Oklahoma Native American Tribes Desire Gov. Stitt's Removal from Office during the Upcoming Elections
Oklahoma's political landscape might be shifting as a historical Republican stronghold. For over two decades, the GOP has been taking home around 60% of votes, while the Democratic Party struggled to make a significant impact. However, this trend could be changing as a surprising endorser emerges, backing the democratic candidate for Gov. Kevin Stitt's job – Joy Hofmeister.
The Awakening of the Tribal Powers
The tribes of Oklahoma are traditionally apolitical, but they've decided to break their silence and enter the political arena, backing Hofmeister. It's peculiar to see them supporting a candidate trying to dethrone a Cherokee citizen, the incumbent. Yet, the tribes have legitimate reasons to step out of the shadows and engage more actively with state politics.
Governor Stitt has generated controversy among tribal matters, including attempting to single-handedly negotiate tribal compacts regarding gambling, potentially stripping the tribes of control over their industry in exchange for lucrative payments to the state's treasury.
The State of Oklahoma and its tribal nations have found themselves at odds over gambling compacts for a while, but the tension escalated when Stitt tried to overturn a US Supreme Court decision that promotes tribal sovereignty. To add insult to injury, Stitt terminated hunting and fishing compacts between the state and tribes. All of these contentious issues have pushed tribal nations to show their support for Stitt's opponent.
Muscogee Nation principal chief David Hill has been vocal in his criticism of Stitt, asserting that any governor who attempts to assert dominion over tribes is harmful to Oklahoma as a whole. Stitt has vehemently denied accusations that he has targeted the tribes as part of a personal vendetta, instead maintaining that every piece of legislation he proposes benefits Oklahoma, not to the detriment of tribal nations.
The Power of Tribal Support or fleeting wish?
The gambling compacts that Stitt tried to establish with some cooperative tribal nations, such as Kialegee Tribal Town and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, were also struck down by the Oklahoma Supreme Court in 2021. In summation, Stitt and the tribes have been at each other's throats. With 10% of Oklahoma's residents being Native American, the upcoming race won't be the usual walk in the park for the Republican Party. Whether the tribes' support will be enough to flip the traditional voting pattern in Oklahoma remains questionable.
While the endorsement of Oklahoma's tribal nations for Joy Hofmeister may have positively impacted her campaign, resulting in increased visibility and voter support within Native American communities, it's uncertain if these endorsements significantly challenged Republican dominance without broader changes in voting patterns among other demographics. More data on voter turnout, election results, and polling would be needed to fully understand how tribal endorsements influenced broader voting trends in Oklahoma.
- Despite traditionally staying out of politics, the Oklahoma tribal nations have decided to support Democratic candidate Joy Hofmeister, a move that challenges the usual Republican stronghold in the state.
- Governor Kevin Stitt's policies towards tribal matters, such as his attempt to negotiate gambling compacts and terminate hunting and fishing compacts, have led to considerable controversy and frustration among the tribal nations.
- The Oklahoma Supreme Court's decision to strike down gambling compacts proposed by Governor Stitt has further exacerbated the tension between the state and tribal nations, making the upcoming election an interesting test for the Republican Party.
- The extent to which the support from Oklahoma's tribal nations could impact the traditional voting pattern in the state or even flip the Republican dominance remains unclear, and further analysis is required to fully understand the influence of tribal endorsements on the broader voting trends in Oklahoma.
