OKLAHOMA CITY – Democrat Ashley McCray, Absentee Shawnee, won Oklahoma’s primary runoff for Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner on Tuesday adding her name to the list of a record number of Native Women who are running for office this mid-term election.
“I am so proud that come November, a Shawnee is going to be on every Oklahoman's ballot. Congratulations Ashley from all of Indian country, but especially us Shawnee people,” said Ben Barnes second Chief of the Shawnee Tribe.
McCray, an environmental activist, defeated Blake Cummings with 65.1 percent of the vote and will face Republican nominee Bob Anthony in the Nov. 6 general election.
McCray, who is seeking to oust a 30-year incumbent, is running for one of the three seats that oversee a complicated agency that regulates public utilities, oil and gas drilling, production and related environmental protections, safety aspects of pipeline and rail systems and the environmental integrity of petroleum.
The commission also enforces operating authority and insurance requirements involving intrastate transport of some commodities via trucks and involving passenger carriers, enforces regulations for underground injection of water, chemicals and certain oil and gas waste fluids and oversight of remediation of soil and groundwater pollution caused by leaking petroleum storage tanks.
McCray is a part of the Ready for 100 campaign in Norman, the first city in Oklahoma and the 70th city in the nation to commit to 100 percent renewable energy by 2035.
Born and raised in Shawnee, McCray was recognized by the Oklahoma Sierra Club’s Red Earth Group as the 2017 Distinguished Activist.
She holds an M.A. from the University of Oklahoma in the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine and a B.A and M.A. from the University of Central Oklahoma.
If victorious, McCray would serve a six-year term.
McCray joins State Sen. Anastasia Pittman, a citizen of the Seminole Nation, on the Oklahoma ballot in November. Pittman won the Democratic nomination for Oklahoma lieutenant governor during the June 26 primaries.
Pittman represents the 99th district in the Oklahoma House of Representatives and has served from 2006-2013.
In 2014 she filed to run for Oklahoma Senate and was elected to represent the 48th district. She has served as the Black Caucus chair and chair of the Native American Caucus.
Pittman holds a B.A. in journalism and public relations from the University of Oklahoma and an M.A. in Education and Behavioral Science from Langston University.
She will face Republican nominee Matt Pinnell in the November general election.