DUNCAN – A political newcomer, who started her career in the classroom teaching Spanish, unseated incumbent Jessica Garvin in the June 18 Republican primary for Senate District 43.
Sen. Garvin, elected in 2020, served one term representing communities in Garvin, Grady, Stephens, McClain and Cleveland counties.
McClain County Assessor Kendal Sacchieri received 53.27% of the 9,650 votes, according to the Oklahoma Election Board unofficial results. Garvin received 46.73%. The race was decided by 628 votes. Republican candidate Sacchieri will face Democrat Sam Graefe, from Purcell, in the Nov. 5 general election.
Sacchieri taught and coached at Newcastle High School until 2018. She won the McClain County Assessor’s seat the same year. She and her husband, Ray, have three sons.
The former teacher was raised on a farm near the small town of Xenia, Illinois, according to her website kendallforok.com. She attended Randall University in Moore for her first two years of college. While there, she was a member of the national championship volleyball team and the Association of Christian College Athletics.
Her final two years of college were at Southern Illinois University of Carbondale. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in Spanish, she moved back to Oklahoma. Ray is a Blanchard native and they are active members at Dibble Free Will Baptist Church.
Sacchieri served as a county assessor since January of 2019, and was endorsed by Oklahoma Second Amendment Association, the National Rifle Association and Oklahomans for Health and Parental Rights.
“Thank you for an amazing four years, SD43,” Sen. Garvin said on her Facebook page. “Now, let’s get behind our Republican candidate!”