(Update:Â On Tuesday, June 16, GOP candidates Roberta Seda and Teresa Sterling advanced to an Aug. 25 runoff election.)
Five Republicans are vying for the House District 91 seat Rep. Chris Kannady will leave open as he reaches his term limit — and Kannady has already chosen a preferred successor.
Bruce Fleming, Michael Freeman, Roberto Seda, Debbie Schultz and Teresa Sterling hope to replace Kannady, an influential attorney, National Guard member and political powerbroker who has given his endorsement to Sterling.
All five candidates champion their Christian conservative values, and most hope to tackle affordability issues if elected to the Legislature.
Running from the intersection of Southwest 89th Street and Western Avenue down to the South Canadian River, House District 91 covers the southwestern most section of Oklahoma City and a few neighbors in west Moore.
If none of the candidates receives a majority in the June 16 primary, the top two finishers will face each other in an Aug. 25 runoff election. The eventual Republican nominee will face a Democratic opponent, Chris Fowler, in November.
The following cheat sheet offers an overview of the HD 91 Republican candidates based on information from publicly available sources, such as websites, social media pages and other online resources. Candidates are presented in alphabetical order.
Bruce Fleming
Age: 69
Profession/Background: Bruce Fleming is making his fourth campaign for House District 91, losing to Kannady three times in the past. He graduated from Seminole State College and is now retired from his warehouse job at Hobby Lobby, a post on his Facebook said.
Platform: In another Facebook post, Fleming said he will “sign no new tax increase.”
He would like to “freeze, reduce or (get) rid (of)” property taxes for seniors. Fleming supports state sovereignty and wants to “curb the encroachment of the federal government on the rights of the state and its people.”
More locally, Fleming would call for audits of all state government agencies and programs in pursuit of transparency and accountability.
Harkening back to his campaigns of the past, Fleming supports more school choice and local control.
“I will return public schools back to local citizens and school boards. Teach the truth in schools,” Fleming wrote on Facebook.
He posted asking residents to call on their legislators to pass HB 4420 and SB 1778, which ultimately merged in a House-Senate compromise to pass literacy reforms that teach phonics and retain students in third grade until they can meet reading benchmarks.
Fleming has also promoted a website opposing open primaries, and he supports total abortion bans.
“I supported and was on the board of the Metro South Crisis Pregnancy Center for many years, which is now the Hope Pregnancy Center South, which I still support,” Fleming wrote on Facebook.
Fleming supports the right to bear arms, and he cites his Christian faith as the basis for marriage between one man and one woman.
Links: Facebook
Michael Freeman
Age: 55
Profession/Background: Michael Freeman has worked at the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality for 31 years, according to his LinkedIn. He has served in multiple roles there, including as a criminal investigator for 24 years. His current position is as an environmental programs specialist.
Freeman is also a small-business owner and operator of a registered investment firm.
Platform: Freeman’s campaign slogan on his website is, “Saving America by restoring faith and family.” Freeman wants to end property taxes because “you shouldn’t have to pay rent to the government for a lifetime.”
Freeman also wants to champion victims rights, a desire that largely stems from the loss of his daughter, Rachel, to a drug-and-alcohol-impaired driver. He “stands with Trump to deport illegal criminal aliens.”
Freeman says he “believes in standing against government overreach and prioritizing personal liberties with solid conservative principles,” according to his website.
The Oklahoma 2nd Amendment Association and the Make Oklahoma Healthy Again political action committee have both endorsed Freeman.
Freeman advises that voters “be skeptical” of politicians making promises about what they will accomplish.
“An individual member will get nothing accomplished without working with others, and the best efforts and intentions will fail,” Freeman wrote on Facebook. “The governor doesn’t make laws, and without the Legislature behind him he will accomplish nothing when it comes to legislation. A true leader is not a bully.”
He said he has “no illusion” that he can fix everything if elected.
“What I can promise is that I’ll stand for the people of my district and represent them to the best of my ability, making every effort to pass good legislation and steadfastly oppose bad, doing the best I can for all Oklahomans,” Freeman wrote on Facebook.
Roberto Seda
Age: 47
Profession/Background: Roberto Seda is an attorney at his own firm. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Oklahoma State University, a masters in business administration and his law degree from Oklahoma City University, his website states.
Platform: Seda wants public schools to teach students financial literacy.
“Financial literacy should be taught in schools so our kids can grow up understanding how to manage money, save, and make informed financial decisions,” Seda wrote on his website.
Among Seda’s top priories are addressing the rising costs of insurance, energy and groceries, and he also supports freezing property taxes for seniors.
“Oklahoma families should not be forced to choose between paying bills and feeding their children,” Seda wrote on his website. “It’s time for real leadership to address the rising cost of living and provide relief for hard-working Oklahomans.”
He wants families to “thrive without overbearing government interference.”
“Whether it’s promoting a strong education system, supporting pro-life policies, or protecting parental rights, I will always fight to defend the family unit,” Seda wrote on his website.
Seda also wants to limit the state’s spending.
“Oklahoma’s budget has exploded over the years, and it’s time to rein in the wasteful spending that’s draining our resources. I believe in fiscal discipline and efficiency,” Seda wrote on his website. I’ll fight to eliminate wasteful spending, cut unnecessary programs, and ensure your tax dollars are being used responsibly. We need a budget that works for the people, not the special interests.”
Debbie Shultz
Age: 43
Profession/Background: Debbie Shultz is a wife, mother and educator, according to her website. She serves on two boards, “one that focuses on providing meals and resources for the homeless population of southwest Oklahoma City and the other that focuses on strengthening the education of young children in our state,” although her website does not name the organizations.
According to her LinkedIn, however, Schultz serves on the boards of the Oklahoma Association for the Education of Young Children and the Southern Hills Outreach Foundation. She has held multiple roles for the Southern Hills United Methodist Church, working in early childhood education for more than two decades.
Platform: Shultz believes the state should “gradually eliminate property taxes for all Oklahomans.”
“In the meantime, I aim to work with them to put an immediate stop to the ongoing taxation affecting our elderly population,” Shultz wrote on her website.
Caring for the elderly is important to Shultz, and she would like to ensure funding for programs like Mobile Meals to give seniors access to nutritious meals every day.
With Oklahoma Republicans also voting Tuesday in a four-way race for insurance commissioner, Shultz called for a “comprehensive overhaul of insurance.”
“Home and auto insurance rates keep rising, while companies repeatedly deny claims that should indeed be covered,” Shultz wrote online. “Furthermore, health insurance providers are raising premiums while simultaneously reducing coverage amounts, leaving many Oklahomans struggling to afford life-saving medications.”
Shultz believes in supporting parental choice in education, phonics-based reading and local school board control over curricula. She “fully supports” immigrants who “legally pursue freedom and opportunities.”
“We as citizens must uphold the principles of limited government, individual liberty, natural rights, and personal moral responsibility,” Shultz wrote. “We must envision Oklahoma as a land of opportunity, where those who work diligently and follow fair and equally enforced laws can chase their dreams with a realistic expectation of success.”
To support veterans, Shultz “would advocate for the expansion of community care, which enables veterans to consult private-sector doctors outside of the VA system.”
Teresa Sterling
Age: 59
Profession/Background: Teresa Sterling is a retired child abuse detective, her website states. She worked for the Oklahoma City Police Department for 26 years. In 2022, Sterling ran for House District 45 in east Norman, finishing with 46.5 percent of the vote against Rep. Annie Menz (D-Norman).
“After my mother died from neglect in a nursing home, I knew I had to do something. I’ve spent my life fighting for victims and holding people accountable,” Sterling wrote on her website. “Now I’m running for state House to protect the vulnerable, fix what’s broken, and stand up for Oklahoma’s conservative values.”
Platform: Kannady has endorsed Sterling as he reaches his term limit in HD 91, and she is also endorsed by The Veterans and Public Safety Caucus.
“As a veteran who has served our community with honor, his words mean a great deal to me. Rep. Kannady has been a strong voice for Oklahoma House District 91, and I’m grateful he believes I’m the right person to continue that fight after he is term-limited,” Sterling wrote on Facebook. “His endorsement reminds me why I’m running — to protect our families, uphold our values, and deliver real results for our district.”
Motivated by her mother’s death, Sterling wants to “overhaul nursing home oversight and fix the broken DHS system that’s failing vulnerable children and seniors.”
Sterling has a son who is currently a teacher, which she says has given her insight into the state’s education system.
“Teresa regularly seeks his firsthand perspective on the challenges facing our schools,” her Facebook states. “She understands the difficulties teachers face, the importance of parental involvement and the need for greater respect and support for educators.”
She supports parental choice and wants to “end woke policies in schools.”
“Our kids need to learn reading, writing, and real history — not radical agendas,” her website states. “Teresa will stop CRT, DEI mandates and gender ideology in the classroom.”
Sterling called out politicians for not including their thoughts on President Donald Trump in campaign materials.
“This is the season when candidates flood your mailboxes and knock on your doors, handing out push cards and telling you where they stand on the issues. But here’s what I’ve noticed: far too many of them refuse to tell you where they stand on President Donald J. Trump,” Sterling wrote on her Facebook. “With me, you’ll never have to wonder. I’ve voted for President Trump three times, and I am an unapologetic MAGA Republican.”
Sterling also states that she wants to ban benefits for undocumented immigrants, protect the unborn and protect the Second Amendment.
