N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas

N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas's first job meant arriving at a donut shop before sunrise at fourteen through the Chickasaw Nation Youth Program.¹ Born and raised in Ardmore, she is a Chickasaw citizen and military spouse.² She and her husband, Patrick, are raising two children, including a son with autism.²

Thomas graduated from Ardmore High School and describes a working background in nursing, community health and time as a parent at home.¹ She identifies her grandmother, who worked for 34 years in dietary services, as an important example in her life.¹ Her public advocacy emphasizes access to special education, therapy and support for families navigating military deployments and frequent moves.¹

A first time candidate, she won the Democratic Senate nomination by defeating Jim Priest in the August 2026 runoff.³ She describes herself as a democratic socialist and advocates universal childcare, rent caps and expanded healthcare access.³

Her campaign also calls for protecting tribal sovereignty, addressing the nursing shortage, improving infrastructure and supporting farmers and ranchers.² She proposes increasing the number of House seats to reflect population growth and give communities more representation.² She faces Republican Kevin Hern on November 3 for a six year Senate term, with Oklahoma's representation and the chamber's partisan balance at stake.⁴