On Tuesday, Nov. 3, some Oklahoma voters will decide who they want to represent them in Congress. The state's fifth congressional district has four options: Republican incumbent Stephanie Bice, Democratic nominee Jena Nelson, Independent Robert Henri or Independent Austin Nieves.
The fifth congressional district encompasses six counties in central Oklahoma, including all of Lincoln, Pottawatomie and Seminole counties, as well as parts of Oklahoma, Canadian and Logan counties. A significant amount of land within the district's eastern portion intersects with tribal jurisdictions.
Incumbent Republican candidate Stephanie Bice
Bice has served as the fifth district's Representative since 2021. She became the Republican nominee this election cycle after running uncontested in the Republican primary. Bice is endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce PAC.
According to her campaign website, Bice is a fourth-generation Oklahoman with a pro-life and pro-Second Amendment ideologies. Her priorities are balancing the country's budget, in-person learning and strengthening military services.
A spokesperson for her campaign said in a statement Bice is focused on "cleaning up Congress" as well as promoting policies like paid family leave to support Oklahoma families and businesses.
"Bice has a record of results, not rhetoric—protecting Social Security, voting to ban congressional stock trading, and supporting the child tax credit to help families keep more of what they earn," the spokesperson wrote. "This Congress, she led the effort to prevent the largest tax hike in history, and supported no tax on tips, overtime, and on social security, putting more money in your pockets."
Bice faced backlash from within her party earlier this year after saying voters have "Trump fatigue." In an interview with News on 6, she said the comment was taken out of context, and that people are experiencing political fatigue in general as a result of media and social media.
"People are tired. They want government to function for them. They want Congress to function, and that's why I'm here. To get the things done that are going to make the most difference to Oklahomans," Bice said in the interview.
According to the Federal Election Commission, Bice has spent $1.8 million on this campaign.
Democratic nominee Jena Nelson
Jena Nelson is the Democratic nominee for Oklahoma's fifth congressional district. She earned about 57% of the vote in the Democratic primary.
Nelson previously ran for state superintendent in 2022, but lost to Republican Ryan Walters. At that time, she garnered about 43% support statewide and won in district 5. Nelson is endorsed by the Oklahoma Retired Educators Association.
In an interview, Nelson said her biggest priority is lowering the cost of living.
"People are just struggling right now," Nelson said. "We all deserve to have lowered cost of living. We all deserve good health care. We all deserve a great education, and we deserve to have our Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security protected. And that's what I intend to do, no matter who they are."
Nelson said the most important thing she wants voters to know is that it's time to vote for someone who is going to "show up and fight for them."
"I truly have been meeting people wherever they are," Nelson said. "I don't want people to feel like they don't have a voice, and so many people have told me — Republicans and Democrats right now — that they feel like they don't have a voice anymore."
According to the Federal Election Commission, Nelson has spent nearly $700,000 on her campaign.
Independent candidates Robert Henri, Austin Nieves
Robert Henri is an independent candidate running for Oklahoma's fifth congressional district. On his campaign website, he wrote he is running for Congress because the government should answer to the people who fund their campaigns, not the people who fund the government.
His priorities include setting term limits in Congress, banning congressional stock trading and restricting Congress from voting on bills members haven't read.
"What do these all have in common? Every one of them has majority support across the political spectrum. These are not partisan issues. They are American issues. Many have been demanded for years, in some cases for decades," Henri wrote.
As of his most recent campaign finance report in August, Henri's campaign has spent about $5000.
Austin Nieves is an independent candidate running for Oklahoma's fifth congressional district. He does not appear to have a campaign website. Nieves does have a LinkedIn, where he occasionally posts campaign-related content.
Nieves' most recent post is a tongue-in-cheek video with various AI generated images and a list of campaign objectives.
"Campaign financing shall not exceed the salary of the office position to be elected," Nieves wrote in the video. "Excess contributions shall be sent directly to homelessness resolutions and V.A."
Nieves does not appear to have filed campaign finance information with the Federal Election Commission.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
