Another democratic socialist has won a Democratic congressional primary, this time in deeply red Oklahoma. This time, the victorious young progressive candidate hopes to draw on her unique background and life experiences as she faces an uphill battle to flip a Republican-held Senate seat.

Democratic socialist wins Democratic primary in heavily red Oklahoma

NBC News reported that Democratic newcomer N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas defeated Jim Priest in a runoff of the Democratic primary for Oklahoma’s open seat in the U.S. Senate. Thomas, a nurse running in her first political campaign, defeated Priest, a lawyer and minister, after the two advanced to a runoff from June’s Democratic primary vote. Thomas won the election despite spending only $57,000 on her primary campaign compared to Priest’s $315,000, according to Federal Election Commission filings by both candidates. Thomas reportedly had less than $500 in her campaign account at the beginning of August. She will now face Republican Rep. Kevin Hern in November to fill the Senate seat, which was left vacant when Republican Markwayne Mullin left the Senate to become President Trump’s Secretary of Homeland Security after Trump fired Kristi Noem from the position. Hern, whose campaign has $2.6 million going into the general election, is heavily favored to win in Oklahoma, which President Trump carried by 34 points in the 2024 election.

Despite the long odds, Thomas is hoping that her progressive stances will appeal to Oklahomans. Thomas told NBC News that she is a “self-proclaimed democratic socialist” but “not yet” a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. While she is critical of capitalism and supportive of many progressive policies, Thomas breaks with the DSA on some positions; for example, Thomas, whose husband serves in the U.S. military, is not in favor of defunding the Department of Defense. A nurse by profession, Thomas is an advocate of Medicare for All, as well as other policies such as universal childcare and parental leave, that are popular among progressives. Thomas also seeks to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Thomas is additionally on record for her opposition to President Trump, stating that if she were to become a senator, “I will make sure that I work as diligently as I can to make sure that within my first 100 days that we impeach, remove and convict President Trump.”

Thomas building on socialist wave, diverse background in Oklahoma Senate race

Even though she is not a formal member of the DSA, Thomas’ victory is yet another win for socialists and other progressives over more centrist candidates in Democratic primaries. With her victory, Thomas finds herself in a similar position as fellow Senate candidate Angie Nixon, who recently scored a surprise win in Florida’s Democratic Senate primary against a more well-funded, establishment-backed Democratic opponent, and Abdul El-Sayed, the progressive who won the Democratic Senate nomination in Michigan. Thomas also joins the ranks of socialist and progressive candidates who have won Democratic House primary races this year in New York, Michigan and Colorado. Thomas’ win further extends the socialist wave within the Democratic Party to a deeply conservative portion of the country.

While attempting to promote the democratic socialist message to Oklahomans, Thomas also brings a unique perspective in a number of additional ways. As described on her campaign website, Thomas identifies as Black, white and Native American and is a member of the Chickasaw Nation. “She is dedicated to preserving tribal sovereignty and working alongside Native leaders to protect tribal land, rights, and cultural heritage.” As a healthcare professional and a mother of two children, one of whom has been diagnosed with autism, expanded and affordable healthcare factors heavily into Thomas’ platform, as does special needs education. Thomas also cites her mother, who is gay, for making her “a lifelong advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights.”

Thomas’ background and policy positions make her stand out as a candidate in Oklahoma, a state that Democrats are unlikely to win but would be thrilled to flip in November. But in a year where discontent for the GOP and support for the socialist platform are both running high, Thomas has a unique opportunity to make inroads in a Republican stronghold.