Tulsa mayor says neither he nor City Hall staff have worked behind the scenes to recruit candidates, but leaves open the possibility of supporting council hopefuls through his political action committee.
TULSA – Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols is pushing back against speculation that he or members of his administration have been working behind the scenes to recruit challengers against incumbent City Council members.
According to reporting by the Tulsa World, Nichols said this week that neither he nor anyone in the Mayor’s Office has been involved in recruiting candidates for this year’s council elections or assisting campaigns targeting sitting councilors.
“There is no meddling in the City Council races from our office,” Nichols told the newspaper.
The mayor’s comments come as candidate filing concluded for Tulsa’s Aug. 25 municipal elections and amid speculation inside and outside City Hall that the administration was encouraging challengers in several council districts. Nichols also said no city employees were performing campaign-related work while on the clock.
While denying any involvement in candidate recruitment, Nichols acknowledged he could become involved in races later through Tulsa Forward, a political action committee established in 2022 that supports local and state candidates. He said he plans to evaluate candidates based on whether they support priorities such as homelessness initiatives, affordable housing, public safety and youth investment.
The issue carries political significance because councilors last year declined to place a proposed sales tax increase on the ballot that would have provided long-term funding for homelessness programs and other priorities backed by Nichols. Council members instead have generally supported using approximately $103 million in surplus Vision Tulsa funds to temporarily finance many of those initiatives.
Nichols told the Tulsa World that policy disagreements between the administration and council members may have motivated some candidates to enter races, but he rejected suggestions that his office was orchestrating challenges to incumbents.
Tulsa Forward has previously been involved in City Council races, including providing services to council campaigns involving Laura Bellis and Lori Decter Wright, according to Nichols. The PAC has drawn additional attention because Dana Walton, Nichols’ former campaign manager and current chief of staff, serves as its chair and treasurer.
While rejecting claims that his office has been recruiting candidates, Nichols made clear he could become involved in council races through Tulsa Forward once campaigns begin taking shape.
“I’ll be listening” to candidates’ positions on key city priorities, Nichols told the newspaper, adding that he would be willing to invest both resources and time in candidates who share his vision for Tulsa’s future.
