Markwayne Mullin vs. Kendra Horn: Where they stand

U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin and former U.S. Rep. Kendra Horn differed on many issues when they served together in the House from 2019 through 2020. The two lawmakers split on 63% of the votes cast in those two years, according to ProPublica's online database. The differences came on immigration, election changes, energy, gun control and many other issues, including the impeachment of former President Donald Trump, which Horn supported.

The two are now hoping to fill the unexpired term of retiring U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, a Republican who has served in the Senate since 1994. The election is Nov. 8. Among the issues on which they agree is tribal sovereignty in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in McGirt v. Oklahoma; both oppose any action by Congress that is not supported by the tribes and the state. Libertarian Robert Murphy and independent Ray Woods are also on the ballot.

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Kendra S. Horn, Democrat

Hometown: Oklahoma City.

Age: 46

Occupation: Attorney, consultant, representative of 5th Congressional District 2019-2021.

Education: University of Tulsa (Bachelor of Arts); Southern Methodist University (juris doctorate).

Income in 2021: Consulting: $95,000 from Chickasaw Nation Division of Commerce; $20,000 from Oklahoma Hospital Assn.; $750 from Oklahoma Women’s Coalition; $20,000 from Third Way, public policy organization in Washington.

Assets: $67,000 to $180,000 (bank accounts, retirement funds).

Liabilities: $15,000 to $50,000 (student loan).

U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin, Republican

Hometown: Westville

Age: 45

Occupation: Representative of 2nd Congressional District since Jan. 2013, plumbing company owner

Education: Associate degree, Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology

Income in 2021: $3.37 million to $23.2 million (Business income, dividends, interest, capital gains)

Assets: $31.6 million to $75.8 million (Plumbing and service companies, bank accounts, Dreyfus wealth management fund, stocks, stock funds, antique shop, restaurant, life insurance policies)

Liabilities: None listed

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Student loan forgiveness

Mullin: In an interview on Newsmax after the Biden administration announced student loan forgiveness plan, he said, “You’re a student, you signed up to get a student loan. That meant that your word said you were going to pay it back. You’re only as good as your word. It’s not my responsibility, it wasn’t anybody else’s responsibility. It was your responsibility to pay that loan back. And so for President Biden and his administration to think that the taxpayers of the United States and of Oklahoma should have to pay for somebody’s loans that they chose to take and they’re choosing to not pay back, it’s ridiculous.”

Horn: Sponsored a bill in the House to remove any adverse credit history related to a federal student loan once the borrower has completed default rehabilitation. Also sponsored a bill providing for grace periods on federal student loan payments and loan interest when borrowers are in college and six months after the borrower leaves college.

At a town hall meeting in August she said she is still paying off loans from law school.

“The rising cost of education is a weight that is holding down too many of our young people and keeping them from doing things like buying a home, starting a family .. I know there’s some ideas out there that would say: wipe things out. I don’t support that because it doesn’t address the underlying issues But I do support fixing our student loan system.”

Abortion

Mullin: In a televised debate in August, Mullin said he would vote for a federal ban on abortion and would not support any exceptions. “As I said, as the father of adopted children, regardless of how they enter this world, someone still can love that child. I can understand the pain that a family could go through in those circumstances. It’s very personal. But that’s still a life. And you can’t make a distinction — that child didn’t make a decision on how they were conceived. And I get that the victim didn’t either. But that child can still have a full productive life.”

Horn: Opposes federal ban on abortion. “Oklahoma has the most extreme abortion ban in the country,” Horn said in an interview, adding that she was concerned about “this government overreach and the impacts to the health and safety and well-being of women and to doctors who are being threatened with prosecution.”

“The majority of Oklahomans believe we should protect women’s access to reproductive health. I agree with that. I’m not saying without limits, I’m not saying anytime for any reason. We could talk about weeks … I think it’s closer to like 20, before viability. Right now, I’m most concerned about the overreach … It’s about sensible solutions.”

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Immigration

Mullin: Supported former President Donald Trump’s border wall and has called for it to be completed. In July, Mullin sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Tae Johnson complaining  that “This administration’s policies of amnesty, catch and release, and low security have directly led to the current border catastrophe.

“We call on this Administration to do better. You must reverse course, ensure full funding for ICE, and get the border under control. Stop emboldening dangerous criminal organizations and protect American communities.”

Horn: While in the House, she voted against funding Trump’s border wall and for a Democratic bill offering a detailed path to citizenship for “dreamers,” people who were illegally brought to the United States as minors.

"Our immigration system is broken, and we need comprehensive reform that protects national security, as well as human dignity,” Horn said after the 2019 vote.

Horn did support some Republican proposals, including one that called for giving the Department of Homeland Security the names of people whose residency applications were denied because of criminal activity.

Ukraine/Armed Services

Mullin: Voted for legislation this year appropriating $40 billion for military aid to Ukraine, to replenish U.S. munitions, to support U.S. troops in bordering NATO countries and to provide humanitarian aid to Ukraine and other countries. Mullin was criticized by some of his Republican primary opponents for backing the bill. He defended his vote by saying that “not one dollar was actually sent directly to Ukraine.” The money was appropriated to U.S. departments and agencies, with the intent of being spent on aid to Ukraine.

Mullin, who serves on the House Intelligence Committee, said in August that he wants to serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Retiring Sen. Jim Inhofe, a Republican, has been on the committee since 1994 and has served as chairman and ranking member.

Horn: Served two years on the House Armed Services Committee, “where I worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and with Senator Inhofe to fight for our bases and men and women in uniform.” She wants to serve on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

On Ukraine, she said, "It is important that we support Ukraine's defense against (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's unnecessary, unprovoked invasion. The valiant and unwavering effort of the Ukrainian people defending their homeland is a critical reminder of why the U.S. must have both a strong military and diplomatic ties with our allies around the globe. Bipartisan support for the Ukrainian people sends a clear signal to despots and authoritarians like Putin that their actions will not go unchecked."

Energy

Mullin: Strongly opposed Biden’s decision to take oil from the nation’s strategic reserves to increase supply and bring down gas prices. He said the reserves were meant “for emergency purposes, not as a Band-Aid for or distraction from bad policy.” Has called for more drilling on public land and opposes new limits on methane emissions from drilling on public land. Signed on to Republican legislation called the American Energy First Act that would expand drilling and give incentives for offshore wind production.

Horn: Voted in the House not to allow oil and gas exploration off the Atlantic coast and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Authored a bill in 2020 after oil prices crashed amid pandemic shutdowns to buy $3 billion in oil for the strategic reserve to prop up the industry; the Trump administration opposed the legislation. Has proposed a plan called ALL IN that echoes other all-of-the-above proposals in backing oil and gas production while encouraging renewables and research on new technologies.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Markwayne Mullin vs. Kendra Horn for the U.S. Senate: Where they stand