(Update:Â On Tuesday, June 16, GOP candidates Crystal Campbell and Scotty Stokes advanced to an Aug. 25 runoff election.)
Three Republicans are vying to become the next representative for House District 9, including the mayor of Claremore, a former field representative for a U.S. senator and a retired Tulsa Fire Department professional.
Running for the seat are Crystal Campbell, Debbie Long and Scotty Stokes. HD 9 covers parts of Rogers and Tulsa counties in northeast Oklahoma, including the community of Claremore.
The winner of the June 16 primary will face off against Andrea Biscardi, the only Democrat to file, in November to determine who succeeded Rep. Mark Lepak (R-Claremore), who reached his term limit this year.
If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote in the GOP primary, the top two finishers will advance to an Aug. 25 runoff.
The following cheat sheet offers an overview of the Republican candidates running in the HD 9 primary election and is derived from publicly available information, such as campaign websites and social media pages. Candidates are listed alphabetically.
Crystal Campbell
Age:Â 50
Profession/background:Â Crystal Campbell describes herself as a wife and mother of five, according to her website. In recent years, she worked as a field representative for former U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, serving communities across northeast Oklahoma. She also helped lead the Will Rogers Park Project aimed at improving the lives of Claremore families. Campbell was raised in Oklahoma and she and her husband have been married for more than two decades.
Platform:Â Campbell’s campaign focuses on lowering taxes, backing law enforcement, supporting school choice and improving roads and infrastructure, all of which are listed on her website. She frames her experience in constituent services as preparation for the job.
“I’m running for state House because I believe government should work for the people — not the other way around,” Campbell wrote in her campaign announcement. “Families in District 9 need a voice at the Capitol who understands their challenges, shares their values, and is ready to fight for lower taxes, safer communities, stronger schools and a better future for our children.”
Campbell has been endorsed by incumbent Rep. Lepak in a Facebook post.
Debbie Long
Age:Â 64
Profession/background:Â According to her website, Debbie Long has deep roots in the Claremore area, where she says eight generations of her family have lived. She ran a Claremore business for more than 35 years and served for two decades as the volunteer executive director of Leadership Rogers County.
Long later won election for mayor of Claremore in 2023, thrusting her into crisis management when an EF-3 tornado struck the community in May 2024. She helped coordinate volunteers, deliver supplies and arrange temporary housing, while also co-founding the Claremore and Rogers County disaster assistance group to support long-term recovery.
Platform:Â Long’s platform centers on disaster relief infrastructure, education reform and reducing government overreach, according to her website. She is calling for a state disaster assistance bridge fund to fill gaps left by FEMA and insurance after major disasters.
On education, she says parental choice and public schools both matter and that students thrive when parents, legislators and school districts work together. She has also called for reviewing fees and policies that burden families.
“I want to advocate for fair rural funding and support smaller communities,” Long said in a campaign video. “Representation should reach every road in every town. That’s the goal.”
Scotty Stokes
Age:Â 57
Profession/background:Â Scotty Stokes spent his career in emergency services, retiring in 2020 as a Tulsa Fire Department captain and paramedic after earning Tulsa “firefighter of the year” honors in both 2001 and 2011, according to his website.
He has served since 2013 as the emergency management director for Rogers County, leading the community’s response and recovery through four federally declared disasters. He is also the founder and served 20 years as a director of the Oklahoma Firefighters Burn Camp, an organization that has supported hundreds of child burn survivors through an annual summer camp and scholarship program.
Platform:Â Stokes is running on a platform of public safety, family support and conservative values, as listed on his website. He wants to use his emergency management background to improve disaster response and preparedness at the state level, and has called for tough-on-crime policies to keep neighborhoods safe.
He also supports parental rights, improved public education and reducing the tax burden on families and small businesses.
“We need more common sense at the State Capitol to stand up for our values and our way of life,” Stokes said in a campaign video.
