OKC city council's Nikki Nice defeats Connie Johnson for Oklahoma's Senate District 48

Ward 7 Oklahoma City Councilwoman Nikki Nice defeated former state Sen. Connie Johnson in Tuesday's primary for Oklahoma's Senate District 48.

Before he announced his intention earlier this year to resign in November, state Sen. George Young had been representing the district, most prominently featuring northeast Oklahoma City, since 2019.

Both Nice and Johnson have long-standing, deep roots with northeast Oklahoma City, home to the metro's historically Black community, and earned degrees through the state's historically Black university.

Nice, 43, was first elected to the Oklahoma City Council in 2018 and won reelection unopposed in 2021. She rose to prominence as a radio and television personality in Oklahoma City before winning the city council seat. Nice has been running a campaign built around "Keeping Community First" and moving "Forward Together." She advocated vocally for her ward's representation in the city's latest MAPS program revitalization efforts, which have historically focused on downtown, and has encouraged her residents to engage with the city on issues and decisions that might adversely impact them.

Johnson, 72, had previously occupied the state Senate seat after winning a special election in 2005 and served the district through 2014, before running statewide for U.S. Senate and then governor. As a state senator, Johnson's probably best known for leading the defeat of a controversial "personhood" bill by attaching a satirical amendment. The amendment was even featured in its own "Daily Show" segment, but she remembered it as a moment where women on both sides of the abortion issue came together to defeat what she described as an absurd and backward piece of legislation.

Having won the competition for Young's unexpired term, Nice will be sworn in as the district's new senator in the fall.

In an interview last week with The Oklahoman, Nice said she was "very humbled to walk in the calling that has been presented for me."

"I’ve done the work, and I hope the people that are living within the district understand that I am, and have been, very committed to my community and service and balancing how we can all be served well," Nice said. "This is a new level of service, and I’m grateful for the opportunity, and I’m grateful for the people that will support me in this endeavor of going to the state Senate."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Results: Nikki Nice defeats Connie Johnson for Oklahoma Senate seat