By Constitution Staff

On Saturday, May 5th, state Senator Nathan Dahm (R-Broken Arrow) was elected state chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party. The 2023 Oklahoma Republican State Convention was held in Tulsa. The party elects officers in odd numbered years to organize for the elections held in the even numbered year.

Dahm’s election was considered an upset victory, since he only joined the race in the final days leading up to the convention. Dahm, 40, has been one of Oklahoma’s most conservative legislators. At the convention he defeated the sitting Oklahoma GOP Chairman A.J. Ferate and former state Rep. Sean Roberts (R-Hominy). The two had been engaged in a fierce battle for the post for many weeks.

Ferate was named chairman by the Republican State Committee in May of last year to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of John Bennett who quit the post to run for the Second District seat in Congress. Ferate had served as the legal counsel for the state GOP prior to his appointment. Roberts, who was term-limited and unable to run for reelection to his seat in the legislature last year, challenged incumbent Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn for the Republican nomination, but lost in the August GOP primary election.

Most were surprised when Dahm took first place with 42.4% of the delegate votes, finishing slightly ahead of Roberts with 41.09%. Ferate finished last with 16.51 percent. After his loss, Ferate endorsed Dahm in the runoff election. Dahm won 59.52% of the vote on the runoff ballot and Roberts received 40.48 percent.

Dahm will serve as chairman for the next two years. He has served as the Oklahoma State Senator for District 33 since 2012. His current term will expire in 2024 and will not be able to run for reelection due to term limits. He made an unsuccessful race in the Special Election last year to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Sen. Jim Inhofe.

Some questioned the propriety of Dahm being a seated legislator while also serving in the top party leadership position. However, others note that he will be completing the final year of his Senate 4-year term and since he cannot run for reelection next year, he will not be on the ballot while running the party.

Wayne Hill, a director of the state Oklahoma 2nd Amendment Association, was elected vice chairman with 58% of the delegate vote over several other contenders.

Democrats also held their state convention in Tulsa on Saturday and Sunday, June 3rd and 4th. Alicia Andrews, the first elected African American in Oklahoma history to chair any political party, was reelected with 81% of the vote. She was first elected 2019 and was reelected in 2021. Former State Representative Corey Williams from Stillwater was elected Vice-Chair.

Oklahoma’s third officially recognized political party, the Libertarian Party held their convention in Altus on March 11. Bethany Councilman Chris Powell was selected as state chair to replace Will Daugherty, who chose not to seek another term. Powell unsuccessfully ran for Lt. Governor last year and for Governor in 2018. Former Altus Councilman Dillon Feazel won the Vice-Chair.