LAWTON — The field of candidates to replace former state Sen. John Michael Montgomery is getting crowded.
Five candidates – three Republicans and two Democrats – have announced plans to run for the District 32 seat in the Oklahoma Senate ahead of the candidate filing period. The filing period began Monday and will end at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
A special primary election for Montgomery’s seat is set for Oct. 10. If none of the candidates receive a majority of the vote in the primary, the surviving candidates will move on to the Dec. 12 special general election.
The winner will succeed Montgomery, who resigned from the Senate in July to become the president and CEO of the Lawton-Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce.
Candidates who have announced campaigns for Montgomery’s Senate seat as of July 27 are as follows. The information about the candidates is drawn from their campaign-related Facebook pages and websites, as well as other sources.
Republicans
Dr. Jean Hausheer
Dr. Jean Hausheer retired from the University of Oklahoma’s Dean McGee Eye Institute after practicing medicine for nearly 42 years, according to her campaign website. She retired so she could devote her energy to opening a free eye clinic at Hearts That Care, a free medical and dental clinic in Lawton.
As a medical specialist, Hausheer has seen the paperwork, red tape and ill-advised legislative direction that result when practitioners are not directly involved in decision making, her website states.
“As a nonprofit leader, ophthalmic residency program director and policy advocate who got in the trenches both here and overseas to treat those in need – I have seen firsthand the needs of people from the poorest to those who had access to the best of the best,” Hausheer said. “I have worked to meet budgets, manage staff, innovate through tough regulations and pandemic conditions to help improve health care delivery in supply chain failures.”
Jennifer Ellis
Businesswoman Jennifer Ellis served in the U.S. Army as a Patriot missile operator and mechanic, according to a recent news release announcing her campaign. However, she became pregnant with her youngest son before the end of her enlistment and decided to forgo her military career and return to civilian life in Comanche County.
She has spent nearly 27 years working at Cosmetic Specialty Labs in Lawton, where she is now the president and CEO, according to the news release. The company manufactures pharmaceuticals and cosmetics for companies such as ULTA Beauty, Walmart and Walgreens and exports products to more than 50 countries.
Ellis has a deep understanding of Oklahoma’s past and ambitious goals for the state’s future, she said in the news release.
“I believe in the power of service and the importance of fighting for the needs of our citizens,” she said. “As senator, no one will work harder for the people of our county than me.”
JJ Francais
JJ Francais is the associate publisher of Southwest Ledger and assistant vice president of external affairs for Hilliary Communications, the Lawton-based telecommunications company that owns the Ledger.
In addition to his work for Hilliary Communications, Francais serves as mayor of Elgin. He is a member of the governing board of the General Tommy Franks Leadership Institute and Museum and serves on the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma’s Board of Regents.
Francais recently announced his Senate campaign via Facebook.
“Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to be in the room where decisions were made,” he said. “My goal is to make southwest Oklahoma the place where people want to stay and raise a family.”
Democrats
Johnny Jernigan
Johnny Jernigan, a Lawton resident who ran unsuccessfully against Montgomery in 2022, is seeking the District 32 seat again this year.
Jernigan recently announced his current campaign on his Facebook page.
He said his decision was driven by his belief in the power of community, the values that bind Oklahomans together and the wisdom found in sacred texts that have guided humanity – such as the biblical parable of the wheat and the tare, an injurious weed that resembles wheat when young.
“Just as the wheat and the tare grow together in the same field, so too do we, as a diverse and dynamic community, coexist in our district,” Jernigan said. “Our differences in opinion, background, and perspective, much like the tare, may at times seem to obstruct our shared path forward. However, it is precisely in acknowledging and understanding these differences that we can cultivate a stronger and more harmonious future.”
Jacobi Crowley
Jacobi Crowley, who mounted unsuccessful campaigns for the Oklahoma House in 2016 and the state Senate in 2018, has also joined this year’s race for the District 32 seat.
Crowley is the executive director of Boys and Girls Club of Lawton and an associate pastor of New Life Fellowship Church.
Just as a gardener tends to their gardens to ensure growth and prosperity, Crowley will apply the same level of dedication and commitment to his community, he said in a July 26 Facebook video announcing his campaign.
“Together, let’s build a brighter future by prioritizing education, infrastructure and the well-being of our community and our state,” Crowley said. “By investing in our state, we can shape the future of Senate District 32 and create a thriving and prosperous community for generations to come.”