The Osage Nation will elect six members to Congress this election year, and the candidates have already started their election preparations.
Rain or shine, mud or no mud, candidates were still out setting up their camps and making food as if the weather was cooperating. A time-honored tradition, Election Day is always a smorgasbord of food as candidates visit with voters throughout the day and campaign until the last vote is cast.
Christa Unap-Fulkerson’s camp is located at the Campus Park with 11 other candidates. Fulkerson’s camp had meatpies, strawberry cake, peanut butter cake and drinks. For supper at 4:30 p.m., her camp will have grilled bratwurst, chips and dip, cookies, and drinks.
“I think overall my mission here as a candidate is to unify our Congress,” Fulkerson said. “Just the rain today will bring us all together because we’re helping each other make it through the day. I think it is very important for all of us to come together as a team.”
Angela Pratt’s camp had chicken, potato salad and beans for lunch. For dinner, Pratt’s camp is offering jelly sandwiches and chips, along with drinks.
Billy Keene’s camp had chicken, pasta, cookies, cake and chips for lunch. For dinner, Keene’s camp will provide Trigger’s BBQ, cheesy potatoes, fruit and pasta salad. Food will be offered all day.
Traci Phillips’ camp had pulled pork sandwiches, potato salad, cookies and drinks for lunch. Phillip’s camp will provide tacos with mango salsa and coleslaw for dinner with various sides.





Johnna Johnson is one of the cooks at Phillip’s camp, and reflected on previous election days in the past.
“As kids we looked forward to it as well because we got to stay up all night,” Johnson said. “And we played Indian dice.”
Maria Whitehorn’s camp had donuts and coffee for the early risers. For lunch, she gave constituents the choice between spicy or regular meatpies, along with macaroni salad, tabouli, cookies and various desserts and other dishes made by her family members. Whitehorn’s camp has watermelon and will be providing Subway sandwiches for dinner. Whitehorn also had koozies for constituents to put their water bottles in to show support.
Jodie Revard has barbecue, hamburgers, hotdogs, sausage, different salads and drinks. She is also providing cookies and fans for voters.
“I have swag for the constituents.” Revard said.
John Maker and Joe Tillman are hosting their camp together. They provided meatpies, smoked baloney and pulled pork for lunch. Maker and Tillman will be having dinner at 5:30 p.m., and it will consist of brisket, ribs, potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans and drinks.
Brooklin Sweezy made chicken and steak fajitas on the grill, seasoned black beans, cilantro lime rice, and street corn for lunch. For dinner she is providing smoked pulled pork sandwiches, kettle chips, sweet and smoky baked beans and potato salad. She also made chocolate brownies. Sweezy has pins, stickers and business cards for constituent gifts.
“The youth is the future generation’s leaders,” she said.





In a departure from tradition, candidates William Kemble and Pam Shaw didn’t have their camps at the campus park.
Kemble had his camp at Pawhuska’s Landrum Community Center. Kemble’s camp provided pulled pork sandwiches with Head Country barbecue, scalloped potatoes, coffee and donuts for lunch. Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear gave the blessing for the lunch meal. For dinner, Kemble’s camp is providing meatpies, corn soup and ribs with various side dishes. There will be outside games and a bounce house for children, weather permitting.
Shaw’s camp was located at Saucy Calf in downtown Pawhuska, but they were only open until 3 p.m. Shaw’s camp provided constituents with Indian tacos, pork and hominy, and frybread. For dessert, she had cake and cookies. Shaw’s camp is planning on meeting at the Osage Nation Campus Park for dinner.
“This is one of my favorite days for the Osage Nation,” Shaw said. “It’s exciting, everyone is full of hope, and I love seeing all the voters out and all of the camps for the candidates.”