By Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice
OKLAHOMA CITY — Six candidates entered the race to fill an Oklahoma House seat left vacant following a lawmaker’s resignation.
The special primary election to fill House District 38, which covers parts of Pawnee, Payne, Creek, Noble and Osage counties, is set for Dec. 9. If a primary runoff is needed, it is set for Jan. 13. The general election is set for Feb. 10.
Former Rep. Ty Burns, R-Pawnee, resigned effective Oct. 1 after pleading guilty in Pawnee County District Court to one misdemeanor count of domestic abuse and two misdemeanor counts of assault.
He received a one-year suspended sentence and will have to complete a 52-week batterer’s intervention program.
Five Republicans filed paperwork as candidates for the special election.
Amber Roberts, 43, is a small business owner and served on the Hominy City Council. She focused on fiscal responsibility and accountability to the community as a council member.
Her campaign website describes Roberts as “standing firm in defense” of the Second Amendment, and “grounded in her faith and family values.”
Roberts and her family live in Hominy, according to her candidacy paperwork.
Dillon Travis, 33, is a farmer, rancher and agricultural business owner based in Maramec.
He is a sixth-generation Oklahoman and is also a lecturer in agricultural communications at Oklahoma State University, according to a news release.
Some of Travis’ priorities include fixing rural roads, protecting schools, stopping “woke agendas” in classrooms, supporting law enforcement in drug enforcement, supporting agriculture and defending the Second Amendment, according to his website.
Mike Waters, 54, previously served as the Pawnee County sheriff and worked in law enforcement for 25 years. He lives in Pawnee.
He previously served on the Oklahoma Sheriffs’ Association Executive Board and today runs livestock, according to his website.
Waters’ priorities include public safety measures like ensuring resources for law enforcement and opposing “soft-on-crime” policies, protecting agriculture by fighting “burdensome” regulations and fully funding veterans’ services.
Kevin Wright, 58, has served as the mayor of Jennings as well as being a small business owner and a leader at his church, according to his website.
Access to rural health care, strengthening the energy industries, fiscal responsibility and “defending Oklahoma sovereignty” are among the several issues Wright’s website focuses on.
Wright and his family live in Jennings.
James Winn, 43, currently is a farmer and rancher near Mannford. He was previously employed in the oil and gas industry working on oil rigs and pipelines, according to his website.
Winn’s website describes him as a “Constitutionalist” and “America First” candidate.
His priorities include fighting the “green energy agenda,” criminalizing “hostile” foreign land ownership, ending “perpetual” toll roads and discrimination based on vaccination status.
Only one Democratic candidate joined the race.
Luke Kruse, 40, does not have a website available yet. He and his family live in Glencoe.
According to a Facebook post from his mother, Kruse has taught political science and history at Northern Oklahoma College for 19 years.
His campaign will focus on investing in education, repairing local infrastructure and supporting Oklahoma’s foster care system, according to a news release from the Oklahoma Democratic Party.
