BRADFORD, Wilk. -- Former Federal Sen. Tom O'Hearn is still reeling from his surprise loss for lieutenant governor on Tuesday.
The former ivy league-educated senator was considered a shoo-in for the Nationalist Party's nomination for lieutenant governor.
As a former federal senator, O'Hearn is highly revered in the state NAT party, and had a mountain of campaign cash to fund his campaign.
His opponent was somewhat known, but lacked the name recognition and political connections O'Hearn has.
However, O'Hearn ended up narrowly losing to African-Grassadellian activist James Marlowe, who had a fraction of the amount of campaign cash that O'Hearn had.
Marlowe beat O'Hearn 51%-49%, respectively, a difference of about 25,000 votes out of more than 1.3 million cast.
It was a humbling experience for O'Hearn, and in an interview with a Bradford radio station Friday, O'Hearn told hosts Sean McAvery and Nelson Guinness that he blames his loss on himself.
"I talked about election integrity, I talked about economic equality, I talked about holding corporations accountable," O'Hearn told the radio duo.
"But what I didn't spend enough time talking about, and I should have talked about more, was the racial disparities in our state. I didn't talk enough about racial inclusion and diversity. I didn't talk enough about how homelessness is plaguing our minority communities. I didn't talk enough about educational inequities. I didn't talk about police brutality against African-Grassadellian men. I should have talked about these issues more," continued O'Hearn.
"Mr. Marlowe did talk about these issues, and that proved to be a winning theme that his campaign translated into a win. So, it's really my own fault for not focusing on the issues that matter to people. I should have read the room better," said O'Hearn.
Marlowe is an African-Grassadellian activist who has spent years campaigning for increased housing for Black Wilkonshireans. He's also led anti-police rallies protesting police brutality. And he's led the fight for increased opportunities and equity in public schools for young Black students.
His protests and words have at times proven controversial. At several anti-police demonstrations in Bradford and Christon back in 2020, the demonstrations turned violent. Police accused Marlowe of either fueling the flames and inflaming protestors' anger, or not doing enough to stop the violence.
"This is a man who encouraged protestors to throw bricks through windows, who encouraged protestors to loot businesses and attack police officers," then-Christon Police Chief Tom Unridge told the STAR Network back in 2020.
Marlowe has disputed claims he espoused or overlooked violence. But he did say he understood why protestors were resorting to violence.
"When you have white police officers arresting, detaining, mistreating, beating innocent Black young men (and women), hell yeah people are going to be fired up and are going to throw bricks and sticks. You don't kill Black people and not hear about it from our community. We will not stand by while innocent Black folk are victimized by police," Marlowe said in a 2021 interview on the STAR Network.
Conservatives used Marlowe's anti-police history against him back in 2022 when he ran for the Federal Senate against incumbent John Agnew (C).
Agnew won that race 56%-43%, respectively.
And this time around, as Marlowe runs for lieutenant governor, Conservatives are already raising Marlowe's anti-police record.
TV commercials criticizing Marlowe for anti-police demonstrations and violence have already begun airing statewide.
"It's astounding to me that the Wilkonshire Nationalist Party allows a radical, left-wing, anti-police, violent criminal to run under their party's banner," said former state Attorney General Pete Gioulianis, who is running for federal Senate this year.
"That says a lot about the Nationalist Party," said Gioulianis.
Marlowe defended himself again this week, telling Wilkonshire Public Radio that Conservatives are twisting the truth about his advocacy work.
"I have never espoused violence. I have never encouraged violence. These right-wingers are taking my legitimate charity work and activism and they are making it sound like I'm a gang leader. That couldn't be further from the truth. But the reason they're distorting the truth is because they're scared of social justice. They're scared of equality for Black people. They're scared of a world in which minorities have rights and have equal access and opportunity. And I won't stop fighting for equality, even if they lie about me and threaten me. I won't stop," he vowed.
O'Hearn also came to Marlowe's defense.
"He's (Marlowe) being portrayed as a thug by the Conservatives. When in reality, he's a civic leader. He's a community organizer who has fought for minorities and fought for equal housing, for fair employment, fair wages, for fair treatment from police. There's nothing radical about that. But the Conservatives will take legitimate activism and advocacy and try to twist it into something it's not. They try to scare people with their scare tactics. And I believe the people of Wilkonshire will see right through that old tactic," said O'Hearn.
Former Wilkonshire Gov. Caroline Jepsey, who is running for federal Senate against Gioulianis, also defended Marlowe in a campaign stop just outside New Dunslee, Friday evening.
"I've known James Marlowe for many years, and he is a brilliant, bright, energetic young leader. He believes in racial equality. He believes in lifting up Black Grassadellians and all Grassadellians of color. He is doing important work in our inner-cities, and it's sad that the Conservatives are taking the valuable work he's doing and they're trying to twist it and turn it into something it's not," said Jepsey.
Outgoing NAT Gov. Tom Durick also praised Marlowe, telling Wilkonshire Public Radio that Conservatives are trying to do "a political hit job" on Marlowe.
"What do they do when they don't like you or what you stand for? They tell people you're violent. You're angry. You're a threat. You're dangerous. You're radical. That's what they're doing to James. But the people of Wilkonshire know James. They got to know him back in 2022 when he ran for Senate. They know him from his activism. And the people of Wilkonshire are smarter than that. They can see these political attacks for what they are. It's just a smear campaign, that's all. Oldest trick in the book," said Durick.
Meanwhile, Conservative candidate for lieutenant governor, Tom Rose, has so far stayed quiet on Marlowe's anti-police activism.
Asked about the controversy on Saturday at the Wilkonshire State Fair, Rose, a former Evangelical pastor, told reporters, "I think Wilkonshireans want a lieutenant governor who is focused on the future, and who puts the people first, not special interest groups, not political parties, not a certain agenda. We haven't had a lieutenant governor who put the people first in a very long time, and I intent to bring trust back to the lieutenant governor's office."
***Election Results -- Wilkonshire Lieutenant Governor Race -- NAT Nomination***
| 686,337 | 659,283 | Total Votes: | 1,345,619 | |||
| Marlowe | O'Hearn | |||||
| 51.01% | 48.99% | VTO: 17% |
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