB1177). He definitely needs to go!

The winner will face Ellen Cuff D in the general election.

SD10 Osage, Kay and Tulsa

Our Choice - Jadan Terrazas - R

Conservative Christian and Constitutionalist. He is pro small govt and wants to work to see lower taxes. He has made a pledge that he will not take lobbyist money. Gone be bought out by dark money like the candidate he is running against. He doesn’t support the smelter and defends land owner rights.

Bill Coleman R Incumbent HORRIBLE

This guy needs to go. He voted yes on a bill that would give drivers licenses to illegal immigrants which would have rewarded illegal border-crossers with official state identification, with all of its implications such as potentially giving drug cartels and human-smugglers easier access to banking and financial systems. Instead of protecting our borders, Coleman helped advance the agenda of those who violate our laws. He wrote the bill (SB1620) for license-plate scanners that would unleash a surveillance state and Orwellian mass-tracking technology across Oklahoma! Fortunately, only a handful of senators voted with him! Last he voted for a bill that forced social workers (including those serving our schools) to embrace progressive “gender-affirming ideology”. If a social worker chose to provide counseling consistent with biblical teaching on sexuality, they could be branded as “unethical” and the state could potentially censure them or even yank their license to practice.

SD12

Our Choice - Craig Stump R

Endorsed by OK2A supporting the 2nd Amendment and OKGOP Certified. Formerly a deputy for Greer County sheriff’s dept and worked for American Airlines for over 30 years. He stands against the Green energy scam and taking on Gollihare because thank God someone needed to.

Todd Gollihare

He coauthored and voted yes for bill to increase your electricity bills to pay for utility companies projects that are YET TO BE BUILT. There is no end/termination date with it. Voted for 700 foot wind turbines to be allowed to be built a quarter mile from homes. Voted for solar companies to have 50 years leases on CLO (commissioners of the land office) land while the cattle industry only allowed five year leases! Mad yet?

Winner will face off with Erika Watkins D- in November

SD26

Our Choice Brady Butler R

Rich Koch - R

Jessica Winegeart R

SD 28

Our Choice Robert Trimble R

Grant Green - R

Absolutely not! He was behind SB224 for a work for efficient and sufficient solution. Sounds great EXCEPT what it really did was create a way to collect data on all public school kids and it could then be shared with 3rd party entities.

SD32

Our Choice Dusty Deevers R

Jean Hausheer

Curtis Erwin

SD34

Our choice would be either Prieto or Taylor.

Sen. Dana Prieto R incumbent

Pros and cons with Prieto. His freshman year less than stellar in my opinion, he was listening to many of the wrong people and making many poor votes. His voting record his sophomore year has been much better if you are looking for a conservative candidate. His work to expose the corruption in DHS along with Rep. JJ Humphrey, on the other hand was awesome. He took a lot of flack over it, but kept pushing through. The result was the director had to step down thanks Sen. Prieto for that!

Kent Taylor R

Recorded as having good integrity of these other three candidates and so can only go by what they say or what we can find. However, that being said, I like Taylor a lot. He is a business professional and former executive at Helmerich and Payne with 30 years in finance and international business management. He has negotiated multi-million dollar contracts with his work in Venezuela for example and says he can’t be bribed if elected because they tried in Venezuela plenty of times.

Aaron Forst R

Ran as a Democrat for the House around eight years ago. Now running as a Republican. Doesn’t seem to have changed his stance much. I definitely like Taylor or Prieto better from what I’ve heard.

Brent Driskill - R

Most likely there will be a runoff in August and then the winner of that race will go to the general election where they will face:

Amy Hossain D

SD42

Our Choice - Melana Bracht R

Brenda Stanley - R

GARFIELD COUNTY:

County Commissioner Dist 3

OUR CHOICE NeAnne Clinton R

Clinton actually helped Maly get elected and is now running against him. She has been a fierce defender researching and protecting citizens not only in Garfield but other counties regarding the issues of the solar farms popping up and how many have negatively impacted our communities and why. She is a Yes. Yes. And Yes. Garfield you need NeAnne in this position to fight for you and protect your county!

Clarence Maly - R

Removed the right for citizens to speak at meetings to silence any opposition. Admitted to signing contracts without reading them first! He signed for the transmission lines Cimarron Link with inventory.

KAY COUNTY

District 8 Office 1 - Judge

OUR CHOICE Scott Loftis

Once he announced his conservative leaning, one of his opponents went calling him a bigot because he said ideology absolutely matters. Because they absolutely matter. Loftis is a good man, a man of integrity who can be trusted. I believe he is the best choice for Dist 8.

Rob Davis

Lee Turner

NOBLE COUNTY

Distict 8 Judge

OUR CHOICE Scott Loftis

Once he announced his conservative leaning, one of his opponents went calling him a bigot because he said ideology absolutely matters. Because they absolutely matter. Loftis is a good man, a man of integrity who can be trusted. I believe he is the best choice for Dist 8.

Rob Davis

Lee Turner

OKLAHOMA COUNTY:

Oklahoma County Assessor

Our Choice - Larry Stein R - incumbent

He boldly called out the $1 million arrow in Oklahoma County clerk’s office. I know saying he is a great choice but you have only the three candidates and he is by far a better choice than the other two. Gibbons past issues, would make me stay with Stein.

John Gibbons D

He has not held an elected position but ran for HD88 in 2014 where he was defeated in the primary. Perhaps because he was hit with a DUI from a 2012 arrest when suspects were not charged at the time because highway patrol troopers failed to turn in paperwork to prosecutors. Seems rather convenient that it was unfound during the guy’s campaign in 2014. Nevertheless that is an issue and we don’t need another elected official with an alcohol problem. We already have enough of that in our current Oklahoma legislature of drinking on the job. Why add to it?

Ferlin Kearns R - Horrible

The Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce endorsed Kearns despite his previous criminal record and lack of paying taxes in previous years. What it looks like is the good old boy system at work simply in place. He appears on personal experience with him to be a puppet who does no research or verification before he opens his mouth to make statements or cast a vote. Probably why the Chamber likes him. If you want transparency and accountability Kearns is NOT your guy.

OSAGE COUNTY

SD10 Osage, Kay and Tulsa

Our Choice - Jadan Terrazas

Conservative Christian and Constitutionalist. He is pro small govt and wants to work to see lower taxes. He has made a pledge that he will not take lobbyist money. Won’t be bought out by dark money like the candidate he is running against. He doesn’t support the smelter and defends land owner rights.

Bill Coleman R Incumbent - HORRIBLE

USQHKLb5ggvHCMKMmgPMCgv5MCM5cg1LCCfQcgCMK.)5Cd3-)SM$)v.QPg.H-Qcg5HgHCM illegal immigrants which would have rewarded illegal border-crossers with official state identification, with all of its implications such as potentially giving drug cartels and human-smugglers easier access to banking and financial systems. Instead of protecting our borders, Coleman helped advance the agenda of those who violate our laws. He wrote the bill (SB1620) for license-plate scanners that would unleash a surveillance state and Orwellian mass-tracking technology across Oklahoma! Fortunately, only a handful of senators voted with him! Last he voted for a bill that forced social workers (including those serving our schools) to embrace progressive “gender-affirming ideology”. If a social worker chose to provide counseling consistent with biblical teaching on sexuality, they could be branded as “unethical” and the state could potentially censure them or even yank their license to practice.

County Commissioner Dist 3

Our Choice Chad Ray R

Ran against Cartwright in 2022, but lost. He is now the only living candidate running in this race with the passing of incumbent Charlie Cartwright. This should be an easy choice, except Cartwright is on the ballot as he passed away after ballots were printed and someone is still putting out signs for him. Don’t waste your vote.

DEAD Charlie Cartwright R

Cartwright passed away May 11, but is still be on the ballot. Obviously can’t take office. Condolences to his family.

County Treasurer

Our Choice - Bridget West R

She is currently the 1st Deputy to the current Treasurer with over 4 years experience, and ten years experience in banking including time handling county business.

Shawna Myers R

Was elected to office of Osage County GOP Chairman in June 2023 and removed just over a year later after the County Committee lost confidence her ability to lead. She made 10 Amazon & TEMU purchases with Osage County GOP funds between the time of notification of meeting to remove (6/28/24) and 2 weeks after her removal (9/5/24). After 7 months retaining the remaining GOP funds, she returned $2471.63, short $450.33 with no treasurer reports, bank statements, few receipts and no leftover merchandise. Not a good track record for someone running for the position of treasurer.

ROGERS COUNTY

Rogers County Commissioner, Dist 1

Our Choice - Lane Brown R

Lane is young, but a fireball. He has been actively working and fighting for Rogers County and has consistently stood up against the data center and the nefarious actions of the Claremore crew trying to implement it and silence citizens who are speaking out against it. One thing is for sure Lane isn’t one to be silenced and will fight hard for what he believes in.

Duane Beawer R

Darren Andrews - R

Teddy Noland - R

Kenny Breshears R

Endorsed by the incumbent who supported the green energy scam and data centers. This shows a complete lack of discernment about what is really happening and the lack of transparency and alignment with Beale Infrastructure (which in the Coweta data center was proven they sent out fraudulent emails as if residents supporting the data center!) They are the same ones behind the Claremore data center. Good luck with that.

TULSA COUNTY

For additional information and rankings you can go to: https://bit.ly/TulsaCountyCandidates

Treasurer:

Our choice Brandon Shreffler R

Endorsed by Dr. Everett Piper who can also see we need fresh blood in this position. Shreffler is a political outsider with both the education and experience to do this job. He also is not a part of the good old boy network. He has grit and hard work. He has a Bachelor’s in Finance and MBA along with plenty of experience over the last 20 years in the private sector. He has already been doing research to protect Tulsa’s money and wants to know where that money is going! He would be a great fit for this position.

John M. Fothergill R (RINO) - Incumbent

Did you know he was the only vote against a pay raise for Tulsa County deputies? No I guess he didn’t think putting their lives on the line every day deserved more money, and yet it appears that HE has received a pay raise every year for the last 3 years or so. Like big pay raises. So pushing a pencil is more important than our deputies? Also, why not call and ask him where the excess money goes from your house auctions after the debt is paid. Also, as a treasurer, he seems really good at spending taxpayer dollars. For example, he paid $205,196 for a countertop renovation for his office. Must have been some kind of amazing granite? And also there needs to be an investigation of over $2 million in software and professional services over the past four years paid for from what are extremely generic, vague invoices. Is there any oversight happening? This guy needs to go. Vote for Shreffler!

County Commissioner, Dist 1

Our Choice Idris Shelby R

He has only been on my radar for a short time, but I like what I have seen. He was in the US Air Force for 11 years and is now a healthcare and business professional with more than a decade of leadership experience. He holds multiple degrees, including an MBA in Healthcare and Administration and doctoral work in Christian education and leadership from Liberty University. This guy doesn’t carry baggage like his opponent does! Really anyone would be better than Sallee after he sold Tulsa down the river.

Stan Sallee Incumbent R

Who is Stan Sallee? Someone lacking discernment. He was the county commissioner who opened the door for Project Clydesdale data center in Tulsa working closely with Beale which we now know of their nefarious actions in Coweta (Project Anthem) creating fake emails from residents saying they were behind the data center to try to get it approved. He signed the NDA that started this mess and has continued to advocate for Beale ever since. His staunch support of Karen Keith (D) for mayor after the coverup of the Tulsa Juvenile Center debacle is another red flag. Then he appointed her to INCOG where he just happens to be the Chair. Those two are just linked at the hip. Voters already said they didn’t want her but he was determined to keep giving her some voice and voting power. We’ve seen enough of the damage to Tulsa.

Tulsa County District Attorney

Originally, I was not going to make a state this race, but the antics by the Kunzweiler team and the lack of truth from the Tulsa DA’s campaign, made it imperative that I make a choice.

OUR Choice Colleen McCarty R

She is the founder of Oklahoma Appleseed, an organization which she built here to advocate for justice. She has been running a team of lawyers through that organization she has built. Her HC are mostly liberal ideological more of a personal preference. But as I weigh the two candidates in the balance, I determined I would rather have a fighter willing to actually prosecute the bad guys and work to stomp out injustice than what we currently have in the position. McCarty has relentlessly fought to uncover the truth and protect the kids from the abuses exposed at the Tulsa Juvenile Center where her opponent, who SHOULD have been fighting for the kids, apparently was working to shut down that investigation. I experienced that personally when he tried to block an attempt by citizens to gather signatures to impanel a grand jury. A grand jury that ultimately could have investigated HIS office.

People may argue that McCarty doesn’t have the prosecutorial experience. Kunzweiler does. But what good is the experience when he doesn’t use it to prosecute but to make plea deals?

Questions about where Colleen stands? Seen the ugly memes? Click here for her responses: https://mccartyforda.com/thetruth/

Steve Kunzweiler R (Incumbent)

His constant claim that he is the only true conservative in the race and that I know a good prosecutor are completely false statements in my opinion. I’ve continually heard people complain that McCarty is a liberal and a gem of a Democrat. I started to investigate her months ago after some trusted, very conservative Republican legislators reached out to me and said she needed to be the next DA because of her strong stand for justice and going against injustice. It started me on a journey of investigation into both candidates.

One of my personal experiences with Kunzweiler was how he tried to intimidate a group of women at a meeting so they couldn’t sign the petition to impanel a grand jury regarding the Tulsa Juvenile Center. He told us it was a felony to sign the petition. I believe in a court of law that would be called obstruction of justice? In the meeting that day, after he warned the crowd about being careful about signing the petition, only four were brave enough to sign it out of about 60-70 who were there. Several told us they were too afraid of getting arrested if they did. Click here to hear the recording. He showed up at another club and did the same thing there.

The petition fell short of the needed signatures. I wonder why? That is indefensible.

Kunzweiler’s history shows he prefers plea deals to prosecution as you look at the Elliott Binney case.

In the recent, and much publicized case, Binney, who had four previous DUI incidences already had his lawyer, Allen Smallwood, working on a plea deal with Kunzweiler’s office. Then the 5th instance occurred. Binney, whose wife admitted he was drinking at the time, ran from the scene where his teen daughter died. According to a Rethink Reporter filing, Binney’s lawyer gave a $1000 donation to the Kunzweiler campaign. Later the DA’s office made a deal for Binney to receive a reduced sentence. Kunzweiler defended his actions during a public meeting claiming there was no public evidence Binney was drinking. However Binney’s own wife said he was drinking at the time of the accident, which was reported several places. Is Kunzweiler losing his memory? Or just not paying attention when he made statement? You have to wonder, but neither works for someone in this position. I have had numerous friends tell me of their frustration with the DA’s office where they feel they have been denied justice and their day in court. Add to that his attempts to try to prevent people from signing the petition for the grand jury which an investigation into the Tulsa Juvenile Center abuse and rapes would ultimately investigate his office as to why it took years for anything to happen. It was McCarty’s Oklahoma Appleseed group that launched into that investigation helping bring it to light NOT Kunzweiler.

Is Tulsa a safer place to live under Kunzweiler? Can Tulsans be assured they will receive justice after looking at his track record? I think Tulsans deserve better. Gotham City needs to go.

This race is so highly contested in my opinion because McCarty’s run for this office has been shining a light on how bad Tulsa County has become.

District 14 Judges (Tulsa county area)

Office 1:

Our Choice Caroline Wall

Tom Sawyer

Office 4:

Our Choice Phillip Peak

Received the District 12 Prosecutor of the Year award in 2024

Dustin Allen

I have concerns about some who endorsed him. Looks to be very tied into the system while Tulsans want justice not just the system.

Absolutely NOT - Loretta Radford

Judge Radford has repeatedly disparaged Republicans on her social media posts. Judges have to at least appear neutral for citizens to feel they have hope for justice within the courtroom. For obvious obvious disdain for Republicans raises the legitimate question for Republicans whether she could do that or not.

WAGONER COUNTY

County Commissioner Dist 1

James Hanning R - incumbent

Hanning has been the District 1 County Commissioner since 2011 when he ran for office out of frustration that roads were not getting repaired. So he ran, won and started working on the roads. I have toured the facility compared to the other districts and found a depth of organization and planning that I didn’t expect and the preparation and purchase of equipment that has helped keep District 1 prepared. He voted AGAINST the solar farms trying to invade our county and he REFUSED to sign the NDA he was pressured to sign regarding the data center they tried to bring into Coweta. He has been relentlessly attacked by some who want his seat and who seem willing to resort to any tactics to get it. I think Hanning has done a good job overall and certainly has run Dist 1 with more organization than Dist 3.

Terry Oard R

Terry was a state trooper for 20 years and then a successful small business owner. He decided to run after multiple frustrations and inconsistent answers in trying to file for a building permit from the planning commission. What should have been a relatively easy task wasn’t at all and he got the run around and couldn’t get the same answers twice on city/county requirements. Roads in his area are another reason he is running including one particular area, which is a high-risk stop where there have already been two fatalities. Terry already has some experience in the areas needed to do the job. He is running to get some things done where he feels they are not getting done.

Josh Stenros R a horrible choice

His job background doesn’t equate to experience for this office. He has none. We have had lots of personal experience with this man where he has proven to be a bully and quite willing to make outrageous claims in order to advance or achieve his agenda. The only good news about his running for office is that it has kept his mouth in check from his typical verbal assaults since he knows people are watching him through this campaign. When he loses, God help us all, for the probable return to his typical bullying behavior. He would be a disaster in any elected position. The dark money behind him is more testimony of who he is. James says No guys.

County Commissioner Dist 3

This race is a tough call because honestly these are some good men, each with unique experience that will be helpful for this position.

David Greeno - R

Was a city councilor in Porter for 10 years and asst. mayor for 4 years and then the mayor of Porter for 4 additional years. He has the most experience working with city and county government and budgets along with his experience with road construction and infrastructure needs. He courageously challenged the Election Board over Patrick Sampson’s candidacy when he claimed residency in Dist 3 to qualify to run when all indications have shown Sampson could not be living where he claimed.

Johnny Walker - R

Has worked for the railroad for years and has benefited from learning about new technology available that is equally applicable to road construction. This knowledge can save time and money and he believes will provide better quality than the present technologies in use. He has extensive experience in working with the tribal grants, not just government grants, helping us to utilize money already available that we are not yet taking advantage of.

Donnie Yocham R

Has lived in Wagoner County since he was 11 years old. He has owned and managed his own business for 26 years which includes building roads, driveways, house pads, and providing water drainage that works. This experience would be helpful as we have issues where some new housing additions being built are causing issues for neighboring additions because the water drainage was properly handled.

A small business owner. Definitely sees the need to work on roads and infrastructure, but also build more needed industry and provide better checks and balances regarding emergency management.

Dennis McCollough R

Many years experience working with the NRCS of Wild Life Conservation and Wetland Development writing grants across the state overseeing millions of acres. The agency doesn’t get any tax dollars and they have had to learn to leverage the money from hunting and fishing licenses to cover their budget bringing in $3-$4/dollars for every dollar in license purchases. That’s a skill set we can use! He wants to make sure money is being spent correctly with more accountability and transparency which actually every candidate referred to that need. My only complaint is McCollough didn’t show up for candidate forums to talk in group discussions.

Patrick Sampson R NO! OUTSIDE DISTRICT 3.

He was a former Wagoner City Councilor who said he moved to Coweta (Dist 3) to run for this position. However, he continued to serve as a Wagoner City Councilor until August or September, even though he states he moved prior to that. How can you serve in an area you don’t live in? So was he living in Coweta, but still serving as a Wagoner City Councilor? Which means he was still living in Wagoner and claiming to live in Coweta so he could file to run as the Dist 3 Commissioner?

A dispute was filed and brought before the Wagoner County Election Board, who overruled the complaint questioning his Coweta address stating Sampson could run. My own investigation revealed the house, which Sampson claimed to live in to qualify, was up for The Shriffs Auction on June. The election is June 16. So even if Sampson had been living in that house his deed to the house to others who was supposed to be living in the house according to the probate judge. Plus, the auction was BEFORE the election. Evidently the winning bidder never paid the 10% due the day of the sale it wasn’t Sampson which means the house goes back up for auction. But what is clear, is that Sampson ISN’T living in the house he said he was to qualify to run in the district. The Wagoner County Election Board should have disqualified him according to the rules. They didn’t and so he is on the ballot. My encouragement is Don’t throw away your vote. I have no doubt if by chance Sampson did win, this will be challenged in court. In fact, there is already a police investigation filed on him for multiple issues. Bottom line is Sampson hasn’t been honest, not to mention, he is the least qualified of the five anyway.

WASHINGTON COUNTY

HD 11

Our Choice - Wendi Stearman R

Earned a conservative index score of 100% for the past two years.

John Kane R

Wouldn’t be as a bad choice but his voting record in areas such as economic development and growing the government not as conservative as Stearman.

Has this Voter Guide helped you? Let a friend know how to sign up.

Sign up at AwakeOklahoma.com to make sure you always receive them in your inbox.

Has this information been useful? If so, please consider chipping in $5-$10 or more to help us continue do the research & publish these guides. We exist based on donations. Awake Oklahoma is a 501c4 non-profit. But donations are NOT tax deductible. Help us continue! Donate at: https://bit.ly/DonateAwakeOklahoma

Click here and then insert your address for information on the races in your area.

Please don’t forget to vote June 16!

Voter Guide
AwakeOklahoma.com + Grassroots.Today

• In today’s political environment, who are the sovereigns: The People, political action committees or lobbyists?

• Does dark money influence an elected official’s vote?

• Oklahoma State Senator Bill Coleman, a case study.

• Examine who pays for the campaign advertisement.

Sovereign: One that exercises supreme, permanent authority, especially in a nation or other governmental unit. — from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

“Whoever has the gold makes the rules” — an often-quoted expression, meaning that those with wealth, power, or resources control the decisions and set the standards.

“In free governments, the rulers are the servants and the people are their superiors and sovereigns.” — Benjamin Franklin.

Super PACs, PACs and Lobbyists: The Political Money Machine Everyone Complains About and Politicians Won’t Unplug

If you have followed politics for any time, you have heard “Super PAC” used as a curse word — an excuse and sometimes a business model.

In Oklahoma, with an 80% Republican majority, Super PACs, PACs and lobbyists support incumbents that vote for their agenda and punish those that oppose their agenda which results in bigger government, less accountability, financial tax favor (corporate welfare), or protection from regulation for them and restrictions for smaller companies. This typically results in less freedom, more taxes or/and larger government. One certainty, political favor is for the high tower crowd or powerfully connected. These offerings favor large corporations, associations, unions, NGOs and special interests. To assure victory for the allied incumbent and, when there is a true conservative opponent, rest assured dark money will find its way into the campaign.

Super PACs, PACs and lobbyists are not just an ugly feature of modern politics. They are one of the cleanest ways for people and entities with money to deceive the voter with false claims. Too many voters derive their opinions from mailers, texts, billboards, or emails and never come in contact with the established office holder. The typical voter is too busy with work and family to dig into the voting records of these elected officials.

Let’s Look at Examples of Super PAC’s Tools

• Candidate gets flattened by attack ads? Super PACs.

• Insiders get resources dedicated and support for their campaign? Super PACs.

• Millionaire dumps cash into a race? Super PACs.

• Party insiders prop up some polished empty suit or lackey for the establishment. Yes, Super PACs again.

Everybody complains about them. Almost nobody in power wants to get rid of them.

That tells you something.

Let’s not be naïve. Democrats do it. Republicans do it. In Oklahoma, 80% of our state legislators are Republican, but very few conservative bills are heard in committee or on the floor. Why? Because dark money has an advantage. These money groups who live in the shadows of reporting donors, leverage these funds to defeat conservatives and quell the voices of the elected officials that represent those principles, the grassroots voter, “We the People”. The “trans-republicans” have used these tools to purge true conservative legislators.

An Example from The New York Times

“Republican Purges and Feuds in Oklahoma Show the Pitfalls of One-Party Rule” — The New York Times, by Campbell Robertson (Nov. 2, 2018)

The 2018 fight inside the Oklahoma House was largely a clash between House leadership and a bloc of very conservative Republicans often called the “Platform Caucus.” These legislators based their votes on the Oklahoma State Republican Party Platform, which was developed by the grassroots of the Republican Party.

According to the Associated Press, Oklahoma Representative Chris Kannady openly acknowledged helping organize an effort against some members of his own party after disputes over the 2018 tax package that funded teacher pay raises. One of the largest tax increases in Oklahoma history. Campaign finance records showed he contributed to challengers running against certain incumbents, and he described a broad coalition that wanted to remove members viewed as obstructing the caucus or leadership’s direction.

The reporting specifically identified several conservatives who lost after being targeted by challengers and outside spending.

The New York Times reported that of the 19 House Republicans who voted against the tax package, only four remained in the general election after retirements, term limits, and primary defeats. It described the effort as a “housecleaning” operation and identified Kannady as the “ringleader” of what he called “the Project.”

The tax increase challenged House leadership. House leaders and allied Republicans argued that the caucus could not govern effectively with members who consistently opposed leadership priorities.

Outside Money

A major part of the controversy involved the Virginia-based Conservative Alliance PAC, which reportedly spent roughly $750,000 on mailers, radio ads, and other attacks against several of the same conservative incumbents. Questions about who funded the PAC became a significant issue because the organization did not disclose individual donors.

The Quote That Drew the Most Attention

The New York Times article quoted Kannady saying:

“Once you cut out the cancer that was attacking us…” — Rep. Chris Kannady

That quote became one of the most frequently cited lines from the controversy.

Political Impact

The result was a noticeably more leadership-aligned House Republican caucus going into the 2019 session. Supporters argued it made the caucus more governable and less internally divided. Critics argued it weakened the conservative wing of the House and demonstrated the length and span of dirty tricks of leadership-backed dark money in Republican primaries.

The Republican House is still suffering the repercussions of that coup, with an autocratic liberal leadership with its members falling in line to their dictates, political pressures or even bifurcation.

After the Super PACs bombard the voter with their guys’ exaggerated or false achievements or blast the challenger with attack ads, then the candidate can sweep in with their Madison Avenue glossies full of self-aggrandizing fluff. What an effective one-two punch to elevate the establishment candidate and bury the grassroots challenger.

Most Americans hear the phrase and never get a straight answer on what a Super PAC actually is. That confusion is not an accident. Confused, misguided and misinformed voters are easier to manage, which is the intent of the disinformation and false claims promoted to the voter.

So Here Is the Plain-English Version

A Super PAC is an independent expenditure-only political committee. According to the Federal Election Commission, it can raise unlimited money from individuals, corporations, labor unions, and other political committees. The tradeoff, supposedly, is that it cannot give directly to a candidate and cannot legally coordinate with a candidate’s campaign or a political party. Unlimited money, but “independent” spending only.

That is the theory, anyway.

In practice, it means a candidate cannot take $100,000 or more given straight into the campaign account, but an allied outside group can vacuum up that same money, turn it into ads, mailers, digital warfare, opposition research, and enough manufactured momentum to make a weak or sell-out legislator look like “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” In our case Oklahoma City. These campaign ads give the impression that their guy is the next Thomas Jefferson, but in reality, they govern more like Bernie Sanders, selling our country down the toilet for position and power.

And there it is, the loophole-shaped canyon at the center of modern American politics.

Free Speech or Political Manipulation?

Supporters call this free speech. Critics call it legalized influence peddling dressed up in constitutional language. One thing is for sure, the voter and individual donor is at a disadvantage, the playing field is rigged, and not toward the hard-working family trying to make ends meet.

The legal theory behind Super PACs is that independent spending is different from direct giving. In other words, if a billionaire funds a group that spends millions to help a candidate, that is treated differently than simply handing the candidate the money himself.

Normal voters are expected to nod solemnly and pretend that distinction makes this feel clean.

It does not.

This is where people start rolling their eyes, and rightly so. If a campaign operative leaves a candidate’s team on Friday, lands at a Super PAC on Monday, and starts pushing the same message with better lighting and a larger budget, voters are supposed to believe it is all gloriously independent because the paperwork was filed correctly.

Surrrre!

And if you believe that, I have a bipartisan reform package to sell you.

To be fair, the legal line is real. The FEC defines an independent expenditure as spending that expressly advocates for the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate and is not made in consultation, cooperation, or at the request or suggestion of the candidate, campaign, or party. If that independence disappears, the spending can be treated as coordinated communication, and that triggers a different set of rules. So no, this is not technically a no-rules free-for-all.

But let’s not pretend the existence of rules means the system is honest.

Super PACs matter because money does not guarantee victory, but it absolutely buys dominance. It buys airtime. It buys digital saturation. It buys mailboxes, phone screens, consultants, polling, research, and enough repetition to pound a message into the public mind until people mistake volume for truth.

The system is rigged by our election laws and regulations, penalizing the citizen with different rules than these created entities.

Super PACs are a weapon. And like most weapons in American politics, they usually end up in the hands of the people with the deepest pockets, the slipperiest lawyers, and the least amount of shame.

Another Oklahoma Case Study: Senate District 10

There have been 20 mailers for Bill Coleman mailed in the last 3 months, seven authorized by the Coleman Campaign and 13 by non-campaign organizations, Super PACs, PACs and Lobbyists. Here is a brief description of those.

Blueprint for Oklahoma’s Future is a Super PAC and has sent out 5 mailers on Coleman’s behalf. Each mailer, depending on the number of mailers sent, can cost between $4,000 to $7,000. You do the math.

When you visit Blueprint’s website, it tells you little about who they are or what they advocate. This out-of-state organization directs you to two different addresses, both in Tulsa. Address one is a P.O. Box at a UPS store on 71st and Yale. The second address does not exist. The second address stated as an office suite is, in reality, a residence located there which faces an adjacent street. Why would Senator Coleman allow this deception? The campaign rules are rigged to the benefit of the establishment that carries the water for their overlords.

Bill Coleman is the 2nd highest recipient of gifts in the legislature.

Let’s Examine a Few of Bill Coleman’s Votes

SB 1591 — Giving Illegal Alien Invaders an Official Oklahoma ID

Not just once, but twice, Bill Coleman voted to grant Oklahoma driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants — a plan pushed by a liberal immigration lawyer from south Oklahoma City. That vote would reward illegal border-crossers with official state identification, with all of its implications such as potentially giving drug cartels and human-smugglers easier access to banking and financial systems. Instead of protecting our borders, Coleman helped advance the agenda of those who violate our laws. SB1591 (2022)

SB 1620 — Coleman Authored a Dangerous Expansion of the Surveillance State

Bill Coleman didn’t just vote for license-plate scanners — he wrote the bill that would unleash Orwellian mass-tracking technology across Oklahoma. These systems are handed out through questionable, sole-source contracts, come with known cyber-security risks, and are ripe for abuse. Even worse, their unconstitutional deployment could lead to overturned convictions, harming public safety and re-victimizing Oklahoma crime victims. And while law-abiding citizens get monitored in real time, these systems often exempt immigration enforcement, letting those who crossed our border illegally avoid accountability while tracking citizens who are playing by the rules. Fortunately, only 13 Senators voted for Coleman’s bill and it was defeated by a large margin. SB1620 (2024)

SB 670 — Coleman Voted to Mandate Government-Designed Mental-Health Screenings on Every Oklahoman

SB670 forces doctors and nurses to administer a state-approved psychological test to every patient — including your children — just to see a primary-care provider. If a provider refuses, they can be punished. This law empowers unelected medical boards to define mental health ideology for the entire state and gather private data on every Oklahoman who seeks care. SB670 (2025)

SB 623 — Silencing Christian Counselors from Giving Biblical Counsel

Coleman voted for SB 623. It was sponsored by a liberal Democrat from Tulsa and would align Oklahoma social-worker licensing standards with national woke activist groups. If a Christian social worker — including those serving in our schools — refused to embrace progressive “gender-affirming” ideology or provided counseling consistent with biblical teaching on sexuality, these liberal organizations could brand them “unethical” and the state could censure them or even yank their license to practice, basically putting them out of a job. Fortunately, though Coleman and the Senate passed the bill, the House didn’t approve it, but it was too close of a call for comfort. This was something that one would expect in Soviet Russia, not the United States of America. SB623 (2019)

HB 2147 — Allowing City Government to Foreclose on Private Property

Coleman supported dismantling long-standing safeguards that once prevented city governments from overreaching. With his vote, cities can now move to foreclose on and take private property, using code enforcement as a weapon — allowing aggressive code enforcement to become a pretext for government seizure of private land. HB2147 (2025)

HB 1712 — Coleman’s Toll on Your Freedom

Coleman backed the “Road User Charge Pilot,” a plan designed to pave the way for tolling virtually every mile Oklahomans drive — using intrusive tracking technology to monitor your driving actions and charge you for them. The state poured millions into this experimental program, a level of waste that is almost as shocking as the idea behind it. It didn’t end there. When the pilot wrapped up, the program’s publicly promoted website, the very link citizens were instructed to use to interact with state officials, fell into the hands of domain squatters tied to offshore gambling interests, exposing participants to needless privacy and security threats. HB1712 (2021)

SB 511 — Coleman Voted to Enable Illegal Drug Use

When Bill Coleman voted for a state authorized program that distributes free drug paraphernalia for recreational use, he sent a dangerous message: illegal drug use is acceptable — and the government will help you do it. Rather than insisting on recovery, accountability, or treatment, Coleman supported giving users the tools to stay trapped in addiction. His choice helped push deadly drug culture deeper into our communities. SB511 (2021)

In addition to the above votes, Bill Coleman scored a 35.9% out of 100 on the Republican Platform Scorecard.

I will leave it up to you to decide if this senator reflects your values or the values of the established money donors.

And that is the real story.

Lobbyists, PACs vs. Main Street: How Lobbyists and PACs Quietly Run the Game

If you want to understand why ordinary Americans feel ignored by elected officials, start here: lobbyists get meetings and wine and dine your elected officials, PACs get leverage, and grassroots voters get ignored and too often the shaft.

That is not bitterness. That is the system working exactly as designed.

Lobbyists and PACs are not the same thing, but they live in the same swampy ecosystem.

A lobbyist is paid to influence government action. That can mean writing and creating the legislation that favors their industry, literally handing lawmakers polished language they can pretend they wrote themselves, promoting a bill, stopping a bill, shaping regulations, or nudging agencies.

A PAC, or political action committee, is a vehicle for political money. PACs raise and spend funds to influence elections. Some give directly to candidates. Some spend independently. Some are tied to corporations, unions, trade groups, or ideological causes.

Different tools. Same pressure campaign.

And from a grassroots perspective, the problem is not that Americans have the right to petition government. Of course they do. The First Amendment is not the enemy here.

The problem is that influence has become institutionalized and financialized; it has become the norm with most of our elected officials.

If your side has ten fired-up parents showing up after work to make their case, and the other side has lobbyists, lawyers, consultants, PAC money, and a media rollout already scheduled for Thursday morning, guess whose message lands first and normally gets executed?

You already know.

What Lobbyists Actually Do

Lobbyists exist to influence public policy. In our capital, that usually means lobbyists often:

• Write the bill and legislators attach their name

• Meet with members of the legislature for influence

• Press for or against legislation

• Influence executive branch agencies

• Help shape regulatory language

• Organize campaigns around specific policy outcomes

• Wine and dine for face time and influence

Sometimes they represent industries. Sometimes unions. Sometimes activist groups. Sometimes nonprofits. Not all lobbyists’ causes are bad. Some lobbyists really do provide expertise. There are exceptions — some lobbyists actually support the U.S. Constitution and your God-given rights. Some may be an expert in a technical area.

But mostly they advocate for causes that should never get within fifty feet of public policy and do not benefit the citizen. Their value is not just information. Their value is access.

What PACs Actually Do

PACs exist to collect and deploy political money. That usually means:

• Raising contributions from donors

• Giving money to candidates or committees, depending on the PAC type

• Funding ads, mailers, texts, digital campaigns, and turnout efforts

• Building political leverage before and after Election Day

In plain English, lobbyists work the policy side and PACs work the election side. And funny enough, those worlds tend to know each other very well.

Why the Grassroots Should Care

This is the part elected officials never want to say out loud. The issue is not just corruption in the cartoon-villain sense. It is dependency. When lawmakers spend hours every week fundraising, when staff rely on talking points from outside influence shops, and when legislation gets shaped by people paid to shape it, the grassroots citizen is no longer at the center of representative government.

Here is an afterthought.

That is why people stop trusting institutions. Not because they are uninformed. Because they can see the pattern. The donor class gets face time. The lobbyist gets a seat at the table. The citizen gets a nod and a thank you, now carry on. That is not healthy self-government. That is managed access.

In a crowded primary, a contested race or a low-information race, that matters. A lot. The side with more money gets more chances to define the battlefield before most voters even realize a war has started.

And this matters especially on the right.

Grassroots conservatives like to think energy and conviction are enough. Sometimes they are, with an engaged and motivated electorate. But often the grassroots walks into a knife fight carrying yard signs while the donor class arrives with media consultants, bundled cash, and a well-honed plan and the tools to execute those plans.

So, the next time some candidate claims he is running a pure, people-powered, grassroots campaign while a “totally independent” group drops six to seven figures to save them, you are allowed to laugh.

Quietly, if you are in church.

Less quietly, if you are paying attention.

Because in the state capital, “independent” is often a legal term, not a believable one.

Resources for the Voter

OKGrassroots 2025 Legislator Scorecard:

https://okgrassroots.com/oklahoma-legislative-scorecard-2025/

Oklahoma State Capital Report, Jason Murphey:

https://oklahomastatecapital.substack.com/p/introducing-the-first-ever-peoples

The MOGA Network, LLC:

https://moganetwork.com/charts

National | Source: Townhall

Read the full story →

National | Source: The Daily Wire

Read the full story →

National | Source: Townhall

Read the full story →

CT | Source: Townhall

Read the full story →

MI | Source: Townhall

Read the full story →

SC | Source: Breitbart

Read the full story →

CA | Source: The Daily Wire

Read the full story →

National | Source: Townhall

Read the full story →

TX | Source: Breitbart

Read the full story →

NY | Source: Townhall

Read the full story →

DC | Source: The Daily Wire

Read the full story →

• <a href="https://www.tndagc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2025-PC998-Immigration-Report-Final-2.pdf">2025 Tennessee Immigration Crime Report</a>

• <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tennessee-wants-to-lead-the-nation-in-fighting-illegal-immigration-it-may-have-a-shot">The Daily Wire: Original Tennessee Immigration Report</a></p>

A grieving father whose child was killed by an illegal immigrant delivered searing testimony at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this week, directly confronting Chairman Dick Durbin over what he called the senator's "failure of leadership" on border security and immigration enforcement.

The emotional confrontation came during a hearing on immigration policy, where Angel Dads and families of victims killed by illegal immigrants testified before the committee. The unnamed father looked directly at Durbin and delivered a devastating indictment of the senator's record.

A Father's Pain Becomes a Nation's Wake-Up Call

"Senator Durbin, you've been in this position for years," the father testified, his voice steady despite the obvious emotion. "Your failure of leadership, your refusal to take border security seriously, your opposition to every meaningful enforcement measure - it cost my child their life. And it's costing other families their children every single day."

The room fell silent as the father continued his testimony, providing a stark contrast to the typical political theater that characterizes most Senate hearings. This wasn't about talking points or campaign messaging. This was about the real-world consequences of failed policies.

Angel Dads and Moms - parents who have lost children to crimes committed by illegal immigrants - have become powerful advocates for border security and immigration enforcement. Their testimonies cut through political spin because they speak from devastating personal experience.

The Numbers Don't Lie

The father's testimony highlighted what conservatives have been saying for years: lax border security and catch-and-release policies have deadly consequences. Under the previous administration's policies:

• Sanctuary cities released thousands of criminal illegal immigrants back onto the streets • ICE detainers were routinely ignored by local jurisdictions • Border encounters reached record highs while deportations remained low • Criminal illegal immigrants were often released pending court dates they never attended

"These aren't statistics to me," the father told the committee. "This was my child. This was our family. And you had the power to prevent it."

Durbin's Record Under Scrutiny

Senator Dick Durbin has long been a vocal opponent of robust immigration enforcement measures. He's opposed funding for border wall construction, criticized ICE operations, and supported sanctuary city policies. He's also been a leading voice against the Remain in Mexico policy that successfully reduced border crossings.

The Angel Dad's confrontation puts Durbin's record in sharp focus. When parents who have lost children to preventable crimes call out your "failure of leadership" to your face, it's not easy to dismiss as partisan politics.

You can't spin away a grieving parent's testimony. You can't tweet your way out of that kind of moral accountability.

Where Leadership Actually Matters

The contrast with President Trump's approach couldn't be clearer. From day one of his administration, Trump prioritized border security and immigration enforcement. The result? Dramatically reduced border crossings, increased deportations of criminals, and policies that actually deterred illegal immigration.

That's what leadership looks like. Making hard decisions. Prioritizing American families over political correctness. Understanding that sovereignty matters and laws have meaning.

The Question That Demands an Answer

The Angel Dad's testimony raises the question every senator should be forced to answer: How many more American families need to lose children before you take border security seriously?

How many more grieving parents need to sit in that hearing room and explain how your policies failed their families?

The father concluded his testimony with a simple challenge: "You have the power to prevent other families from going through what we've experienced. The question is whether you have the courage to use it."

That's the challenge facing every member of Congress. Angel Dads and Moms shouldn't have to exist. Their children should still be alive. But they're gone, and their parents are left to fight for changes that might prevent other families from joining their ranks.

The least we can do is listen. And then act.

Further Reading

• Trump's Border Policies: A Record of Success

• The Human Cost of Sanctuary City Policies

• Angel Families Speak Truth to Power

• Why Border Security Is National Security

The courage of Angel Dads and Moms to speak truth to power in the face of unimaginable grief should inspire us all. Their children's lives mattered. Their deaths demand accountability. And their parents deserve leaders who will finally act.

The Mississippi Senate Finance Committee unanimously killed a House-passed bill that would have made college athletes' Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) earnings tax-exempt. The reason? State Senator Dean Kirby heard from actual voters who weren't thrilled about giving special tax privileges to student-athletes while everyone else keeps paying.

When Politicians Actually Listen

"I don't know about the rest of you on this committee," Sen. Dean Kirby (R-Pearl) told his colleagues on March 16, "but I've had several constituents that have called me that are not happy at all about this bill."

That was it. No long debate. No parliamentary procedure games. Just a Republican senator saying his voters spoke up, and he listened.

The bill died unanimously.

The Special Deal Nobody Asked For

The legislation would have exempted college athletes' NIL earnings from state income tax, retroactive to January 1. In other words, while regular Mississippians keep paying state income taxes until the phase-out kicks in, college athletes would get a special carve-out.

Rep. Trey Lamar (R-Senatobia), who championed the bill in the House, argued it was about keeping Mississippi competitive. "NIL is taking the country and coming by storm," Lamar said. "Other states are doing it, and I believe it's time that Mississippi starts doing this as well."

He's not wrong about the competitive pressure. Five other SEC schools can already offer athletes tax-free NIL deals, either because their states passed similar laws or because they eliminated income tax altogether.

But here's where grassroots accountability matters: being competitive and being fair to your own taxpayers aren't the same thing.

The Fairness Question

Let's be clear about what this bill represented: a special tax privilege for one specific group of people who are already receiving benefits (scholarships, training, facilities) that most taxpayers will never see.

Mississippi voters saw through that. They called their senators. They said, "Hold on. Why do they get a tax break we don't get?"

And their senators listened.

This isn't about being anti-athlete or anti-NIL. College sports matter to Mississippi communities. But tax policy should be fair. If you want to eliminate income tax, eliminate it for everyone. If you want to keep it, apply it consistently.

What Grassroots Accountability Looks Like

This story matters because it shows how the system is supposed to work:

• Legislators propose something • Constituents pay attention and speak up • Elected officials listen to the people who put them in office • Bad policy gets stopped before it becomes law

Too often, we see the opposite. Special interest groups push for carve-outs. Legislators go along to get along. Taxpayers find out later what happened.

Mississippi voters broke that cycle. They caught this early. They made their voices heard. And their senators had the backbone to listen, even when it meant disappointing university athletics departments.

The Real Competition

Here's what Rep. Lamar and other NIL tax exemption supporters might consider: the real competition isn't just about recruiting athletes. It's about recruiting families, businesses, and taxpayers.

Mississippi is already working toward eliminating state income tax entirely. That's a good policy because it treats everyone equally. It makes the state more competitive for all residents and businesses, not just college athletes.

Special carve-outs for specific groups undermine that broader goal. They create a two-tier tax system where some people get privileges others don't. That's not conservative policy. That's crony capitalism.

The Lesson

Senator Kirby and the Mississippi Senate Finance Committee got this right. They listened to constituents who understood that fair tax policy doesn't pick winners and losers based on what sport you play or how much money you can make from your name.

The lesson for legislators everywhere: your constituents are watching. They understand the difference between sound policy and special deals. And when they speak up, you'd better listen.

Because that's what representative government is supposed to look like.

Further Reading

• Clarion Ledger: Mississippi Senate committee kills bill to make NIL money tax exempt • Breitbart: Mississippi Senate Committee Kills Bill to Make NIL Money Tax Exempt

<p>Speaking with Newsmax's Bianca de la Garza, Dhillon laid out what any conservative with a functioning brain already knew was happening. Dead people on voter rolls. Duplicate registrations. People who moved but somehow still vote in their old district. And the kicker: non-citizens registered to vote.</p>

<h2>The Numbers Don't Lie</h2>

<p>Here's what the DOJ found in their review:</p>

<ul> <li>Hundreds of thousands of people who shouldn't be on voter rolls</li> <li>Dead voters still registered as active</li> <li>Duplicate registrations across jurisdictions</li> <li>Non-citizens registered to vote (and some actually voted)</li> <li>People who moved but remain on old district rolls</li> </ul>

<p>"We have also found, separately, non-citizens on the voter rolls, and so now we're doing our due diligence to identify the extent to which they may or may not have voted," Dhillon explained.</p>

<p>Translation: they're finding out how many illegal votes were actually cast. Because of course there were illegal votes cast.</p>

<h2>Los Angeles: A Case Study in Election Chaos</h2>

<p>Want to know how bad this gets? Look at Los Angeles County. In 2017, they settled a lawsuit with Judicial Watch and admitted they had over one million people on their voter rolls who shouldn't have been there. One million. In one county.</p>

<p>Dhillon also mentioned "crazy videos from California" showing homeless people being used to sign petitions and register to vote, then sign ballots for other people. "That's easy when you have a system where there's no voter ID, ballots are being mailed to outdated voting lists," she noted.</p>

<p>Easy indeed. Almost like it was designed that way.</p>

<h2>29 States Refuse to Cooperate</h2>

<p>Here's where it gets really interesting. The DOJ has filed federal lawsuits against 29 states and the District of Columbia because they refuse to provide their voter registration rolls for review and audit.</p>

<p>Twenty-nine states. Why would any state refuse to let federal authorities verify their voter rolls are clean? What exactly are they hiding?</p>

<p>You already know the answer. They're hiding the same thing Los Angeles was hiding: massive voter roll corruption that makes election integrity impossible to guarantee.</p>

<h2>The SAVE America Act Solution</h2>

<p>This is exactly why the SAVE America Act matters. The bill requires proof of citizenship for voter registration and mandates regular voter roll maintenance. Basic stuff that should have been standard practice decades ago.</p>

<p>But Democrats oppose it lockstep. Chuck Schumer calls it voter suppression. Progressive groups call it racist. The media calls it unnecessary.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, we have hundreds of thousands of ineligible registrations and confirmed illegal voting happening across the country.</p>

<p>Who opposes basic election integrity measures? Only people who benefit from the chaos.</p>

<h2>What Comes Next</h2>

<p>The Senate is currently debating the SAVE America Act. If it passes, states will be required to verify citizenship for voter registration and clean up their rolls regularly. If it doesn't, we'll keep getting the same results: corrupted voter rolls, illegal voting, and election results nobody can trust.</p>

<p>Dhillon's work proves what conservatives have been saying for years: our election system has massive integrity problems that can only be fixed with federal intervention. The DOJ review isn't just finding problems. It's documenting the scope of a crisis that threatens the foundation of our republic.</p>

<p>The question isn't whether we need the SAVE America Act. The question is whether we'll pass it before the 2026 midterms, or keep pretending these problems don't exist while our elections become increasingly meaningless.</p>

<h3>Further Reading</h3>

<ul> <li><a href="https://redstate.com/wardclark/2026/03/17/51-48-senate-now-kicking-off-weekend-long-debate-on-save-america-act-n2200325">Senate Kicks Off Weekend-Long Debate on SAVE America Act</a></li> <li>DOJ Civil Rights Division Press Releases on State Voter Roll Lawsuits</li> <li>Judicial Watch Settlement with Los Angeles County (2017)</li> </ul>

You know things are getting serious when the nation's most powerful union starts backing Republican crackdowns on illegal trucking scams.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters just threw their full weight behind Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman's SAFE Act, a GOP bill designed to crush the "chameleon carrier" networks that have turned America's highways into a death trap. And frankly, it's about time.

The Chameleon Game That's Killing Americans

Here's how the scam works. A trucking company racks up safety violations, gets shut down by regulators, then simply reopens the next week under a new name with the same trucks, same drivers, same deadly practices. Rinse and repeat.

They call them "chameleon carriers" because they change their colors faster than you can say "Department of Transportation violation." The trucks stay the same. The dangerous drivers stay the same. Only the paperwork changes.

"Chameleon carriers have gone unchecked for decades, harming and weakening America's trucking industry," Teamsters General President Sean O'Brien told the Daily Caller. "These unscrupulous operators jeopardize the safety of everyone on our roadways and threaten the livelihoods of truck drivers who follow the rules."

Translation: these operations aren't just killing innocent Americans. They're undercutting the honest truckers who actually follow the law.

The Body Count Keeps Rising

The statistics tell a story Washington would rather ignore:

• February 2026: An illegal migrant driver killed four people on an Indiana highway. His truck? Part of a chameleon carrier network operating under multiple identities.

• June 2024: Dalilah Coleman was struck and killed by an illegal migrant trucker working for a chameleon carrier. Her death inspired President Trump's "Dalilah's Law."

• Countless other crashes across Wyoming and Indiana involving the same deadly pattern.

Every single one of these tragedies was preventable. If these companies had stayed shut down after their first round of violations, these victims would still be alive today.

But that would require a government that actually enforces its own rules.

The SAFE Act: Automated Detection, Real Enforcement

Hageman's legislation isn't complicated. It's common sense:

• Automated detection tools to spot chameleon carriers during the registration process

• Enhanced federal-state coordination to share violation data across jurisdictions

• Nationwide study to understand the full scope of the problem

• Human review requirements to preserve due process while catching the bad actors

"These companies game the system, ignore the law, and put American families at risk, all while punishing hardworking truckers who follow the rules," Hageman said. "If a trucking company racks up violations or loses its license, it should not get to slap on a new name and get back on the road."

Revolutionary concept: when you break the law, you face consequences. Who would have thought?

When Unions and Republicans Agree, Pay Attention

This isn't your typical political alliance. The Teamsters endorsing a Republican crackdown on trucking violations? That's the kind of bipartisan moment that happens when the problem is too obvious to ignore.

Indiana Senator Jim Banks has been leading the charge from the Senate side, demanding DOT investigate chameleon carrier networks and running a tip line for industry insiders to report violations. He's also championing Dalilah's Law, named after the little girl whose death exposed this entire deadly system.

Marcus Coleman, Dalilah's father, is meeting with Hageman this week to push both bills forward. The man has turned his grief into action, and Congress would be wise to listen.

The Trump Factor

This crackdown fits perfectly with the Trump administration's broader push to secure American transportation and hold lawbreakers accountable. When illegal immigration intersects with regulatory failures that kill American families, you get exactly the kind of policy response voters demanded.

The question isn't whether this legislation should pass. It's whether Congress has the backbone to actually enforce it once it becomes law.

Further Reading

• Daily Caller exclusive on Teamsters endorsement

• Rep. Hageman's SAFE Act details

• ICE enforcement on illegal truckers

Bottom Line: When Teamsters President Sean O'Brien and Wyoming Republican Harriet Hageman are on the same side of a trucking safety issue, that tells you everything you need to know about how broken the system really is. The only question left is whether Washington will finally do something about it before more families bury their loved ones.

Jackson Healthcare, owned by the Republican gubernatorial candidate, acquired Avant Healthcare Professionals in 2018. What does Avant do? It specializes in recruiting foreign nurses to work in U.S. hospitals through H-1B and EB-3 visa programs.

Here's where it gets interesting.

The Lawsuit That Tells the Real Story

Two foreign nurses filed a federal lawsuit against Avant in 2023, alleging labor trafficking and wage suppression. Latoya Lewis from Jamaica and Lucinda Byron from St. Thomas claimed they were paid less than American nurses and threatened with deportation if they complained.

The allegations are serious: "indentured servitude" where foreign workers were forced into contracts they didn't fully understand, paid $10 per hour during training, and kept in line with threats to immigration officials.

Translation: import cheap foreign labor, undercut American wages, and use the threat of deportation to keep workers compliant.

But wait, there's more.

How the Scheme Works

Avant charges hospitals for placing these foreign nurses. The longer the placements, the more money Avant makes. Contract breaches hurt their bottom line. So they have every incentive to keep foreign workers locked into below-market contracts.

The lawsuit revealed Avant recruited 5,219 foreign nurses since 2013. That's thousands of jobs that could have gone to American nurses, or at minimum, jobs that should have paid prevailing wages without the threat of deportation hanging overhead.

The settlement? Up to $3 million in damages and attorney fees. Avant agreed to stop pursuing "liquidated damages" from nurses who wanted out of their contracts.

Translation: they were caught.

The Primary Battle

Jackson is running against Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, and Attorney General Chris Carr in the May 19 Republican primary. This isn't exactly the immigration resume conservative voters are looking for.

Jones has already gone after Jackson on this issue, posting on social media that "Never Trumpers couldn't ask for a better friend than Rick Jackson" and highlighting Jackson's lack of political donations to Trump.

Fair point.

Jackson's Defense: It's Legal

Jackson's campaign responded that foreign nurses "come to America legally" and "save lives." They argue hospitals need nurses, especially in rural Georgia.

Here's the thing: nobody's arguing Avant broke immigration law. They're arguing it's bad policy that hurts American workers.

Legal doesn't mean right.

When Americans can't find nursing jobs that pay a living wage, and your company is importing foreign workers who get paid less and threatened with deportation if they complain, you're part of the problem.

The Bigger Picture

This story highlights the tension between business interests and America First policies. Jackson built a successful healthcare empire. That's admirable. But building it on cheap foreign labor while running on an immigration platform? That's harder to defend.

Conservative voters deserve better.

The H-1B and EB-3 visa programs were supposed to fill genuine labor shortages in specialized fields. Instead, they've become a way for companies to avoid paying market wages to American workers.

Jackson's situation is exactly why these programs need reform, not expansion.

What This Means for Georgia

Georgia Republicans have a choice in May. They can nominate someone whose business model relied on importing foreign workers, or they can pick someone who puts American workers first in policy AND practice.

The lawsuit against Avant shows what happens when foreign worker programs operate without proper oversight: wage suppression, labor violations, and American workers getting pushed aside.

Actions speak louder than campaign promises.

Questions That Need Answers

• How many American nurses applied for positions at facilities using Avant recruits?

• What was the wage difference between foreign and domestic nursing staff?

• Will Jackson commit to ending his company's foreign recruitment practices if elected?

• Does he believe the H-1B and EB-3 programs need reform?

Conservative voters deserve straight answers.

The Bottom Line

Rick Jackson built a successful business. But success built on cheap foreign labor while American workers struggle isn't the conservative model Georgia needs.

Republicans want leaders who put America First in their business practices, not just their campaign rhetoric. Jackson's company importing thousands of foreign workers while Americans face unemployment isn't the track record conservative primary voters are looking for.

The choice is clear in May.

Further Reading:

• Daily Caller: "GOP Governor Hopeful Owns Company Importing Foreign Nurses Over Americans"

• Florida Trend: Investigation into Avant Healthcare settlement

• Federal lawsuit documents: Lewis v. Avant Healthcare Professionals

Immigration and Customs Enforcement is practically begging Virginia officials, including Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D), not to release a 20-year-old illegal alien accused of soliciting sexual content from children under 10 years old. His name is Angel David Rubio Marin. He crossed the border at an unknown date and location. He's been arrested twice.

And local officials already let him walk once.

The Perfect Storm of Policy Failure

Here's how this went down: In 2024, Rubio Marin was arrested in Prince William County on two counts of public masturbation. Normal people might think, "Okay, here's a guy who's in the country illegally committing sex crimes in public. Maybe we should hand him over to ICE."

But no. Local officials released him back into the community instead of turning him over to federal immigration agents.

You already know where this is going.

This week, Rubio Marin was arrested again in Culpeper, Virginia. This time the charges are worse: soliciting sexual content from at least three children under the age of 10. Police say he offered to pay them "Robux" (the digital currency used in the video game Roblox) in exchange for photos and videos.

Let that sink in. A grown man targeting elementary school kids with video game money.

"This Sicko Preyed on Innocent Children"

ICE isn't mincing words about what happened here. Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Lauren Bis called Rubio Marin exactly what he is: "This sicko preyed on innocent children by offering to pay them in a video game currency in exchange for child pornography."

But here's the part that should make every parent in Virginia furious:

"This illegal alien was released from jail after an arrest for public masturbation. This case is a perfect example of why we need state and local cooperation with ICE. We are calling on Virginia sanctuary politicians and Governor Abigail Spanberger to commit to not releasing this child predator back into Virginia neighborhoods."

ICE has lodged a detainer against Rubio Marin. That means federal agents are formally asking local officials to hold him so they can take custody when his local case is resolved.

The question is: Will Virginia officials honor that detainer, or will they release him again?

The Sanctuary Policy Reality Check

Sanctuary policies aren't abstract political debates. They have real victims.

When local officials refuse to cooperate with ICE, they're not protecting "immigrant families" or "vulnerable communities." They're protecting people like Rubio Marin, who crossed our border illegally and then proceeded to commit sex crimes against children.

Twice.

After the first arrest for public masturbation, this should have been simple. Turn him over to ICE. Deport him. Done. Instead, Prince William County officials decided to release him back into the community where he could target more children.

Now we have at least three kids under 10 years old who were allegedly targeted by a predator who shouldn't have been here in the first place.

Where Are the Adults?

Gov. Spanberger ran as a moderate Democrat. She talks about public safety. She talks about protecting families. Here's her chance to prove it.

ICE is asking for cooperation to ensure a child predator doesn't get released back into Virginia neighborhoods. This shouldn't be a partisan issue. This shouldn't be complicated.

"No one wants this pedophile loose on American streets," Bis said in her statement. That should be true. But sanctuary policies suggest otherwise.

The Bigger Picture

Rubio Marin is what immigration experts call a "got-away." He crossed the U.S.-Mexico border at an unknown date and location and has been living in the shadows ever since. He's one of millions of people in this country illegally whose whereabouts and activities are completely unknown to authorities.

Until they commit crimes.

Until they target children.

Until local news outlets are forced to report on cases that never should have happened.

This is the cost of immigration policies that prioritize ideology over public safety. This is what happens when local officials refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. This is the predictable result of treating immigration law as optional.

The Simple Question

The Trump administration has made immigration enforcement a top priority. ICE agents are doing their jobs. They're asking for basic cooperation from local officials to protect American communities.

The question for Gov. Spanberger and every Virginia official involved in this case is simple: Are you going to help protect children from predators, or are you going to let sanctuary politics put kids at risk?

Because those are the only two options here.

Further Reading:

• ICE Immigration Detainer Process

• Virginia Immigration Laws and Local Cooperation