3 Republicans Vying for State House in Rezoned District that Includes So. Blaine

GEARY -- Southern Blaine County will see new representation in Oklahoma City next year after redistricting moved the area from House District 57 into HD 55. And with Rep. Todd Russ term-limited, three Republican men are now vying to replace him in the new-look district.

Nick Archer, Tad Boone and Jeff Sawatzky are the three contenders looking for the GOP nomination in next month's primary election. There is no Democratic candidate contesting the race in this deeply conservative district, meaning the primary winner will take the seat.

The new HD 55 includes a broad swath of western Oklahoma and is oriented primarily east-west from Beckham County into Canadian County. It includes Elk City, Burns Flat, Cordell, Corn, Hydro, Geary, Calumet, and parts of El Reno and Okarche. In Blaine County, everything south of Greenfield is part of HD 55.

With so much change coming to the district, the Watonga Republican reached out to all three candidates with the same questions designed to introduce them to local voters. We thank them for submitting these thoughtful responses.

In alphabetical order, the candidates are:

Nick Archer

Nick Archer, 37, is the mayor of Elk City and the director of engineering for Elk City emissions testing provider Great Plains Analytical Services, or GAS. A University of Oklahoma graduate, Archer moved to Elk City as a child and now lives there with his wife Katie and two children.

Archer said his experience in municipal government made him interested in the state House. "I saw an opportunity to take all of the positive things we've done in Elk City over the past 3.5 years to the district and state," Archer said, listing a balanced budget, paid-off debts and community investment as some of the accomplishments of his term. "I wanted to broaden the reach, make a difference and impact in western Oklahoma as a whole."

Archer said creating economic development is a "prime objective" of his campaign, saying he hopes to promote legislation that will diversify the western Oklahoma economy while continuing to support oil and gas. Archer mentioned the space port near Burns Flat, a potential launch pad into outer space for the growing private space industry, as a key opportunity for economic growth.

He also mentioned rural health care access and infrastructure as priorities.

While Archer said he and his fellow candidates all have "very similar values," Archer believes his government experience as mayor and business experience at GAS "means a short learning curve" at the Capitol that "means we can get to work fighting for District 55 on day one."

More information about Archer and his policy positions can be found online at archerforok.com.

Tad Boone

Tad Boone, 48, serves on the Cordell city council. Boone graduated from Elk City, where he grew up and previously worked as the town's safety coordinator, and Southwestern Oklahoma State University. He moved into safety professional roles after extensive oilfield experience, he said.

In state government, Boone hopes to pass legislation that would change the way judges decide child custody hearings and make them fairer, he said, for fathers as well as mothers. The effort stems from personal experiences with messy custody battles that included what Boone said were false allegations made against him simply to sway the outcome.

"Dads don't usually get a fair shake when they go to court to get custody," Boone said, particularly in Oklahoma. He proposed bills to streamline the appeals process of custody cases and to create transparency about how particular judges decide such cases, on average, which he said would increase their accountability to voters.

Other ideas Boone mentioned were increasing price transparency for health care costs, abolishing gun-free zones, and supporting oil and gas production in the state. He said he is the right candidate for the district because he already "has a plan" for legislation. "I don't think the other guys really do."

Boone said he doesn't know Sawatzky personally but believes him to be a good man and strong conservative. But he was highly critical of Archer for his oversight of the Elk City government, where Boone used to work, saying the city has declined during Archer's tenure.

Archer told the Watonga Republican that Boone is "bitter" about being laid off. "The position he held reports to the city manager and I stand behind our (manager's) decision on matters of employment," Archer said in a text message.

Boone invited voters to reach out to him at 580-374-8323 or tadbooneokhouse55@gmail.com.

Jeff Sawatzky

Finally, Jeff Sawatzky is a 48-year-old farmer and rancher who lives just south of Clinton with his wife Amber. The couple has three children.

Sawatzky strives "to stay involved in the community," he said, as a former volunteer firef i g h t e r , Conservation District board member and president of the W a s h i t a Cattlemen's Association. "Being a servant is my sole purpose in running for this office," Sawatzky told the Watonga Republican. "We need a voice that will advocate and fight for the communities in district 55."

He described towns like Geary as the backbone of Oklahoma and said the key to strengthening such towns is to "stand firm" behind local law enforcement and incentivize economic development by helping district residents "start and grow their own business."

"Not only will this bring in a tax base for these towns," he said, "but it will energize the communities."

Sawatzky said he's the candidate who best understands the rural district. "I have worked very hard to build a sustainable life for me and my family," he said. "In a rural district like this, we need someone who understands the importance of our rural communities and the industries that thrive within them. The experience that I will take to the capitol is unmatched."

More information about Sawatzky is available at votesawatzky.com.