TVLSE, Oklv. – On this year’s Democratic primary election ballot Oklahoma voters will see a Mvskoke citizen’s name with a checkbox beside it. Dennis Baker (Euchee/Mvskoke) is now running for the Oklahoma 1st Congressional District, which is set for June 18. Baker is running against opponent Evelyn Rogers. If Baker wins his primary he will run against the current Republican incumbent, Kevin Hern and independent candidate Mark Sanders.
Baker is an Oklahoma native originally from Claremore and raised in Okmulgee. He has served in law enforcement, as well as an FBI Special Agent in federal offices across the United States. For Baker, the moment he knew he wanted to run for office was when he saw Congress under attack by rioters trying to stop the 2020 Presidential Election certification in early 2021.
“For me it came down to January 6 and the insurrection at the capital,” Baker said. “As I watched the capital being stormed, I was pretty disheartened and dismayed. It was upsetting to see that happening.”
When it comes down to the top issue of this year’s election, Baker believes it is the economy. Although economists cite that the job market is strong, consumers are still feeling the sting of inflation in everyday expenses like gas, groceries and housing. According to Baker, he believes this is especially hurting low-income families in the state.
“We have such a high poverty rate, we’re one of the top ten in the country in our poverty rate. One in five Oklahoma children live in poverty,” Baker said. “To me that’s unforgivable, it’s not something you’ll hear Republicans addressing.”
Additionally, Baker remarked that he believes attacks on unions have resulted in fewer high paying unionized jobs. Coupled with the rising costs of healthcare, daycare, and housing, this has put consumers in tight financial situations, and left families struggling to make ends meet.
A local issue Baker is passionate about is bringing back a high-speed passenger rail service between Tulsa and Oklahoma City, a buzz topic that has been echoed by municipal and state candidates for years. If the project comes to fruition, Oklahoma citizens could see an alternative option to using the highway system between the state’s largest municipalities. The last time Oklahomans used a rail service between Tulsa and Oklahoma City was over 50 years ago.
When it comes to issues facing Native Americans, particularly in Oklahoma, Baker sees the number one issue facing these communities as attacks on tribal sovereignty. As a result, these attacks have come at a great cost to the tribes and taxpayers. Baker’s solution to the issue is cooperation over division.
“It’s the millions of dollars that are being spent at the state level by a governor, who appears to me to be anti-tribal sovereignty,” Baker said. “We have the City of Tulsa challenging McGirt in court. It’s costing the city millions, it’s costing the tribes millions to defend. McGirt is the supreme law of the land and instead of challenging it, I would challenge our leaders at the state level and the city level to work with our tribal leaders and cooperate in a manner that benefits everyone.”
To learn more about Baker’s platform, visit his campaign website.
