The field for the 71st District Republican primary contains a familiar candidate and a newcomer.
The district spanning as far west as Riverside Drive and as far east as Lewis Avenue has been held by a Democrat since 2018. Beverly Atteberry, a criminal defense attorney who previously ran for the seat in 2018 and 2020, said she wants better infrastructure in the district.
“There’s a lot of issues for I-44 even for the three or four miles that come through our district. I think that that’s important. Also, just the roads and bridges just coming in and out of Tulsa themselves,” Attebery said.
I-44 runs through the southern portion of District 71. Outside of the district, the I-44 U.S. Highway 75 interchange has been dubbed “Tulsa Stonehenge” online for its large columns sitting dormant. Work on the project starts back up next month.
Political newcomer Tania Garza is also running in the Republican primary. Garza works with Tulsa Remote, a program that offers remote workers from other states $10,000 grants to live in the city.
Garza said after moving to Tulsa in 2013 she was able to obtain a better life by gaining workforce skills. Garza said she wants to do the same for others.
“Tulsa is, right now, the place to be,” Garza said. “To pivot, to be skills-based, to grow and to really create that economic mobility that you want for yourself and your family.”
KWGS attempted to reach the third Republican candidate for the primary Heidimarie Fuentes to talk about the race, but she did not respond.
A female representative has held the district since 2012.
The Republican primary takes place on April 1.
