While the House District 74 race playing out over the northeast Tulsa County district might seem like just another sleepy June 30 primary race pitting an incumbent against a challenger, there is actually some history between incumbent Rep. Marc Vancuren and his challenger, World of Weed dispensary owner Brad Peixotto.
The pair faced off in 2018, with Vancuren dominating the race and capturing 84 percent of the vote. But the 2018 campaign also included allegations of sign stealing. According to reports at the time, a commercial truck with Peixotto’s business name on the side of the vehicle was captured on camera removing some of Vancuren’s signs. Peixotto said he had no knowledge of the theft and apologized.
The winner of the primary will hold the seat, as no other challengers filed in the district this year. The following preview was compiled from publicly available information.
HD 74 at a glance
Incumbent: Rep. Mark Vancuren
Zip codes represented: 74019, 74021, 74055
Counties represented: Tulsa, Rogers
Cities/Townships represented: Limestone, Owasso, Tulsa, Valley Park
Republican candidates
Rep. Marc Vancuren (R, incumbent)
Profession: Incumbent, former high school coach
Platform: Elected in 2018, Vancuren serves as vice chairman of the House Common Education Committee and is also a member of the Wildlife and Higher Education committees. On his website, the Owasso native describes himself as an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump and a fiscal conservative.
“Unless Mark Vancuren is coaching a game of basketball, he is a listener, not a big talker,” Vancuren’s website states.
He opposes abortion rights and believes states should operate with less interference from the federal government. Much of his work during his first term in the Oklahoma Legislature focused on educational issues, including protections for teachers as well as student nutrition.
Vancuren’s campaign Facebook page notes endorsements from Gov. Kevin Stitt and U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe.
More Info: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Bradley Peixotto (R)
Profession: Medical marijuana dispensary owner
Platform: According to campaign literature posted on his Facebook page, Peixotto is a veteran, community leader and conservative who stands for faith based values in government.
If elected, Peixotto would work to restore conservative values in the Oklahoma Legislature, promote transparency in public education, reduce government bureaucracy and defend constitutional liberties.
Peixotto owns World of Weed Dispensary in Collinsville, and his campaign literature states that he is a veteran who “has the background and real world experience to meet the challenges that we face today.”
More Info: Â Facebook
