Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma). Photo from Sen. Jim Inhofe / Twitter
The only two enrolled tribal citizens in Congress are from Oklahoma. Both happen to be members of the Republican Party. They are also parting ways with Indian Country and backing Donald Trump, their party's presidential nominee. Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma), a member of the Chickasaw Nation, already said he supports the controversial real estate mogul and now Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), a member of the Cherokee Nation, is doing the same. “The guy can lead,” Mullin told the Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, The Tulsa World reported. “Does the guy run a little loose around the jaw occasionally? Probably.” It wasn't exactly a ringing endorsement, according to the paper. Mullin had supported Marco Rubio, Trump's rival, during the Republican primary season. Cole hasn't sounded too excited about Trump either. He's questioned the candidate's repeated use of "Pocahontas" as a slur but hasn't backed away from the man at the top of the GOP ticket. "He needs to quit using language like that,” Cole told The Washington Post. "It’s pejorative, and you know, there’s plenty of things that he can disagree with Elizabeth Warren over, this is not something that should, in my opinion, ever enter the conversation." Read More on the Story:
Rep. Markwayne Mullin voices soft support for Trump while decrying Clinton's 'lies' (The Tulsa World 8/12) Republican Party Platform Documents:
2016: Honoring Our Relationship with American Indians | 2012: Honoring Our Relationship with American Indians | 2008: Supporting Native American Communities | 2004: Native Americans | 2000: Native Americans
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