William Mankiller, the first woman to lead the Cherokee Nation, said she has rejected calls for her to run for U.S. Congress.

Mankiller has been asked to represent Oklahoma's 2nd Congressional District, which has the highest percentage of Indian voters than any other in the country. But she said she won't do it.

"It's just not in my way of thinking," Mankiller tells The Oklahoman. "My vision, my life is in the tribe."

The district is currently represented by Rep. Dan Boren, a Democrat, who defeated Kalyn Free, a member of the Choctaw Nation, for the party's nomination. The seat was previously held by Brad Carson, a member of the Cherokee Nation.

The only Native American in Congress Rep. Tom Cole, Republican of Oklahoma. Mankiller believes the state will have an Indian governor in the future.

Get the Story:
Mankiller foresees Indian governor (The Oklahoman 12/16)
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