Miguel Najera Announces Senate District 21 Run

For Immediate Release: November 9, 2015

Miguel Najera Announces State Senate Run

Stillwater—Stillwater City Councilman Miguel Najera announced his candidacy for State Senate District 21 on Monday, a district that will be vacated by Senator Jim Halligan.

Najera has called Senate District 21 home since he began his time at Oklahoma State University. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and minors in Emergency Management and Sociology, he joined Oklahoma Farm Bureau Insurance Company. Najera was elected to the Stillwater City Council in 2014.

If elected, Najera wants to make sure the citizens in Payne County have the tools they need to succeed.

“Whether those tools are a good education for their children or less tax burdens on their businesses, I want to be a part of the conversation that moves our district and state forward,” he said.

At a young age, Najera was forced to grow up quickly. He was raised by a single mother who, when he was 14 years old, passed away after battling Multiple Sclerosis for many years. By the age of 17 Najera was fortunate that a family in Ponca City took him in as one of their own—the Senator David Myers Family. “Senator Myers was a leader in Ponca City and the Oklahoma Legislature and instilled in me our Oklahoma values and what it means to lead with honesty, respect and dignity,” said Najera. “I will carry those values over into my time in the Oklahoma Legislature if elected.”

Najera cited two issues where he wants to focus if elected to the State Senate: education and the economy.

Najera noted that teachers play a vital role in Oklahoma’s next generation.

“After losing my mother, there were teachers who stepped in and were critical in shaping my future,” said Najera. “They always spent extra time filling in gaps that often were not in place in my home life. I want to do everything I can to make sure teachers are appreciated and the Legislature is helping, not hindering the education system.”

On the economy, Najera noted economic growth and diversification is key. “Payne County is a great place to live, work, and raise a family,” said Najera. “And small businesses play a role in that way of life. We need to make sure the government isn’t crippling businesses with regulation but rather cutting the red tape so they can thrive.”

Najera is a graduate of Leadership Stillwater and serves on the Big Brothers Big Sisters resource board for Stillwater and the Stillwater Young Processionals Board of Directors.

Najera lives in Stillwater with his wife Lauren who earned her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from Oklahoma Baptist University.  Lauren currently serves as a Sexual Assault counselor for Wings of Hope Domestic Violence shelter that services all of Payne County and four other surrounding counties. Najera and his wife are members of Countryside Baptist Church in Stillwater where Najera serves in the youth ministry as a small group leader.
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