NEW: DNC Suffers Major Blow As Another Socialist Wins Senate Primary
The Democratic Party's progressive insurgency notched another victory this week, this time in deep-red Oklahoma. Self-described democratic socialist N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas overwhelmingly defeated an establishment-backed opponent to capture the party's U.S. Senate nomination. Thomas, a 31-year-old nurse and political newcomer from Ardmore, defeated attorney and minister Jim Priest in Oklahoma's Democratic Senate runoff, securing approximately 61.2% of the vote to Priest's 38.8% with nearly all ballots counted. The victory puts Thomas on the November ballot against Republican Rep. Kevin Hern.
It provides another example of Democratic primary voters rejecting more traditional candidates in favor of contenders running openly on progressive economic and social policies. Thomas and Priest advanced to Tuesday's runoff after neither candidate received the majority necessary to win the five-way June primary outright. Thomas nevertheless entered the runoff from a position of strength, having captured 45.2% in June compared with Priest's 23.9%. Her victory came despite a dramatic financial disadvantage.