Oklahoma Democratic Party

The Oklahoma Democratic Party is an Oklahoma political party affiliated with the Democratic Party. Along with the Oklahoma Republican Party, it is one of the two major parties in the state.

Oklahoma Democratic Party
Chairperson	Alicia Andrews[1]
Senate leader	Kay Floyd
House leader	Cyndi Munson
Interim Executive Director	Lauren Craig
Founded	1907
Headquarters	3815 N Santa Fe Ave., Suite 122 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73118
Youth wing	Young Democrats of Oklahoma
Membership (2023)	656,017[2]
Ideology	Modern liberalism
National affiliation	Democratic Party
Unofficial colors	Blue
Statewide Executive Offices	0 / 12
Seats in the United States Senate	0 / 2
Seats in the United States House of Representatives	0 / 5
Seats in Oklahoma Senate	8 / 48
Seats in Oklahoma House of Representatives	20 / 101
Tribal Chiefs	2 / 5
Website
www.okdemocrats.org
Politics of Oklahoma Elections

The party dominated local politics in Oklahoma almost since the days of early statehood in 1907 to 1994. In national politics, the party became a dominant force beginning with the presidential election of 1932 and the Franklin D. Roosevelt political re-alignment. From 1932 to 1994, the majority of members of Congress from Oklahoma have been Democrats, and of the 27 men and women who have been elected to the office of Governor of Oklahoma, 22 have been Democrats.^[3]

However, the party has fared poorly since 1994; Democrats lost five out of six congressional races that year. Since then, they have won only a handful of seats, which they no longer hold. In response, the traditionally disorganized Oklahoma Democrats have taken steps to create a more organized state party, hiring a professional executive director in 1995.^[4] Even so, Democrats continued to lose ground in the 2000s, losing control of both the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Oklahoma Senate. In 2008, Oklahoma gave the lowest percentage of any state's vote to national Democrat Barack Obama in the presidential election.

As of January 15, 2021, there are 748,222 registered Democratic voters in Oklahoma.^[5]

In 2018, Kendra Horn defeated incumbent Republican congressman Steve Russell, to become the first Democrat elected to Congress from Oklahoma since 2010. She lost reelection to Republican challenger Stephanie Bice in 2020.

History

Statehood and the 20th Century

The Oklahoma Democratic Party once dominated state politics for much of Oklahoma history from with its strength in greatest concentrations in Oklahoma's 5th congressional district and the southeastern part of the state.^[4]

Upon statehood, all but one of the Congressional seats was held by Democrats. The Democrats won eighteen of the twenty-one gubernatorial elections since its statehood in 1907. The Democratic Party held on average 81 percent of the seats in the state legislature between 1907 and 1973.^[6] With the onset of the Great Depression, the party gained even more influence for several decades

Democratic opposition to deficit spending in the late 1930s marked a growing conservative movement in the party, which led to a 1941 constitutional amendment requiring legislators to pass a balanced budget.^[7]

After the federal Voting Rights Act and congressional reapportionment in Oklahoma in the 1960s, black state lawmakers returned to the Oklahoma Legislature, this time many aligning with the Democratic Party and hailing from Tulsa or Oklahoma City.^[8]

Since the 1980s the party has seen a decline as Christian fundamentalists have shifted to the Republican Party. The Democratic Party has not attained more than 41 percent of the vote for president.

21st Century

As of 2000 about 55 percent of Oklahoma voters registered as Democrats.^[4] The party continues to decline in strength in both the Oklahoma Legislature and executive branch. For the first time since statehood, Republicans held all statewide-elected offices starting in 2011.

In the 2012 general election, the party was successful in defending all incumbents in the Oklahoma Legislature and defeating two Republican House members.

In the 2020 Oklahoma elections, Democrat Mauree Turner became the first Muslim Oklahoma state legislator and the first publicly non-binary U.S. state legislator in the United States.^[9]

Electoral history

Election year	No. of House seats	+/–	Governorship	No. of Senate seats	+/–
1907	85 / 101	16	Charles N. Haskell	42 / 48	6
1908	62 / 101	23		38 / 48	4
1910	75 / 101	13	Lee Cruce	35 / 48	3
1912	82 / 101	7		38 / 48	3
1914	83 / 101	1	Robert L. Williams	42 / 48	4
1916	75 / 101	6		43 / 48	1
1918	71 / 101	4	James B.A. Robertson	38 / 48	6
1920	28 / 101	43		31 / 48	7
1922	87 / 101	59	Jack C. Walton	36 / 48	5
1924	77 / 101	10	Martin Trapp	42 / 48	6
1926	79 / 101	2	Henry S. Johnston	39 / 48	3
1928	54 / 101	25		38 / 48	1
1930	91 / 101	37	William H. Murray	36 / 48	2
1932	97 / 101	6		43 / 48	7
1934	94 / 101	3	E.W. Marland	47 / 48	4
1936	98 / 101	4		48 / 48	1
1938	88 / 101	10	Leon C. Phillips	47 / 48	1
1940	94 / 101	6		46 / 48	1
1942	77 / 101	17	Robert S. Kerr	44 / 48	2
1944	79 / 101	2		42 / 48	2
1946	79 / 101	0	Roy J. Turner	42 / 48	0
1948	89 / 101	10		43 / 48	1
1950	81 / 101	8	Johnston Murray	44 / 48	1
1952	88 / 101	7		42 / 48	2
1954	82 / 101	6	Raymond D. Gary	43 / 48	1
1956	81 / 101	1		45 / 48	2
1958	91 / 101	10	J. Howard Edmondson	45 / 48	0
1960	88 / 101	3		44 / 48	1
1962	77 / 101	11	Henry Bellmon	42 / 48	2
1964	79 / 101	2		41 / 48	1
1966	78 / 101	1	Dewey F. Bartlett	39 / 48	2
1968	79 / 101	1		38 / 48	1
1970	79 / 101	0	David Hall	39 / 48	1
1972	78 / 101	1		38 / 48	1
1974	78 / 101	0	David L. Boren	38 / 48	0
1976	81 / 101	3		38 / 48	0
1978	77 / 101	4	George Nigh	37 / 48	1
1980	75 / 101	2		36 / 48	1
1982	75 / 101	0		34 / 48	2
1984	69 / 101	6		34 / 48	0
1986	70 / 101	1	Henry Bellmon	31 / 48	3
1988	69 / 101	1		34 / 48	3
1990	67 / 101	2	David Walters	36 / 48	2
1992	67 / 101	0		35 / 48	1
1994	60 / 101	7	Frank Keating	31 / 48	4
1996	59 / 101	1		29 / 48	2
1998	59 / 101	0		29 / 48	0
2000	53 / 101	6		27 / 48	2
2002	54 / 101	1	Brad Henry	26 / 48	1
2004	55 / 101	1		26 / 48	0
2006	44 / 101	11		24 / 48	2
2008	40 / 101	4		22 / 48	2
2010	31 / 101	9	Mary Fallin	16 / 48	6
2012	29 / 101	2		12 / 48	4
2014	29 / 101	0		8 / 48	4
2016	26 / 101	3		8 / 48	0
2018	25 / 101	1	Kevin Stitt	9 / 48	1
2020	20 / 101	5		9 / 48	0
2022	21 / 101	1		8 / 48	1

Note: Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins provided tie breaking vote in the State Senate following the 2006 elections, giving Democrats a majority

Current structure and composition

The Oklahoma Democratic Party headquarters is located North Santa Fe Avenue in Oklahoma City.^[10] They host the biennial state conventions in June of odd-numbered years, in which they elect executive officers and delegates to the Democratic National Committee. The Democratic National Committee is responsible for promoting Democratic campaign activities, overseeing the process of writing the national Democratic Platform, and supervising the Democratic National Convention. Delegates serve four-year terms concurrent with presidential elections.

Alicia Andrews, the first African American and African American Woman chair was re-elected for a third term in June, 2023. Former state Representative of House District 34, Cory Williams was elected vice chair.^[11] Former Governor David Walters and Kalyn Free are delegates for the Democratic National Committee.^[11]

The state party coordinates campaign activities with Democratic candidates and county parties, and officers who correspond with the state's five Congressional districts. In 2005, the Democratic National Committee began a program called the "50 State Strategy" of using national funds to assist all state parties and pay for full-time professional staffers.^[12]

The Young Democrats of Oklahoma is the official age 13-35 division of the Oklahoma Democratic Party.^[13]

Officers and Staff

Officers:

• Chair, Alicia Andrews^[14]
• Vice Chair, Cory Williams^[14]
• Secretary, Nana Dankwa^[14]
• Treasurer, Rachael Hunsucker^[14]

Staff:

• Executive Director, Lauren Craig^[15]
• Voter File Manager, Josh Miles^[16]
• Field Director, Krislyn Sherer^[17]
• Finance Director, Kierra Williams^[18]
• Communications Director, Naomi Andrews^[19]

Ideology

Further information: Political ideologies in the United States and Factions in the Democratic Party (United States)

The Oklahoma Democratic Party is made up of conservative, centrist and liberal members. Less than a third of registered Democratic voters in Oklahoma supported President Barack Obama in 2012, due to the larger proliferation of conservative and centrist members of the party.^[20]

Compared to other Democratic factions, Centrist members of the Oklahoma Democratic Party support the use of military force and the use of deadly force in self-defense. They are more willing to reduce government welfare. Many Oklahoma Democrats are socially conservative by supporting the United States pro-life movement and traditional marriage. The Oklahoma Democratic Party tends to support moderate to conservative positions on gun control and open carry.

The Oklahoma Democratic Party held a state convention on May 14, 2011, in which they discussed a number of platform positions.^[21] Participants discussed support for public health programs, government-funded embryonic stem cell research, the legalization of medical marijuana, education funding, and opposition to voucher programs that divert tax dollars to private institutions.^[21] They also discussed the state party's support of teacher's rights to unionize and policies to protect homeowners from unfair foreclosures.^[21] Other party platform positions included support for the elimination of predatory lending practices, support for limitations on credit card interest rates, support for the elimination of the state sales tax on food, support for increasing taxes on the wealthiest citizens of Oklahoma, and support for reforms to the state criminal justice system.^[21] The party's position on gun laws was moderate, stating support for limited, but responsible gun laws.^[21] The party also supports continued investments in green energies.^[21]

Current elected officials

Democrats haven’t won the Oklahoma House of Representatives since 2002 nor the Oklahoma State Senate since 2006, when they last won any statewide election (with Democrats winning most statewide executive offices on the ballot that year). The last Democrat to hold statewide office in Oklahoma is Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister, who switched parties from Republican to Democrat in October 2021 and subsequently left office in January 2023, having been term limited and unsuccessfully ran for Governor of Oklahoma in 2022. She was succeeded by Republican Ryan Walters. At least 2 of the current chiefs of the 5 Tribes are Democrats: Chuck Hoskin Jr. (Cherokee Nation), and Bill Anoatubby (Chickasaw Nation). Oklahoma’s congressional delegation has been entirely Republican since 2021 and previously from 2013 to 2019.

State Legislative leadership

• Senate Minority Leader: Julia Kirt^[22]
• House Minority Leader: Cyndi Munson
• House Minority Whip: Mickey Dollens

Democratic Governors

As of 2022^[update], there have been a total of 22 Democratic Party Governors.

#	Name	Picture	Lifespan	Gubernatorial start date	Gubernatorial end date
1	Charles N. Haskell		1860–1933	November 16, 1907	January 9, 1911
2	Lee Cruce		1863–1933	January 9, 1911	January 11, 1915
3	Robert L. Williams		1868–1948	January 11, 1915	January 13, 1919
4	James B. A. Robertson		1871–1938	January 13, 1919	January 8, 1923
5	Jack C. Walton		1881–1949	January 8, 1923	November 19, 1923
6	Martin E. Trapp		1877–1951	November 19, 1923	January 10, 1927
7	Henry S. Johnston		1867–1965	January 10, 1927	March 20, 1929
8	William J. Holloway		1888–1970	March 20, 1929	January 12, 1931
9	William H. Murray		1869–1956	January 12, 1931	January 14, 1935
10	E. W. Marland		1874–1941	January 15, 1935	January 9, 1939
11	Leon C. Phillips		1890–1958	January 9, 1939	January 11, 1943
12	Robert S. Kerr		1896–1963	January 11, 1943	January 13, 1947
13	Roy J. Turner		1894–1973	January 13, 1947	January 8, 1951
14	Johnston Murray		1902–1974	January 8, 1951	January 10, 1955
15	Raymond D. Gary		1908–1993	January 10, 1955	January 12, 1959
16	J. Howard Edmondson		1925–1971	January 12, 1959	January 6, 1963
17	George Nigh		1927–	January 6, 1963	January 14, 1963
20	David Hall		1930–2016	January 11, 1971	January 13, 1975
21	David Boren		1941–	January 13, 1975	January 8, 1979
22	George Nigh		1927–	January 8, 1979	January 12, 1987
24	David Walters		1951–	January 14, 1991	January 9, 1995
26	Brad Henry		1963–	January 13, 2003	January 10, 2011

See also

• Politics of Oklahoma
• U.S. Democratic Party
• Oklahoma Libertarian Party
• Oklahoma Republican Party

References

1. "The ODP Makes History Again – Elects First African American Woman Chair". 10 June 2019.
2. "Voter Registration Statistics" (PDF). Oklahoma State Election Board. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
3. Oklahoma Government, Oklahoma Historical Society (accessed February 11, 2010).
4. Gaddie, Ronald Keith. (2011-11-07). "Democratic Party". Oklahoma Historical Society.
5. State Election Board Releases Annual Voter Registration Statistics, Oklahoma State Election Board (accessed 21 June 2021)
6. Carney, George O., "McGuire, George O. (1865-1930)," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture Archived May 31, 2010, at the Wayback Machine (accessed May 28, 2010).
7. Everett, Dianna. Budget-Balancing Amendment Archived 2012-11-19 at the Wayback Machine, Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture (accessed May 11, 2013)
8. Franklin, Jimmie Lewis. African Americans Archived 2012-11-03 at the Wayback Machine, Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture Archived April 16, 2009, at the Wayback Machine (accessed May 11, 2013)
9. Forman, Carmen (16 April 2021). "Rep. Mauree Turner is 'comfortable with being uncomfortable' in Oklahoma's Legislature". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
10. Contact Us, Oklahoma Democratic Party (accessed February 11, 2010).
11. State Central Committee, Oklahoma Democratic Party (accessed February 11, 2010).
12. Gilgoff, Dan (16 July 2006). "Dean's List". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012. Retrieved April 26, 2007.
13. Ydoklahoma.com (accessed May 11, 2013)
14. "State Central Committee".
15. "ABOUT". OK Democratic Party. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
16. "ABOUT". OK Democratic Party. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
17. "ABOUT". OK Democratic Party. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
18. "ABOUT". OK Democratic Party. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
19. "ABOUT". OK Democratic Party. Retrieved 2024-11-21.
20. 2012 Election Analysis: Obama and Oklahoma Democrats, Soonerpoll.com (accessed May 11, 2013)
21. Baggett, James. "Oklahoma Democrats." 2011 Convention: Rules, Resolutions, Affirmative Action Committee members (two men and two women); to consider proposed Minutes from 2009. Oklahoma Democrats, n.d. Web. 7 Nov. 2011. <http://www.okdemocrats.org 2011-convention-rules-resolutions-minutes-from-2009>.
22. "Kay Floyd | Oklahoma Senate".

External links

• Oklahoma Democratic Party