Chris Powell (politician)
Chris Powell | |
|---|---|
 Powell speaking at OCU in 2004 | |
| Chair of the Oklahoma Libertarian Party | |
| In office 2003–2005 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Prawdzienski |
| Succeeded by | Steve Galpin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Christopher Shawn Powell September 30, 1971 Midwest City, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Political party | Libertarian |
| Relatives | Sidney Marks (1st cousin, once removed) |
| Residence | Bethany, Oklahoma |
Christopher Shawn Powell (September 30, 1971) is a former state chair of the Oklahoma Libertarian Party and a candidate for Governor of Oklahoma in the 2018 election.
Personal life[edit]
Powell was born in Midwest City to Cliff and Sharon (Swinhart) Powell. Raised in Choctaw, Powell was a U.S. Marine who saw combat service in the First Gulf War as a member of Fox Battery, 2nd Battalion, 14th Marines. He and his wife have three children and live in Bethany.[1][non-primary source needed]
Political career[edit]
After joining the Libertarian Party in 2000, Powell ran for Oklahoma House of Representatives, receiving 14.72% of the vote. This was the best percentage for any alternative party candidate in the state since George Wallace's presidential campaign in 1968.[2] In 2002 Powell was a candidate for Bethany City Council, finishing with 34.4% of the vote in the non-partisan race.[3]
Powell served as Chairman of the Oklahoma Libertarian Party[4] and was also a board member of Youth Cornerstone, an organization that sought to combat truancy in Oklahoma City area schools.[5] As chair, Powell was one of the plaintiffs in Beaver v. Clingman through which the OKLP sought to be allowed to open it's primaries to members of other parties in addition to registered Independents. The 10th Circuit ruled in favor of the party,[6] but the state appealed to the United States Supreme Court where the appellate court decision was reversed.[7]
After the OKLP regained ballot access in 2016, Powell ran for Oklahoma County Clerk, amassing over eighty-nine thousand votes[8] to beat LP presidential candidate Gary Johnson's statewide total of 83,481.[9] Powell's vote total and vote percentage, 36.43%, make him the most successful Libertarian candidate in the Sooner state.[10]
Powell has written multiple opinion pieces for the Daily Oklahoman.[11][12][13][14][15]
2018 gubernatorial election[edit]
In July Powell announced he would seek the Libertarian nomination for Governor.[16] Since that time he has been campaigning throughout the state[17][18][19] and is regarded as the leading contender[20][21]
Powell finished first in the primary election on June 26th with 49% of the vote[22] and then defeated Rex Lawhorn[23] in the August 28 runoff to secure the nomination.
Thanks to the LP winning the ballot order lottery held on July 12th[24], Powell will be the first candidate listed on every general election ballot in the state, followed by Republican Kevin Stitt and Democrat Drew Edmondson.
Powell has received significant coverage during the campaign from web, print, and television media outlets.[25][26][27][27][28][29][30]
Positions[edit]
Powell supports criminal justice reform to reduce the state's high incarceration rate,[19] and has called for prioritization of state spending to fund core services, including elimination of hundreds of millions of dollars various incentives and subsidies, as a first step before considering tax increases[31].
Having long been a supporter of decriminalization and/or legalization of cannabis, Powell has called on Oklahomans to vote yes on State Question 788 which would make medical marijuana legal in the state.[32]
Electoral history[edit]
- Oklahoma County Clerk election, 2016
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | David B. Hooten | 155,316 | 63.57 | |
| Libertarian | Chris Powell | 89,019 | 36.43 | |
| Total votes | 244,335 | 100.0 | ||
- Oklahoma gubernatorial election, 2018
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Libertarian | Chris Powell | 1,740 | 48.9 | |
| Libertarian | Rex L. Lawhorn | 1,154 | 32.4 | |
| Libertarian | Joe Exotic | 664 | 18.7 | |
| Total votes | 3,558 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Libertarian | Chris Powell | 547 | 59.1 | |
| Libertarian | Rex L. Lawhorn | 379 | 40.9 | |
| Total votes | 926 | 100.0 | ||
References[edit]
- ↑ "About". Powellforgovernor.com. 30 May 2017.
- ↑ "OKLAHOMA STATE ELECTION BOARD : GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS" (PDF). Ok.gov. November 7, 2000. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
- ↑ "Nicoma Park picks Green for mayor". Newsok.com. 20 March 2002.
- ↑ "Oklahoma Libertarian Party - LPedia". Lpedia.org.
- ↑ "Governor - Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA)". Oica.org.
- ↑ "FindLaw's United States Tenth Circuit case and opinions". Findlaw.
- ↑ "Clingman v. Beaver". Oyez.org. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ↑ "County Election Results, General Election". Ok.gov. November 8, 2016.
- ↑ "State Election Results, General Election, November 8, 2016". Ok.gov.
- ↑ Hardzinski, Brian. "Better-Than-Expected Election Performance Means Oklahoma Libertarians Will Stick Around". Kgou.org.
- ↑ "'Tax-free' is not really tax-free". 11 August 2004.
- ↑ "A Libertarian's view: Oklahoma lawmaker's school proposal isn't a free-market solution". 20 January 2017.
- ↑ "Oklahoma libertarian: Top-two primaries are bad for democracy". 17 February 2018.
- ↑ "Reform ballot access". 13 December 2002.
- ↑ "Oklahoma birth, death certificates searchable online". BatesLine.
- ↑ "Powell enters race for Libertarian gubernatorial nomination". Miamiok.com.
- ↑ "Libertarians to host gubernatorial candidate". Tahlequahdailypress.com.
- ↑ Kaylea M. Hutson-Miller. "Libertarians to launch 'Liberty Tour' in Grove". Grandlakenews.com.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Libertarian Candidate Chris Powell talks about run for governor". Koco.com.
- ↑ "Oklahomans react to failure of budget bill". Tahlequahdailypress.com.
- ↑ "Libertarian gubernatorial candidate to hold town hall". Guthrienewsleader.net.
- ↑ "State Election Results, Runoff Primary Election". Ok.gov. August 28, 2018.
- ↑ "State Election Results, Runoff Primary Election". Ok.gov. August 28, 2018.
- ↑ "Oklahoma Capitol Boxscore for Sunday, July 15, 2018". Newsok.com. 15 July 2018.
- ↑ "RDR talks to Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Chris Powell". 19 September 2018.
- ↑ "Candidate Profile: Chris Powell, Libertarian for Governor".
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Cross, Phil. "Chris Powell: Libertarian".
- ↑ Ellis, Ashley. "Libertarian Chris Powell advances to November general election".
- ↑ "Quick 5: Libertarians seeking governor's post address issues".
- ↑ Ari James. "Chris Powell, Runoff election - Governor - Libertarian". Ardmoreite.com.
- ↑ "Powell Calls for Incentive Reductions, Agency Consolidation - The McCarville Report". Mccarvillereport.com.
- ↑ "Powell statement regarding SQ 788 placed on the ballot for June 26th". Claremoreprogress.com.
- ↑ "State Election Results, Statewide Primary Election". Ok.gov. June 26, 2018.
- ↑ "UNOFFICIAL RESULTS". Oklahoma State Election Board. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
External links[edit]
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