Tuesday, June 22, 2021 - Sallisaw Mayor, former educator and principal, Ernie Martens, today announced that he is running for the Republican nomination for Oklahoma State Senate District 4, which encompasses portions of Adair, Cherokee, Delaware, and Sequoyah counties.
Current State Senator, Mark Allen, will be term-limited in 2022.
“All my life, I have been called to serve. I have served students in education; I have served in the communities in which I have lived and have served the Lord within my church” said Martens. “After thoughtful prayer and discussions with family and friends, I feel the next and most important opportunity to serve my community and northeastern Oklahoma is as your next State Senator for District 4.”
After Martens graduated from Oklahoma State University, he spent the next 15 years as an Agriculture teacher and FFA advisor. Then, he spent the next 20 years in education administration including 15 years as Principal of Sallisaw High School where he served until retirement.
Martens stated that In 2018 he felt called to serve his community again by running for Mayor of Sallisaw. During his time as Mayor, Martens successfully attained several outstanding accomplishments, including Sallisaw being selected as the newest location for the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs 175 bed long-term care facility.
“Oklahoma’s turnaround has started, but there is much more work to do. I am committed and dedicated to continue that by helping to improving the quality of life not only for the residents of Senate District 4 but all Oklahoman’s.” said Martens. “I will work to protect our religious liberties, protect our Second Amendment, improving our public education system, invest in career tech programs and community colleges..”
"Access to affordable rural health care also needs to be addressed. Additionally, I am committed to work collectively with our tribal nations as they are partners and a tremendous asset to communities and schools. Other issues vital to our state and district 4 include the agriculture and oil and gas industry, which effects the residents in District 4," Martens added.
Martens and his wife Judy have been married for 46 years and have two children, Holly Bormann, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Carl Albert State College and Lt. Tucker Martens of the Sallisaw Police Department. Martens has five grandchildren whom he says help inspire him to work to build a better future for in Oklahoma.
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