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Senator Enoch Kelly Haney

OKLAHOMA - Longtime state senator, Enoch Kelly Haney, is attempting to become Oklahoma's first full-blood Native American governor. Haney is running for the Democratic nomination governor.

"I'm in this race to stay,” Haney said. “Our campaign has caught up with the pack and I am a serious contender to be our next governor. We've raised more than $500,000, and we've earned an enthusiastic response from supporters and volunteers. We have more than 1000 total donors already, with more contributions on the way. And, we're holding several major fundraisers during this next quarter. I'm extremely pleased with the fact that we have met our current goals as we move toward the million-dollar mark. We will hit that mark-but that's our minimum goal. Let me assure you of this: We're in it to win it."

Kelly Haney will long be associated with the Oklahoma Capitol. He has served in the Oklahoma Legislature, both as a Representative (1980-86) and a state Senator (1986-present). His sculpture, "The Guardian" was the unanimous choice of a distinguished selection panel to top the newly-constructed Capitol Dome. And now, he wants to continue to serve the public as Oklahoma's next Governor.

"Before I entered this race for governor, I talked with my family, I talked with my friends and I talked with my colleagues", Haney said. "But one key to my decision was seeing a poll of Oklahomans as to whether they thought their state government was headed in the right direction or in the wrong direction. I was pleased-although not surprised-to find that people, by a 2-to-1 margin, thought we were on the right track. But being on the right track isn't enough. We need to take the things we're doing well now and do them better. That's why the theme I've selected for my campaign is Oklahoma At Its Best."

"My platform in this governor's race can be easily described: I want Oklahoma citizens to have the best jobs, the best education and the best health care."

The current chair of the Oklahoma Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Haney has been a longtime advocate for education and health care funding. He was the chief architect of legislation to develop educational programs for at-risk students. A longtime small businessman and art gallery owner, he has worked to increase access to small business loans. He has also played a leadership role in the development of a world-class Native American Cultural Center, which will be built in Oklahoma City.

Senator Haney is also an internationally-recognized artist, who has exhibited his paintings and sculpture in the US, Europe, and Asia. His artwork has earned him many honors, including the title of Master Artist of the Five Civilized Tribes.

Born in Turkey Creek, in the heart of the 50th Senate District he now serves in the Legislature, Senator Haney went from humble beginnings to a noted legislative and artistic career through education, family support, and hard work. He graduated from Bacone College and earned a bachelor's degree from Oklahoma City University with a major in fine arts and a minor in religion. His diverse work history includes posts as a pastor and regional conference youth services director for the United Methodist Church, an adjunct faculty member at Oklahoma City University, and a vocational counselor at Oklahoma City's Opportunities Industrialization Center (a forerunner of the state's vocational education system that he later championed as a legislator). He was producer and host of a weekly local television program on Native American issues in the 1970s and was a consultant and narrator for the Seminole series, How The West Was Lost, which aired three times on the Discovery Channel.

A member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, he is the first full-blooded Native American to serve in the Oklahoma Legislature. Married to Debra Haney, he has six children, two step-children, and six grandchildren.

Senator Haney has received more than 80 awards and honors for legislative leadership and community service, most recently:

-Appreciation Award, Rural Fire Coordinators (2002).
-Lifetime Achievement Award: Higher Education Alumni Council of Oklahoma (2001).
-Outstanding Service Commendation: The Rural Health Association of Oklahoma (2000).
-Appreciation Award: Oklahoma Women Veterans (1998).
-Distinguished Service Award: Oklahoma Vocational Association (1998).

For more information on Kelly Haney’s campaign for governor, visit his web site.