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An Oklahoma lawmaker was denied permission to use his nickname on the ballot. State Rep. Sean Roberts is running for Labor Commissioner and wanted to label himself as "The Patriot" on the ballot.
Current Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn wanted him removed from the ballot and filed a petition against his candidacy with the Oklahoma Election Board.
While Oklahoma law allows candidates to use a nickname on the ballot, it is usually allowed only when a candidate's nickname is generally known or if they do business using that name.
Osborn argued that "The Patriot" is nothing more than a campaign slogan and that most people don't refer to Roberts by that moniker. Her lawyers also argued Roberts has run for state office multiple times and never used the nickname "The Patriot."
Roberts' lawyers argued that numerous candidates have run for office with similar nicknames, including Virginia "Blue Jeans" Jenner and Blake "Cowboy" Stephens, the Duncan Banner reported. They noted that he began using the nickname in 2018 after he was the lone conservative Republican candidate to win re-election.
The Election Board ruled that Roberts can remain on the ballot but is barred from using his nickname.
Roberts spun the decision as a victory because he was allowed to stay on the ballot. However, he said that he is considering appealing the board's decision.