Oklahoma sheriff at center of national controversy loses primary

Lina Portman2 weeks ago

0 3 minutes read

The southeastern Oklahoma sheriff who was at the center of a national controversy over race and policing in rural America will soon be removed from office.

McCurtain County Sheriff Kevin Clardy placed third among three Republicans vying for the county's top law enforcement job. His two opponents appeared to be headed for a runoff, according to the results of Tuesday's primary elections, which have not yet been certified.

Clardy did not immediately return a message to discuss his first loss. He obtained 18% of the 2,185 votes cast.

The sheriff came under fire in April 2023 after a recording released by the local newspaper filmed him talking about harm to journalists and joking about a death investigation. A county commissioner spoke about the lynching of blacks during the same conversation.

McCurtain County is one of the most diverse counties in Oklahoma, with significant Black and Native populations. The recording led to scrutiny of the county's justice system and claims that it had treated people of color unfairly for generations. It also inspired many local residents to attempt to transform their county government.

“We couldn't be happier with the results, but there's still more to be done,” said Lonnie Watson, who helps lead the McCurtain County Movement, a community group formed after the recording was revealed.

Watson said he was surprised by Clardy's crushing defeat, but believed voters were frustrated by the sheriff's refusal to acknowledge or repair his role in the recorded conversation, which made headlines nationwide .

While County Commissioner Mark Jennings resigned shortly after the audio was made public, Clardy ignored calls to do the same. Gov. Kevin Stitt joined many local residents in pressuring him to resign. The sheriff's office questioned the authenticity of the audio, which was recorded and released by the McCurtain Gazette.

The Oklahoma Attorney General's Office investigated Clardy for possible abuse of power. But after two months of investigation, investigators said they found no crime warranting prosecution and no grounds for Clardy's dismissal. Attorney General Gentner Drummond urged voters to show up to the polls.

Clardy's opponents were two men with law enforcement experience: Bruce Shirrey, who received 49 percent of the vote, and Jason Ricketts, who received 32 percent. Whoever wins the August runoff will face Democrat Steve McKee in the November general election.

Tuesday's vote comes after months of activism from the McCurtain County movement and other local residents. The group organized voter registration drives and took other steps to raise awareness about the importance of attending government meetings and showing up at the polls.

Watson said he was disappointed by the low turnout Tuesday — less than a quarter of registered Republicans voted in the sheriff's primary race. He said his group would continue to stress the importance of voting ahead of the runoff and general elections later this year.

“I want people to understand that even when a few people come together to make changes, like we all have, those changes can be made,” said Watson, who is also a teacher in Idabel, the county seat.

State records show the county gained about 400 voters this year, almost all of them Republicans. The total number of registered voters in McCurtain County stood at 17,000 in May, just over half of the county's total population.

No matter who becomes sheriff next year, it will be a healing time for McCurtain County citizens and law enforcement officers, Watson said.

“We are going to let these MPs know that we are still on their side,” he said. “A few bad apples don’t spoil the tree.”

The increased attention to the county has come as it attempts to transform itself into an outdoor oasis for Dallas-area residents. Vacation homes in Hochatown, a newly incorporated town in the county, routinely sell for more than $1 million. The county also attracted hundreds of tourists for the April eclipse because it was located in the path of totality.

Lina Portman

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