Across the District
Stretching all the way from Texas to South Oklahoma City, Oklahoma’s Congressional District Four comprises 14 counties. Carter, Cleveland, Comanche, Cotton, Garvin, Grady, Jefferson, Love, McClain, Murray, Pontotoc, Stephens, Tillman, and a small portion of Oklahoma County. The district is just shy of 800,000 people. That is a lot of ground and a lot of voices. Luckily for us, this is a strength for a campaign like ours. This grassroots campaign is powered by people like you and is meant to uplift voices like yours.
Grassroots organizing is a “bottom-up” approach that prioritizes the needs and perspectives of the community directly affected by an issue. And if you ask me, I believe those directly affected by an issue are the best ones to solve it. It is the people who believe in the mission who make the most change. So I wanted to share a sampling of the voices across the district. Here is what I am hearing out of Ada.
A Closer Look At the Issues
Recently, in Ada, some expressed concerns over economic security, healthcare, criminal justice, democracy, and voting.
In terms of economic security and jobs, some in Ada feel that they cannot keep up. People are living paycheck to paycheck, struggling to make ends meet.
Many are struggling with high rent; some have even experienced homelessness.
A significant concern for many people is access to quality healthcare. People in the area travel outside of Ada for treatment, sometimes up to two hours away.
Regarding youth well-being, the idea in Ada, and across Oklahoma, is that it takes a village. People in this area care about improving outcomes for the next generation. They express that there are not enough programs that engage the youth or set them up for success. Nor are there adequate programs for kids who get in trouble with the law.
Those we have heard from in Ada feel like once someone gets into the criminal justice system, it is hard to get out. They express that there is not enough mental health treatment or substance abuse treatment. Overall, they feel as if the criminal justice system lacks rehabilitative and restorative programs for individuals. And would rather we get to the root of the issue to treat it, rather than focus on punishment.
On the topic of justice, this naturally leads me to democracy and voting. Generally, people in Ada feel like their vote does not matter. They feel like they are in a vicious cycle of feeling disempowered by their elected officials, which makes them less likely to participate. This is not unique to Ada. Voters across the country feel this way, too. People want good systems. They want systems that are fair, transparent, and accountable. Systems that truly represent the people.
Overall, people in Ada want economic security for their families and kids, strong communities, justice and fairness, access to quality healthcare, and an accountable and transparent government. But above all, they want leadership that represents the people.
Does this resonate with Oklahomans across the district?
What We Can Do Next
We keep listening. We keep talking. We keep connecting. We keep spreading the message.
Each county is unique, and each county will have its own challenges and struggles. But each county also shares similarities; after all, we are all Oklahomans. We are all Americans. We stick together and we have each other's backs. And when we come together, great change is possible. It truly takes a village, and it is people like you who make this work. Together, we can reach more voters. Together, we can empower voices across Congressional District Four.
There are thousands of voters across the district who need to hear from the campaign. Thousands of doors are waiting to be knocked on. Thousands of phones are waiting for a call. And there is so much more work to do. I cannot do this alone—I need your help. If we are going to pull this off together, I need your time, effort, skills, support, and donations. You can help elect someone who truly represents you.
If you want to be part of the movement, sign up to volunteer. You can join us every first and third Sunday of the month for phone banking. Or you can stop by the campaign headquarters Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and phone bank when it is convenient for you. Stay tuned for more door-knocking opportunities. And if you can, donate today. Grassroots donations help us keep organizing. Every dollar moves this campaign forward, and we are counting on your support to help reach voters across Congressional District Four.
