Voters across a swath of Comanche County are guaranteed a new face in the Oklahoma Senate this fall, as Republican Curtis Erwin, Democrat Booker T. Newton and independent Valentin Peña compete for the Senate District 32 seat covering Cache, Indiahoma, Medicine Park and portions of northwest Lawton. The three candidates offer sharply different visions on economic development, public education and abortion heading into the Nov. 3 general election.
The seat opened up after incumbent Dusty Deevers, vice chairman of the Freedom Caucus, finished third in the June Republican primary and was eliminated before the August runoff, according to NonDoc. Deevers drew 29.9 percent of the primary vote, or 1,470 ballots, trailing both Jean Hausheer, who led with 37 percent (1,815 votes), and Curtis Erwin, who took 33.1 percent (1,627 votes). Erwin went on to defeat Hausheer in the August runoff, and kswo.com reported that Deevers's primary loss guaranteed District 32 a new state senator regardless of the general election outcome.
Erwin, 57, is a pastor who spent 21 years working for Goodyear Tire before founding Crossroads Baptist Church in Elgin. As reported by NonDoc Media, Erwin said he had long wanted to run for state office and felt the incumbent was not representing southwest Oklahoma. He said his Christian views align with many families in the district.
A Pastor, a Sergeant and a Merchandiser
Newton, 55, retired after 29 years in the Oklahoma National Guard, according to the same NonDoc report. He kicked off his campaign saying he was tired of the state school system being ranked the worst in the nation, per kswo.com's earlier coverage, and told the station he wants to build a district where people can stay, live and grow because it offers something for everyone from kids to seniors.
Peña, 30, describes himself as a jack of all trades and works as a merchandiser for Walton Corp. while living in Lawton. He told Oklahoma Voice that dissatisfaction with politics at both the state and national level prompted his independent bid. Per the same NonDoc profile, Peña said he entered the race to represent working-class residents over corporations and political donors, and that low pay is the biggest issue he has encountered while campaigning.
Jobs, Wages and the Defense Economy
Economic opportunity and taxes topped the list of priorities for candidates throughout the primary season, according to kswo.com's reporting ahead of the June contest. Erwin told the station that reducing taxes and improving economic opportunities would help families remain in southwest Oklahoma, and he said he would push for economic dollars to strengthen defense-contracting jobs tied to the region. He has pointed to relationships with the FIRES Innovation Science and Technology Accelerator, the Lawton Economic Development Authority and the Lawton-Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce as he pursues high-paying jobs with strong benefits for the district, per NonDoc's account.
Newton, by contrast, questions whether large economic development projects adequately benefit residents and wants to expand opportunities for locally owned businesses instead, the NonDoc report states. He has floated repurposing vacant commercial properties — including portions of Lawton's Central Mall — into shops and community gathering spaces, and supports a statewide audit of government spending.
Peña has proposed raising wages, establishing a 32-hour full-time workweek and raising taxes on profitable companies, criticizing what he called corporate and lobbyist influence over lawmakers. He has also accused legislators of prioritizing culture-war disputes over issues that directly affect Oklahomans, according to the same NonDoc account. Rural hospitals and a shortage of medical staff were flagged as top priorities for both Republican runoff candidates during the August contest, per kswo.com.
Classroom Discipline and School Safety Divide Candidates
Education policy splits the field as well. Erwin said disruptive student behavior prevents teachers from providing adequate instruction and said he would pursue legislation giving teachers and administrators greater authority to remove disruptive students, the NonDoc profile reports. He also supports adopting elements of Mississippi's education model and expanding Oklahoma's back-to-school sales tax holiday to cover school supplies and athletic equipment.
Newton advocates for higher teacher pay and expanded extracurricular opportunities, including music and theater programs, and says schools should create a bully-free environment. He has also said some parents are pulling their children out of public schools over safety concerns, according to the same report.
Abortion Positions Show Clear Contrasts
On abortion, Erwin opposes the procedure outright, while Newton identifies as pro-life but has said he would not interfere with a woman's decision to terminate a pregnancy for medical reasons, hoping instead that women facing pregnancies choose to give birth. Peña supports broader abortion access, opposing restrictions based on religious beliefs and saying he rejects government control over personal bodily decisions, per NonDoc's reporting.
Early voting runs from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3.
