The resignation of Senator Markwayne Mullin to become the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) has thrown several races previously thought to be predictable into races with many candidates vying for races with no incumbents.
Sen. Mullin’s position in the Senate was filled by Governor Stitt with Alan Armstrong who is not allowed to run for the position, but he will be the Senator until the November general election elects a new Senator.
U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern of the First District has thrown his hat into the ring for the Senate race and that in turn leaves the First District without an incumbent running as well.
Five Republicans, five Democrats, one Libertarian and two independent candidates have filed for Mullin’s Senate seat. The June 16 primary will only have the five Republicans and five Democrats on the ballot as there is only one Libertarian candidate and the state of Oklahoma does not recognize Independents as a political party.
On the Republican side, Rep. Hern, 64, of Tulsa, is considered the major contender in not only the primary but the general election. Trump’s early endorsement of Hearn is believed to have kept other major political hopefuls out of the race.
Hern has been the current U.S. Representative for the First District since 2018. Hern has a degree in Engineering and a MBA. He has worked as an Architectural Drafter, and Aerospace Engineer, and owns many small businesses such as McDonalds, manufacturing, real estate ventures, three technology companies and helped start a community bank.
He says he is “Fighting to Put America and Oklahoma First” especially in the area of veterans, religious liberty, in securing the border and protecting life.
Gary Ty England, 62, of Bethany, OK is a country singer song writer and guitarist and has toured with Garth Brooks and also has a solo career. He says that Washington is broken and has a list to fix it:
A Limited government bound by the constitution and limited by the inherent rights of our personal freedoms.
Free, fair and honest “citizen only” elections enforced by the laws of treason for those that have in the past or would attempt to present illegal or falsified votes. Our votes are the only real leverage that we have as citizens. We can not allow them to be stolen from us.
A return to a “Free market” health care system with no government mandates and very limited regulation.
A permanently secured border codified in law to prevent the hordes of people from socialist and Marxist countries from invading our borders and robbing our social support systems.
An unrivaled military force designed for the exclusive purpose of protecting and defending the United States of America and our specific interests.
A state-based educational system that supports home schooling and is strictly merit based.
A ban on any governmental control over personal financial matters, specifically where a digital-based currency is involved.
A “hand-up” instead of a “hand-out” CITIZEN-based social support system that enforces the personal autonomy of a free nation.
Sean Buckner, 55, of Sallisaw, OK, describes himself not as a career politician, but as a veteran, former business owner, proud Cherokee, and independent fighter for transparency who accepts no PAC money and answers only to the people of Oklahoma.
Buckner has a military background serving working on nuclear missile guidance systems, served during Operation Desert Storm and earned a top-secret clearance. He served in the military from 1988 to 1994. He worked in real estate after the military. and describes himself as a political watchdog, demanding accountability.
He has listed 11 issues as important to him:
Sealing the border; full mortgage tax deductions for principal and interest; cheap gas, supporting energy production; tribal issues; healthcare transparency and rural access; protecting America’s farmers; defend the Second Ammendment; faith protections and parental rights; banning Chinese land ownership; feds out of schools, parents choose; and election integrity.
For more than two decades, Brian Ragain, 46, from Chickasha, OK, has served as a firefighter-paramedic, registered nurse, ER manager, medical administrator, and onsite health technician.
He has 5 main issues he would like to tackle in the Senate: Veterans & mental health; Government accountability; Energy and jobs; foreign policy; and healthcare.
Nick Hankins, 40, of Moore, OK, has been employed in HVAC manufacturing, is a logistics and business analyst, a business process manager, in insurance and a business intelligence developer. He studied computer science at OU for 2 years. He wants to see Accountability in government, an end to foreign influences – America First, improve economic opportunities, stop payments to illegal aliens, ban Islamic followers from immigration, protect the Constitutional rights of Americans – freedom of speech, right to bear arms and warrantless searches, no foreign wars or funding of them, and the U.S. to leave NATO, UN and WHO.
The Democrat primary for the U.S. Senate features Jim Priest, Troy Green, N’Kiyla “Jasmine” Thomas, Ervin Stone Yen, and R.O. Joe Cassity, Jr.
Former State Sen. Ervin Stone Yen, 71, of Oklahoma City was originally registered as a Democrat, but later changed to Republican to run for the State Senate. He won the seat for one term and was then lost his seat the next term. He has also registered as Independent at another time. During his tenure as State Senator, during the pandemic he demanded a statewide mask mandate and for elimination of religious and personal exemptions from childhood vaccinations.
Jim Priest, 71, was a trial lawyer, a minister and a nonprofit leader. His previous foray into politics was against Scott Pruitt for the position of Oklahoma Attorney General (Pruitt won) in 2010. His main emphasis will be on keeping housing, groceries and childcare affordable., Inspiring solidarity, giving people more access to resources ( healthcare, mental health, public schools, etc.) and recovering our international reputation, protecting natural resources.
R.O. Joe Cassity, Jr., 82, of Ponca City, ran for the senate in 2020 against Sen. Jim Inhofe. Cassity lost in the Democrat primary with 11 percent of the vote.
N’Kiyla “Jasmine” Thomas, 31, of Ardmore, OK, is a registered nurse and liberal activist. She says if she were to be elected she would be the first Black, Native American woman to hold the seat. Her priorities in office would be:
Better education—with real reforms, increased teacher pay, and more classroom funding.
Accessible healthcare—including lower prescription costs and expanded rural healthcare access.
Fair wages and opportunities—not an economy that favors the few over the many.
Veterans and military families deserve respect and real support—not empty promises.
LGBTQIA+ community deserves protection—because hate has no home here.
Immigrants deserve fair policies—because they are part of our communities, workforce, and economy.
Farmers and ranchers deserve real leadership—not policies that sell them out to corporate interests and foreign buyers.
Troy Green, 59, was a martial arts teacher, realtor, bail bond agent and a private investigator. His previous political experience was running for the Oklahoma House District 27 (south of Oklahoma City) in 2012 which he lost in the Democrat primary with 23.4 % of the vote. He would like to revitalize rural America, strengthen working families, expand healthcare access, improve infrastructure, protect civil rights, and restore public trust. His commitment: no foreign entanglement without a clear mission, clear strategy, and clear plan for veterans when they come home. Lower prescription drug costs, holding insurance companies accountable, and protecting and expanding Medicare. Back legislation to ban members of Congress from owning or trading individual stocks while in office. Combat trafficking and child exploitation a top national priority, fully funding law enforcement task forces and survivor services, and advocate a full release of the Epstein Files.