Five new lawmakers have joined the Oklahoma Freedom Caucus, a group of right-wing lawmakers behind a slate of bills seeking to formally honor slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The new members bring the group’s public membership roster to nine of 149 lawmakers in the Capitol. While the group remains small, its membership is concentrated in the 48-member state Senate, meaning the group could wield some influence, particularly when Republicans disagree. The Senate’s 40-person GOP caucus appears to be evenly divided between more moderate and farther-right political groups.
The Oklahoma Freedom Caucus is the state arm of a national far-right group formed in 2015 by members of Congress and members of the Tea Party Movement.
Oklahoma’s branch is led by Sen. Shane Jett, a Republican from Shawnee.
The group took credit for three pieces of legislation filed by Jett after Kirk was killed. The proposals seek to establish Kirk’s birthday as “Charlie Kirk Free Speech Day” in Oklahoma, require a memorial for Kirk on public college campuses and honor the conservative activist in the Legislature.
In addition to Jett, three other Republican lawmakers publicly joined the caucus when it was formed in 2024: Sen. Dusty Deevers, of Elgin, Sen. Dana Prieto, of Tulsa, and Rep. Jim Olsen, of Sallisaw.
The group announced Monday, Sept. 22, the addition of five freshmen lawmakers to its ranks: Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, Sen. Kendal Sacchieri, R-Blanchard, Sen. Julie McIntosh, R-Porter, Sen. Randy Grellner, R-Cushing, and Rep. Jim Shaw, R-Chandler.
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Standridge received statewide attention in January, before the 2025 legislative session began, for introducing a bill that initially sought to prohibit cities other than Oklahoma City and Tulsa from providing shelter or services to unhoused people. Critics called the bill cruel and anti-local government. The first-year lawmaker’s bill did not make it to the governor’s desk.
McIntosh successfully passed a COVID-19 response bill that requires the governor to have scientific evidence that the “nature of a particular business” directly contributes to spreading disease before closing businesses during a declared pandemic. The governor would also need to provide notice and an opportunity for a hearing to “nonessential” businesses before issuing an executive order that closes businesses.
Grellner was tapped by Gov. Kevin Stitt to chair his “Make Oklahoma Healthy Again” council as part of Stitt’s campaign pledging to improve health outcomes in the state. Eliminating the use of fluoride from public water supplies is a main focus of the campaign, a goal that quickly drew backlash from dentists who say it’s important for dental health.
Sacchieri did not make much noise during her first session. She often voted in line with the Senate’s far-right Republican faction.
Shaw, the lone new House lawmaker in the Freedom Caucus, filed several bills that sought to restrict green energy and ban the use of biosolids. He was unsuccessful in passing legislation as principal author during the 2025 legislative session.
Earlier in September, Shaw launched and committed $100,000 to his “Save Oklahoma Plan, an effort to “hold every Republican’s feet to the fire” during the 2026 legislative session and primary elections. The campaign pledged not to support candidates who don’t align with certain right-wing platforms, including stopping “discrimination based on vaccination status,” criminalizing foreign land ownership and fighting the “green energy agenda.”
In a news release, U.S. Rep. Josh Brecheen, a member of the Freedom Caucus in Congress, said Oklahoma “needs more freedom warriors” at the state Capitol.
“Rather than just claiming to be a conservative, these new freedom caucus members were invited to join based on a record of conservative votes they have cast and their willingness to maintain that courage moving forward,” Brecheen said.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Freedom Caucus adds five freshmen to far-right Republican group