As you read this article, it’s likely the foremost topic of the Oklahoma City lobbyist-politician, bureaucratic club that haunts the Oklahoma City Capitol scene every February through May: “Have you heard that <insert legislator name here> has an opponent? I sure hope I don’t get one.”
The state’s political elites, and those who wine and dine those elites, receiving so much taxpayer-funded largess in return, thrive on this gossip. The consultants are running the polls, the dark-money groups are anxious to save their politicians, and the fear — the constant fear — of the barbarians at the gate, the grassroots hordes, dominates the psyche of the arrogant incumbents, convinced that they will not themselves become the next Greg McCortney or Kevin Wallace — the powerful Oklahoma legislators disposed from the highest of highs during the last election cycle.
Last week, I described how this very real phenomenon is affecting policy — as what I believe to be one of powerful Oklahoma political power broker Chris Kannady’s foremost lieutenants, Collin Duel, allowed a key grassroots initiative out of his committee, clearly against the “freeze them out” ethos Team Kannady, including Kannady’s sidekick, House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, had sought to build over the last year.
But one shouldn’t have any doubt: had Duel been unchallenged in this year’s election, he would have been free to continue the shutting out of grassroots initiatives. Put simply, Duel couldn’t deliver for the power brokers because he has a courageous challenger who, against all odds in a David v. Goliath scenario, is willing to be the David — trusting only in the goodness of providence for the right outcome, an outcome that simply shouldn’t be feasible given all of Duel’s institutional support, dark-money support, and status as the incumbent.
David does defeat Goliath, and let’s hope that this will be the case, but, even if Duel’s challenger doesn’t win, she is already having a dramatic effect on public policy, just by the existence of her courage and dedication to doing what is right, even when it means putting her time, reputation, and great personal expense on the line.
And that’s the amazing opportunity that presents itself to grassroots challengers all across the state: to be the person who puts their energy, money, and reputation on the line — to, against all odds, challenge their arrogant incumbent — to actually give the people a choice — knowing that their hard work will likely be detected by the establishment’s constant polling apparatus, earning them the “privilege” of being publicly ridiculed, libeled, and defamed by anonymous dark-money forces whose identities may never be known to the public, and who, by virtue of their relationships with the politicians, work to preserve their corrupt stake in millions of taxpayer dollars — thus justifying the expenditure of many thousands of dollars to destroy the reputation of the challenger while propping up their incumbent of choice.
It’s a sick game, and those courageous challengers who step into that breach are patriots of the highest order, sacrificing so much to preserve what was given to us at so much cost to those who gave it.
And though many will not be successful, the point is: to not try at all is to surrender.
For you see, for the next month, to some extent, every non-term-limited incumbent has to assume that they, like Duel, may also find themselves on the receiving end of a courageous challenge from one who will hold them to account.
For the next month, they will be hyper-responsive to the people, will watch each vote carefully, and will do whatever they can to ensure that they don’t experience what they believe to be the ultimate indignity: having to give up their election-year vacation plans and instead be required to go back to the people, spend some of the lobbyist-funded war chest they have so carefully built up, and worry about answering some tough questions about their many betrayals of our values.
But on April 3rd, at the stroke of 5 o’clock, all of that changes.
It’s then when the faces of dozens of incumbents form into that sinister, smug grin — not unlike the smugness expressed in the photo of House Speaker Kyle Hilbert attached to his celebration of the massive giveaway to the United Arab Emirates corporation that will do so much damage to the Judeo-Christian culture of our state — as they hit refresh on the Oklahoma Elections Board’s listing of candidates for the hundredth time over the course of the last three days and realize that their deception of the grassroots has worked: they will be unchallenged, and for the rest of the year completely unfettered in their ability to do whatever they feel like — most likely whatever the special interests and bureaucrats and other politicians ask of them.
Worse, the second-worst class in the House — the 2016 class, whose conservative culture was decimated by the pawning of the McCall/Echols machine in 2017/2018, as they destroyed the integrity of a whole class of legislators with their constant and repeated attempts to increase taxes, betraying the Republican voters and the campaign platforms of Republican candidates — will become lame ducks, many never again having to worry about a referendum of the voters again, joining the current class of values-betraying, lame-duck legislators, thus greatly increasing that group’s sway in the House.
And perhaps most importantly, if the members of the leadership cabal — the Speaker, the Speaker Pro Tempore, the Floor Leader, the Appropriations and Budget Chair and Vice Chair — in other words, the small handful of legislators who actually hold the real power — are able to get away without a challenge, then they will be absolutely free to push forward with all manner of values-betraying legislation and giveaways; especially Speaker of the House Kyle Hilbert, who, if not challenged for his right to represent the House District 29 constituency — a great constituency that deserves conservative representation for a change — will have a free hand to do what Chris Kannady requests of him, instead of what is right.
So for you, the reader, the question is this:
Is this your year to make that great sacrifice?
To not only offer the people a choice, but to help save the 2026 session of the Legislature — to keep the politicians responsible to the people, fearing the referendum that will occur just a few days after the conclusion of the session?
Frankly, if you haven’t already started, then this is a long-shot endeavor. Successful grassroots campaigns are ideally implemented at least one year out from the election, but even if you wait until April 3rd to make your decision, the most important factor is that you run.
Perhaps you won’t win this time, but you will build a foundation for next time.
And that’s the grassroots secret to reclaiming the Oklahoma House of Representatives — the House of the people, for the people: to start educating your district now, and never, ever stop, until either you, or another dedicated member of the grassroots, breaks through and wins.
As just two key examples, we can look at House Districts 32 and 33 — districts the dark forces of the establishment are desperate to reclaim during this election cycle, due to their status as home to two of the state’s foremost grassroots representatives: Jim Shaw and Molly Jenkins.
Shaw and Jenkins, whose re-election is vital, are set to survive the onset of the overwhelming power of the dark forces, which are already launching a full-out assault, not just because of their own efforts, but because, in each case, their 2024 upset victories were predated by grassroots candidates who educated the district in the previous election cycle.
Now, in 2026, those districts are entering into a third consecutive cycle in which there are grassroots candidates on the ballot — educating the public and allowing the voters to see through the smoke-and-mirrors game by which the establishment’s faux-conservative candidate of choice is exposed for all to see.
And as a quick aside, if you want to see a master class in how a grassroots legislator can offer a first-level, near-real-time response to dark-money attacks, visit JenkinsForHouse.com and tap the “Rapid Response” button. There, you’ll see how Jenkins is executing an impressive one-for-one direct-mail counteroffensive to the latest sketchy dark-money smears — attacks this publication looks forward to exposing in future articles. And while you’re there, take a moment to hit “Donate” and help sustain her remarkable campaign — a campaign that will serve as a case study for future generations of grassroots legislators as they survive the assault of some of the most entrenched, sophisticated, despicable dark-money forces in modern politics.
Thus the need for urgency. One simply can’t wait for another election cycle, or for the incumbent to retire or be term-limited. Instead, it’s vital to start now.
Unless you are in one of the eight out of 101 districts identified by the 2025 People’s Audit as having a representative who is actually representing the values of the people, if you — or a contact — are ready to step up, it’s time to get started now.
The State Election Board filing packet can be found here: https://oklahoma.gov/elections/candidates/2026-candidate-filing-information.html
And, as always, never hesitate to hit reply to this email, and let’s talk about your commitment to the cause.
And very importantly, spread this article far and wide. You never know when it will be your forward — or your social media post — that inspires the next great conservative leader to step up and do their part.
This April 3rd: On The Importance of Stopping your State Representative's 5 O’Clock Smirk
Click the title to read the full report at Jason Murphey Blog
March 2, 2026 at 10:10AM - J Murphey
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