Veteran congressmen from Oklahoma face primary challengers

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Oklahoma’s longest-serving U.S. House members face primary election challengers who say the incumbents’ time in Washington has left them out of touch with constituents and their votes do not represent voters’ values.

Congressman Frank Lucas faces fellow Republican Desiree Brown of Hennessey in the June 28 primary race, with Lucas seeking a 12th term in the sprawling western Oklahoma district. The winner will meet Democrat Frankie Robbins of Medford in the Nov. 8 general election.

In southwestern Oklahoma, Congressman Tom Cole is vying for an eighth term against a pair of Republican challengers, Norman pastor James Taylor and Army veteran Shawn Roberts of Lawton. The GOP primary winner will meet Libertarian Sevier White and the winner of the Democratic primary, Bert Smith of Moore or Christina Owen of Norman.