Wagoner, Ok August, 07 ( The Oklahoma Post) –
Meet Mr. Adam Martin (D); running to be the U.S. Congressman of District 1 in the great state of Oklahoma. He may be new to you, but the people of the Tulsa metroplex could recognize him a block away. Often recognized for his dapper fashion sense, he also wears a smile, charisma, and a voice that projects loudly through the streets of the Greenwood district all the way north to the prairies of Bartlesville. He states he is running for Congress to work with citizens to make our state and our nation better than it has historically performed.
For those that haven’t met Adam, the 26-year-old from Wagoner, Oklahoma is on the ballot in the general election for Congress on November 8, 2022. Adam is led to be an advocate for hard-working Oklahomans by his faith in Christ and love for the Green Country community. To locals, this generally refers to the parts of the state with more water and trees than Stillwater and western regions. Adam is proud to call himself a graduate of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater Oklahoma; an alum with a bachelor’s degree in history. He’s the first in his family to earn a higher education degree.
When researching for the interview and then confirmed through conversation, Adam told me he was raised by his mother and grandmother. He grew up living in low-income housing in a red-lined community. If anyone has a path to be predetermined it seems that Mr. Martin’s journey is traditional Oklahoman through and through, and as All-American of a story as would be deserved to represent Oklahomans in Washington D.C.
Moyer: What made you want to take on such a task as representing half the state population in D.C. ?
Candidate Martin: I appreciate this opportunity to share our important message for Oklahomans. Greg, growing up in small-town Oklahoma, like you, with the wealthy suburban homes decorating the western horizon, I often wondered about the world around me and wondered why some folks thrived while others struggled. When I visited friends, I saw how communities in Oklahoma can vary drastically, from block to block, from the Native lands to the burnt-out street lights of Pine Street. The opportunity to witness the contrasting Tulsa experience sparked an early passion for law and politics which continues to this day. It was through this experience that I learned about the diversity of constituents that reside here in our great cities and towns.
Moyer: What are you working on right now? Is there a current day job until you head to D.C.?
Candidate Martin: So my day job is working as a project consultant with 1st Priority Roofing. So I’m an average worker, I’m not an attorney yet. I’m none of that. I’m an average worker. That’s why I understand the values that the workers share, you know their needs, and what they want. Because I show those same values because I’ve been on the public end of blue-collar work.
Moyer: Yeah you certainly do. So what is the political platform? Your community is where your heart resides. Through my research and personal knowledge online, I can see Adam Martin’s platform, in no particular order of preference:
Veterans
- Ensure veterans have access to affordable housing
- Expand access to healthcare providers and coverage for treatment including mental health
- Ensure access to workforce programs and good-paying jobs after service
- Provide services for transitioning back into civilian life
Rural America
- Invest in the revitalization of rural communities
- Empower farmers, foresters, and ranchers to address climate change and protect ecosystems
- Federal investment for broadband in rural areas and native communities
Healthcare
- Expand Medicare coverage to include dental, hearing, vision, mental health, substance abuse treatment, reproductive and maternity care
- Cap what Americans pay for prescription drugs
- Allow Medicare to negotiate fair drug prices
- Paid 6 week maternity leave.
LGBTQIA2S+
- Educators receive sensitivity training
- Offer safe and affirming places for our LGBTQIA2S+ youth.
- LGBTQIA2S+ should be treated with dignity and respect in their communities, workplaces, and schools.
- Advocate for our youth
- Remain an informed ally
Women’s Rights
- Pro-Choice
- Women deserve the right to choose.
- Men should not make decisions about women’s bodies.
- Reproductive rights are human rights
- I will actively work towards making sure Oklahomans have access to the healthcare they need
Common Sense Gun Reform
- Mandatory background checks on all gun sales
- Ban on military-style assault weapon sales to the general public
- Close loopholes that allow domestic abusers to obtain a firearm
These are all big issues, are you going be able to bring help to the District?
The public is wanting many of these issues to be worked on in D.C. yesterday. People aren’t sure which party actually cares for families. Since the Democratic and Republican primary elections were canceled. Adam, you advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Oklahoma District 1 and incumbent Kevin Hern advanced from the Republican primary for U.S. House Oklahoma District 1. What’s the difference between you and Kevin Hern?
Candidate Martin: When you ask me about the difference between myself and Kevin Hern…I’ll tell you I’m willing to work for people. I’m willing to show up. I’m willing to hold town halls, whether Republican or Democrat and hear their problems and understand the issues that they are facing so I can better represent them in Congress. Another thing is, that I’m not flaunting my money around talking about how rich I am and how many businesses I’ve owned. I am talking about I haven’t done this particular thing before, and neither has Kevin Hern, but I’m willing to learn, I’m willing to understand, how to do this effectively. Another thing I will promise my district is, I won’t be taking money from PACs. I won’t be looking into these investments, even though he sits on some of these committees, he’s investing in some of these, his money into it, which is against the Stop Trading On Congressional Knowledge Act of 2006. He shouldn’t be investing his money when he knows when to pull out and when to go in.
Moyer: Wow! woooohh.
Candidate Martin: Yes, It’s the mistrust. That he’s lining his pockets. He’s not working for the people. So I can promise my district that I won’t do that. I’m going to be working on their behalf to make sure that their needs are being met on day one because that’s how important it is to my district. Listen, my grandfather and many other family members were in the Armed Forces, it upsets me that Kevin Hern votes against veterans.
Moyer: The things we know about the Oklahoma congressional district showdown are alarming. Currently, the District is quarterbacked by incumbent Kevin Hern who is an election result denier and attempted to overturn the election results for the 2020 election.
Once seen as a center-of-the-road candidate, Hern showed his true colors directly following the attack on our capital by insurrectionists. Hern veered to the extreme right just before 2020, and eventually, he mentally went off the road with a bumpy two years of doing nothing for Oklahomans in the district.
Candidate Martin: We have a majority of Republicans. If they [the voters] went out; if all the Democrats went out and voted and all independents went out and voted for me, we still would lose to Kevin Hern because there’s the majority of registered Republicans in this District. That has to change. So we’re going to need a lot of switch-over voters in Oklahoma. That’s why we got a grassroots approach going in full force. That’s why I talk about the plans. I talk about what can we do to make sure that we’re building towards all of district one and making sure the Vet’s needs are being met. We need communication and cooperation. I have already begun building bridges by meeting with tribal leaders. When we work together, Oklahoma can be the exemplary State in the Union.
Moyer: You talk about planning. As a project planner by trade and someone that loves his community, how do you bridge the gap between North Tulsa and Owasso economically?
Candidate Martin: They just got their first grocery store, didn’t they? Okay, Oasis has been there for a year now. So, you know, I say this because there’s still a lot of work. There’s a lot of work we got to do. Ensuring people can buy groceries, that’s just the beginning of it, right? We can’t let just Oasis be a place of its own. We gotta start building other businesses. To make sure that the money is going back to the community that it represents because that geographical area has been neglected. It’s been intentionally destroyed in the past, now it is being ignored by you know who.
People have walked all over the people of Greenwood and rural towns and we’ve had all these people come to town, saying what they’re going to do for them and all these things that the citizens don’t know who to believe anymore. So it troubles me as a leader.
Moyer: So you want to plan for a better future economically?
Candidate Martin: Yes. What I’ve done is, I’ve listened and I’ve tried to make conscious decisions on how can I actually benefit this community, for them to not lose their trust. Because what I want to do is give them hope again that this thing can change. We [Leaders] can be beneficial for the future and I want to be a part of that with assisting businesses and make sure I’m creating relationships through Congress. We have to show the people, how it works, and we have to give them the blueprint, we gotta have a plan. You gotta have, and we don’t have, we don’t have a Congressman that has a plan change.
Moyer: Redistricting in Oklahoma took place after the 2020 census. Governor Kevin Stitt (R) signed a new congressional map into law on November 22, 2021.
Candidate Martin: I graduated from a small town high school and you know the things that I am watching, you got to be invested in it and invest [financially] in it, you’ll see what the results are all based on what you give, what you put into it, you know. So in this District, you got Claremore, you got Broken Arrow, you got Bixby, you have Okay and Bartlesville. You have a variety of different communities that needs better representation.
So in this District, we don’t have leadership that are actively working for the people. When I decided to run, without having any political experience, especially being 26-years-old jumping out into such a race to this, you know, that I was criticized by many. But, once people understood my intention they understood that this is bigger than me.
Moyer: They are probably surprised at your vision for the metro.
Candidate Martin: Yes. They heard from someone who wants to work for people and actually listen to what they’re going through and Foundation that is building the community. So, it’s not about one person having all the ideas and having the set plan and all this playing. We need people, especially on the federal level. We got a high rate of homelessness, we got a high rate of people not being able to put food on the table. We could talk about inflation right now and for the next year. You know our public education system is under attack right now? We need to make sure that we’re protecting our teachers and our students moving forward and stop this not including them.
Moyer: So I guess for you, what would you implement?
Candidate Martin: So my idea, I think everyone can agree, we need to build up our entrepreneurship. Creating jobs. When you look at our wealthy communities, they’re worried about people being, you know, on government resources, they want to get people off the government’s assistance. So, I believe in creating, if you create entrepreneurship, teach people how to build their own businesses and do these things effectively, and how to do things, that’s jobs, right? Now, these people in lower-income communities, are having hope to live the American dream, right? So, it’s making it possible for everyone. To benefit from this idea that I have, it’s not rocket science to have hope that this improvement in the district can happen.
Moyer: Have you researched other states and do you plan to model any of your plans for the district, mirroring the plans of other growing regions of the nation?
Candidate Martin: I’ve mentioned the Houston approach when it comes to homelessness. I want to take other ideas from other places that are working. If the plan is working, I want to use it because we need to be growing. We need a plan and so we’re so divided right now.
Moyer: What about crime reduction and criminal justice reform?
Candidate Martin: Well, one thing I’ve mentioned lately is prosecutorial misconduct citizens board. That is at the top of a list for me, making sure we’re holding those types of people accountable. When you know, that this person, this man or woman should not be in jail serving a sentence and you can have a voice towards that, we need to make sure that you are doing that job effectively, because too many times we’ve had District Attorneys present information and things of that such that is just not right. They know what the right thing is to do, but they do it in a way that they’re telling people to take plea deals, people that come from low economic status. Who doesn’t have money, that doesn’t have a family to talk with, who don’t have legal resources. Additionally, these people don’t know where to get the resources. These are the issues that I am focused on and attacking on day one. They aren’t going to investigate themselves. What we need to have is another oversite Committee in place. To make sure that each member of the legal system is held accountable.
Two Minute Drill: Fast and First Answers!
Robertson: Favorite College Sports Team?
Candidate Martin: Oklahoma State Cowboys football.
Moyer: Favorite Hobby?
Candidate Martin: I like to run long distance. I like to go as long as I can. Not quite ready to compete, but I always go the distance.
Moyer: Favorite Pro Sports Team?
Candidate Martin: Tampa Bay Bucks…Tom Brady all the way.
Robertson: Favorite song right now?
Candidate Martin: Never Could Have Made It by Marvin Sapp
Robertson: Favorite Charity?
Candidate Martin: I am currently the president of African American Federation here in Tulsa.
Moyer: I appreciate you sitting down with me Mr. Martin. I look forward to speaking again and learning more about what your goals and plans are if elected. Best of luck.
Adam’s integrity, compassion, and drive for justice are bolstered by his faith, work ethic, and belief in the good people of Oklahoma. He is living proof that the American dream is alive and well. He believes that it takes good people working together to do great work.
For anyone wanting to learn more about Congressional candidate Adam Martin’s campaign, you can reach him through the links on his campaign page here.
(Writing by Gregory Moyer; Editing by Robbie Robertson)
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