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Anchor: Antonia Gonzales
Incumbent Gov. Kevin Stitt (Cherokee/R-OK) vanquished his Democratic challenger despite millions of dollars in negative ads and opposition from many of the state’s tribes.
Gov. Stitt is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, but was at odds with tribes starting early in his first term over gaming compacts and tribal sovereignty.
Oklahoma’s largest tribes publicly endorsed Stitt’s opponent, Joy Hofmeister, the former Oklahoma State Superintendent for Public Instruction.
Cherokee Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Junior called Stitt the most “anti-Indian governor” in the state’s history.
Gov. Stitt said his election win is vindication that his agenda resonates with the state’s residents.
“Oklahomans stated loud and clear today that they are proud of how far we’ve come. Even with upwards of $50 million in dark money. Oklahomans — they knew the truth tonight”
Pre-election polls showed a tight governor’s race, but Stitt won handily by a double-digit margin.
Three Native American candidates for Congress in Oklahoma easily won their seats.
It’s the first time in nearly a century that any state has had three Native congressional representatives.
Josh Brecheen (Choctaw/R-OK) won the seat in the second Congressional district vacated by U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin (Cherokee/R-OK).
Rep. Mullin won a seat in the U.S. Senate, the first time in almost two decades a Native politician has held a Senate seat.
U.S. Rep. Tom Cole (Chickasaw/R-OK) easily won re-election to his House seat.
In Alaska’s U.S. House race, U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola (D-AK) is ahead by a wide margin.
She became the first Alaska Native to serve in the House, after winning a special election this fall to fill out the remainder of the late-Congressman Don Young’s term.
To keep Alaska’s lone House seat, the Democrat faced off against two Republicans, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and Nick Begich as well as Libertarian Chris Bye.
“This has been an amazing journey that we have all been on together in Alaska.”
Under Alaska’s new system of ranked choice voting, Rep. Peltola needs 50% to win – so she will likely need votes from those who ranked her as a second choice, a process she compares to traveling in Alaska.
“You go to the airport, knowing full well, it could be a five-hour delay before you actually are wheels up.”
Rep. Peltola has 47% of the vote, with Palin in second place, Begich in third, and Bye in fourth.
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids (Ho-Chunk/D-KS), who is one of the first Native American women to be elected to Congress in 2018, won a third term to representative Kansas.
As Rhonda LeValdo reports, her win comes after her original district was reorganized.
Winning about 55% of the vote, the race for the third district in Kansas, had the same 2020 candidates, Republican Amanda Adkins and Democrat Sharice Davids.
Tuesday’s race was called by the Associated Press just after 10 p.m.
New voting districts drawn by the Republican-led legislature divided Kansas City, KS in half, costing Rep. Davids one of the areas where she performed best in 2020.
It also brought majority of three heavily Republican counties to the third district.
Rep. Davids says her campaign strategy was to talk to everyone in those counties to let them know where she stood.
She spoke about the political divide in her speech.
“I want to thank everyone in the third district including the new folks in the third district. I want to thank everyone for believing there is a better way to lead, a better way to govern. One that does not rely on assumptions or party lines. One that listens more than it speaks because I think that’s what this district deserves.”
Adkins talking points against Rep. Davids included inflation in the U.S. and its impacts on the public.
Adkins also talked about the failed amendment in a special election this year intended to restriction abortion.
Rep. Davids is the only Democrat in the Kansas delegation. And on the state level, in the Kansas Legislature, State Rep. Christina Haswood (Navajo/D-KS) won her election to serve another term.
Unofficial results show challenger Buu Nygren won the race for president of the Navajo Nation.
Nygren was ahead of current president Jonathan Nez by thousands of votes late Tuesday night.
In a speech live streamed from Window Rock, AZ, Nygren thanked Navajo voters saying they voted for change.
He talked about listening to the people and committed to working to improve infrastructure, public safety, create jobs and help veterans, elders and young people.
Nygren also celebrated the historic win of his running mate Richelle Montoya, who is set to be the first Navajo woman to serve in the top Navajo government office as vice president.
Nez led the tribe through the pandemic and was hoping for another term to continue to work on infrastructure and other needs.
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