NEW: DNC Suffers Major Blow As Another Socialist Wins Senate Primary

The Democratic Party’s progressive insurgency scored another victory Tuesday when Oklahoma voters selected a self-described democratic socialist who has vowed to pursue President Donald Trump’s removal from office.

N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas, a 31-year-old nurse and first-time candidate from Ardmore, defeated attorney and nonprofit executive Jim Priest in the Democratic runoff for Oklahoma’s open U.S. Senate seat.

With the votes counted, Thomas received approximately 58.7 percent to Priest’s 41.3 percent, according to the latest reported results. That differs from the earlier 61.2 percent figure circulated while ballots were still being tabulated.

Thomas will face Republican Rep. Kevin Hern in November.

Her victory offers another example of Democratic primary voters rejecting candidates backed by traditional party leaders in favor of openly progressive contenders campaigning against the political establishment.

Thomas and Priest advanced to the runoff after neither secured a majority in the five-candidate June primary.

Thomas entered Tuesday’s contest as the front-runner after receiving approximately 45.2 percent in June. Priest finished second with roughly 23.9 percent.

The runoff nevertheless presented a stark financial contrast.

Thomas raised just under $60,000, relying primarily on grassroots organizing and social media to build support.

Priest raised and spent substantially more while receiving endorsements from prominent Oklahoma Democrats, including former Govs. Brad Henry and David Walters and former state Attorney General Drew Edmondson.

That institutional support was not enough.

Thomas won by more than 10,000 votes, securing 34,111 votes to Priest’s 23,983.

The nominee openly identifies as a democratic socialist, although she has said she is “not yet” a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.

She has described democratic socialists as “the next generation” of political leaders who intend to “change the system.” She has also argued that socialist countries around the world are “thriving.”

Her campaign platform places her firmly on the Democratic Party’s far-left flank.

Thomas supports a Medicare for All system, universal child care, paid parental leave and policies intended to ensure that wealthy Americans and large corporations pay what she calls their “fair share.”

She supports restoring the abortion protections previously established under Roe v. Wade and expanding federal protections for LGBT Americans.

Thomas opposes restrictions preventing transgender athletes from competing in women’s and girls’ sports and supports removing the current limit on the number of members serving in the House of Representatives.

Her immigration platform includes freezing further expansion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement funding and abolishing or fundamentally restructuring the agency.

Thomas also supports eliminating qualified immunity for ICE personnel accused of civil-rights violations.

But her most politically explosive promise concerns Trump.

During a July interview with Oklahoma public radio station KOSU, Thomas was asked how she would work with the president if elected to the Senate.

“Like I said, I’m kind, not nice,” Thomas responded.

“So I will make sure that I work as diligently as I can to make sure that within my first 100 days that we impeach, remove and convict,” she said.

“They will have to pry that pen out of my cold, dead hands before I go any further with allowing this administration to continue doing what they’re doing.”

Thomas then repeated the pledge.

“But I am going to remove, impeach, remove and convict,” she said. “That’s it. Like that’s all. That’s the answer.”

Her promise overlooks an important constitutional distinction.

Members of the House vote on articles of impeachment. Senators conduct the subsequent trial and vote on whether to convict and remove the president.

If Thomas were elected, she could support conviction in the Senate, but she would have no authority as a senator to initiate or vote for Trump’s impeachment.

Her statement nevertheless makes clear that removing the sitting president would be among her highest priorities.

Thomas has argued that her lack of experience in elected office should not disqualify her from serving in the Senate.

“I believe that you don’t necessarily have to have political experience,” she said. “You have to have that lived experience.”

Thomas is a member of the Chickasaw Nation and has worked as a nurse and community health worker. Her husband serves in the military.

Despite her socialist identification, she has separated herself from some positions associated with the DSA, including calls to defund the Pentagon.

Her victory follows a series of significant primary wins for the Democratic Party’s insurgent left.

In Michigan, progressive Abdul El-Sayed narrowly defeated establishment-backed Rep. Haley Stevens for the Democratic Senate nomination.

El-Sayed prevailed by approximately one percentage point despite Stevens receiving support from Senate Democratic leaders, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and outside groups that spent tens of millions of dollars on the race.

In Florida, state Rep. Angie Nixon, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, defeated Alexander Vindman in another major upset.

Vindman, the former National Security Council official who became nationally prominent during Trump’s first impeachment, raised approximately $16.3 million.

Nixon raised roughly $975,000 but defeated him 56.1 percent to 43.9 percent.

Nixon will face Republican Sen. Ashley Moody in November, while El-Sayed will compete against Trump-backed Republican Mike Rogers in the critical Michigan contest.

Those victories have given Republicans new opportunities to portray the Democratic Party as increasingly controlled by socialist activists.

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina recently described the party’s left wing as “dangerous, radical, and, frankly, weird.”

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida predicted that Nixon’s nomination would motivate conservative voters.

“Angie Nixon being the nominee in the state of Florida will bring Republicans out to vote specifically against her because of the fact they don’t want her radical policies,” Luna said.

Some Democrats, however, argue that attempting to suppress the progressive faction would only alienate voters who are angry with the political establishment.

Rep. Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts warned Democratic leaders that they would lose a direct confrontation with the socialist left.

“And candidly, rightfully so, because Americans are angry at the status quo,” Auchincloss said.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland similarly called for an open debate within the party.

“Those in the Democratic Party who are afraid of a healthy debate are missing the point,” Van Hollen said, adding that Americans “want Democrats who are going to stand for something.”

Thomas will now test whether that ideological enthusiasm can translate beyond a low-turnout Democratic primary in one of the most Republican states in the country.

Oklahoma has not elected a Democratic senator since David Boren won his final term in 1990.

Trump carried the state by more than 34 percentage points in 2024, winning every county. Republicans currently dominate Oklahoma’s statewide offices and congressional delegation.

Hern will also enter the general election with an enormous financial advantage.

His campaign war chest approached $10 million during the election cycle, while Thomas has raised less than $60,000.

The Republican nominee immediately framed the election as a choice between Trump’s America First agenda and socialism.

“Thomas represents the far-left, socialist wing of the Democratic Party, while I’m committed to advancing commonsense conservative policies that deliver results and put America first,” Hern said.

“Socialist Democrats like N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas are wildly out of touch with the values of Oklahomans and the direction they want our country moving toward,” he added.

Thomas remains a heavy underdog in November.

Her nomination is still politically significant, however, because it demonstrates that the progressive revolt inside the Democratic Party is no longer confined to liberal coastal states or heavily Democratic urban districts.

Even in deep-red Oklahoma, Democratic voters overwhelmingly chose an inexperienced socialist over a better-funded candidate supported by some of the state party’s most recognizable figures.

Republicans will now make sure general-election voters know exactly what she supports, including her promise to make removing President Trump one of her first priorities in Washington.