Enid voters remove City Commissioner with ties to White Supremacist groups in recall election

Xavier Richardson/ KFOR
·2 min read
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ENID, Okla. (KFOR) — Enid voters have elected to remove City Commissioner Judd Blevins from office in a recall election held on Tuesday.

NBC News digital reporters have been following the story for weeks. They were back in Enid tonight as the results were tallied.

“I first want to express my gratitude to my voters, volunteers, donors, and to everyone who has prayed for me and supported me,” Blevins said following the election results.

“It took a coalition of leftists and moderates, an all out media blitz from local, state, and national outlets, and scare tactics about the future of Vance AFB, unfounded in any truth or reality, yet shamefully endorsed by the establishment, to remove a true conservative from office. So be it. This was a trial not just for me, but for many in this community. And many have shown who they really serve. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.”

Oklahomans go to the polls to decide city races, school board posts, and a recall vote

The recall petition was initiated by a local grassroots group, the Enid Social Justice Committee, in response to Blevins’ ties to Neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups. Blevins was seen marching at the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville.

“We need someone other than a white supremacist in our city council,” said Kristi Balden, chair of the Enid Social Justice Committee. “A council member is supposed to represent everyone who lives in their district, not just the white men in the district, everybody. That means everybody. It means women, anybody of color, it means LGBTQ+ people.”

“It is incredibly encouraging that so many people came out and voted to remove a white nationalist and Neo-Nazi from office,” said Father James Neal, co-chair of the Enid Social Justice Committee.

Blevins will vacate his seat as city commissioner with a vote tallying 829 to 561 in favor of his challenger Cheryl Patterson.

“I think we are going to have a period of adjustment but we are going to bounce back just fine.” said Norman Grey, former Enid mayor. “We are a progressive city, doing great things and now we can get this glitch behind us and move forward.”

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