A younger, progressive candidate who is tapping into frustration over money in politics? Or a moderate who argues they’re more electable in a red state?
Oklahoma Democrats are faced with that question as N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas and Jim Priest vie for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. It’s the only Democratic runoff race on the Aug. 25 ballot, though voters are also being asked to weigh in on State Questions 844 and 846.
Thomas, a 31-year-old nurse and Chickasaw nation citizen from Ardmore, received 45% of the vote in the June primary. Priest, a 71-year-old attorney and nonprofit leader from Oklahoma City, came in second with just under 24%. Oklahoma law requires candidates to receive a majority of votes to avoid a runoff election.
If elected, Thomas says she would focus on healthcare reform, improving infrastructure and protecting tribal sovereignty. She supports increasing the number of U.S. House seats and is not accepting any corporate PAC money, according to her campaign website.
Priest promises to focus on reducing grocery costs, improving rural health care and expanding access to mental healthcare resources. He says he supports banning members of Congress from buying and selling stocks while in office.
Unlike most Republican runoffs, no public debate is set for this race ahead of election day. In a June 26 Facebook post, Thomas said she would not accept an invitation to debate ahead of the runoff, saying the primary results speak for themselves. In an interview with NonDoc last month, Priest took issue with that assessment, calling the decision not to debate “an insult to Oklahomans.”
Whoever advances will have to overcome a steep voter registration disadvantage and historical precedent to defeat Republican nominee Kevin Hern. Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats more than 2-to-1, according to a July 31 voter registration report. Oklahoma voters haven’t elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since David Boren in 1990.
You can reach at Kross@Oklahomawatch.org with thoughts, questions or story ideas.
Note: In the weeks leading up to the Aug. 25 runoff election, Democracy Watch will focus on one of the five statewide races, four Republican and one Democratic, appearing on the ballot. Next week will cover the Republican runoff for governor.
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