Oklahoma GOP state Sen. Nathan Dahm entered the special Senate election to succeed Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe after first challenging junior Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford.
He announced with a ferocious retort, “Dr. Anthony Fauci belongs in federal prison,” during the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida.
#EXCLUSIVE: He announced the move with a fiery take: Dr. Anthony Fauci “belongs in federal prison,” .@NathanDahm told .@dcexaminer's .@emilybrooksnews.https://t.co/l53f4msxSO
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) February 28, 2022
“He is the poster boy for government employees who are not held accountable. I think he killed people,” said Dahm.
“His record shows he was incorrect about practically everything during the pandemic, causing it to worsen and kill more people. I think he must be held responsible for causing fatalities in America and rot in a federal jail for the rest of his life.”
A Solid Republican
Despite his cool tone, Dahm is no stranger to making headlines.
In 2014, he named a gun control bill after gun law supporter and CNN broadcaster Piers Morgan. Dahm quoted the Second Amendment and mentioned Oklahoma militia regulations during a debate on Morgan’s show.
After the debate, Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul wrote him a note, praising his performance. If elected to Congress, Dahm claimed he could work well with Paul, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, and Utah Sen. Mike Lee.
He also knows the co-chairs of the Second Amendment Caucus, Colorado Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert and Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie.
The American Conservative Union ranks Dahm as Oklahoma’s most conservative state senator, elected in 2012.
Dahm liked this year’s CPAC theme, “Awake, Not Woke,” and its social focus.
“Many Republicans have avoided the culture war because they want to be left undisturbed. We’re dealing with real Marxists and social communists who want to rule us all.”
“You can’t just say ‘Leave me alone’ and hope they do because Marxists would never leave you alone. The emphasis must be on individual rights and protection. That’s been my main focus.”
“I would have protested certain states’ 2020 electoral results,” he added, citing judges’ adjustments to election procedures to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
#BREAKING: Oklahoma Sen. Nathan Dahm has announced he will run for Inhofe's US Senate seat. https://t.co/FAJaBx6Kgu
— NewsChannel 8 | KTUL (@KTULNews) February 28, 2022
Background
Dahm grew up in Romania as the child of missionaries, having been born in Oklahoma. With his software development company and family cleaning business, he is now in Tulsa.
He’s a new husband. He asked his wife, Christina, also at CPAC, to marry him in 2020 at the Trump White House. Approximately nine months have passed since their wedding.
He stated last week he would resign at the end of the year, sparking a special election to fill the remainder of his term.
Dahm entered a frenzied campaign ahead of the Republican primary on June 28. The winner of that race will undoubtedly win the Republican-leaning state’s general election.
Inhofe nominated his chief of staff, Luke Holland, to succeed him. This weekend, Oklahoma GOP Rep. Markwayne Mullin declared his candidacy.
Jackson Lahmeyer, a preacher, received exceptional support from Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman John Bennett. Over the weekend, Lahmayer declared he would not run for the newly available seat.
