Latino legislative candidates reflect on primary losses, representation in Oklahoma Statehouse

On a hot day in late April, Nicole Maldonado found herself outside the Oklahoma State Capitol urging hundreds of Latinos there to protest a sweeping anti-immigration bill to educate themselves about current and pending state legislation before it’s too late. And vote representation of their values and beliefs into state office.

Part of that would mean casting a vote for her in the race for state House District 88.

“In this moment, we have to fight and we have to stand firm with our community,” Maldonado shouted into a megaphone in Spanish. “The best way we can make a stand is to all get out and vote on June 18 and November 5.”

The crowd chanted and applauded in approval. As a self-described queer woman and an immigrant from Colombia, she thought she could best represent the diversity of Oklahomans in House District 88 and beyond in a way, she said, that would build upon the work of Rep. Mauree Turner, D-Oklahoma City.

Maldonado works as Turner’s legislative assistant and has spent the last year soaking in how the first non-binary state legislator in the country navigates an at times hostile environment within the statehouse. Maldonado decided to run for the seat two weeks before Turner announced they wouldn’t seek reelection.

Even with the edge of early access to the news of Turner’s exit, Maldonado said her experience campaigning was tough.

“Everything happened super fast,” she said sitting. “My life changed so much in such a short period of time that it was insane. I’m still processing everything that happened.”

She became one of two fresh Latino faces to run for a state legislative office this year, along with Sam Wargin Grimaldo, who ran for state Senate District 46.

Both candidates hoped to capitalize on heightened awareness and a sense of activism among Latinos over House Bill 4156, a bill criminalizing all unauthorized immigrants in the state. The candidates said they hoped the historic energy build-up would help propel them into office.

One WhatsApp group activists use to rally thousands to protest at the Oklahoma State Capitol is even called “El Gigante ha Despertado,” or “The giant has awakened.”

Despite that, both lost their races during this June’s primary elections.

Thousands of Oklahomans representing immigrant communities in the state came together during this year’s Hispanic Day at the Capitol celebration to protest HB 4156 for a second time, May 15, 2024, outside the Oklahoma State Capitol.
High political energy among Latinos fizzles before primaries

The idea that a dormant political energy is waking up within Latinos in Oklahoma is especially popular among the hundreds of members of the community who’ve joined groups like “El Gigante ha Despertado,” on WhatsApp and other social media platforms. But that energy hardly carried people to the polls when they had the choice to elect a Latino in the primaries.

Grimaldo said it’s a pattern.

“The results showed us again, what we’ve seen multiple times, is that voter turnout is what’s lacking and what leads to these disappointing results,” Grimaldo said.

Rep. Arturo Alonso-Sandoval, D-Oklahoma City, won his race for House District 89 uncontested. Rep. Annie Menz, D-Norman, will face two challengers during the general election for another chance at House District 45.

Sen. Jessica Garvin, R-Duncan, lost her reelection for Senate District 43 in June.

The results mean no new Latinos will appear on any ballots for legislative districts during the upcoming runoff or general elections, and fewer Latinos are slated to serve in the state legislature next year.

And while Latino voters don’t solely determine election outcomes, in some majority-Latino precincts within Grimaldo’s district, voter turnout was as low as 3%, according to census data and race results posted by the Oklahoma State Election Board.

Grimaldo said he thinks those precincts are micro-examples of big-picture redistricting policies and other obstacles to the ballot. He said there is a need to rework the state’s voting districts down to the precinct level.

“I live right next door to the Capitol Hill Library, which is a precinct, a polling place,” he said. “I’m not assigned to that one. I’m assigned to Andrews Square which is about a half mile from my house. It’s odd.

‘A sustained effort’

Mark Mann is the educator and nonprofit leader who beat Grimaldo in the Democratic primaries. He said the political energy mustered didn’t just go away.

“I don’t think that energy is lost just because a particular candidate or two candidates didn’t get elected,” Mann said. “I think that energy has been harnessed.”

He said he suspects Latinos in Oklahoma will continue to carry that energy into the next legislative session and beyond.

“I understand representation matters, but what matters even more than that is somebody that shares your values and will represent your views at the Capitol, regardless of what community you come from,” he said.

Going forward, Grimaldo – who is a former public school teacher – plans to continue activating more young Latinos into civic life, which was a focus of his campaign.

He said the experience of running for office taught him a valuable lesson when it comes to advocating for his community.

“It’s not just about one election cycle or issue,” he said. “It has to be a multi-pronged approach and a sustained effort.”

Maldonado said she’s not done with politics either. She has plans to go to law school and return to Oklahoma City to represent her community better equipped.

“We can do amazing things to represent, in a genuine way, all of our communities,” she said. “So I would like to run for office. I don’t know if for the state House or for the state Senate. But I think that I do see myself doing it again.”

This article was originally published by KOSU.