We donvt pretend to know the workings of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribal government. 

And since we don’t have a vote in the upcoming C&A tribal elections, all we can speak to is what we’ve seen over the past several years and from this vantage point what we’ve seen is progress. Plenty of it. 

Gov. Reggie Wassana, in our opinion, deserves re-election to continue serving the C&A people. In our opinion, he’s provided professional and stable leadership that has helped the C&A and has helped bring people closer together. 

All people. 

Several weeks ago, Wassana was speaking at a celebration recognizing the Oklahoma Indian Nations Pow-Wow.

The event was held at the Filling Station in downtown El Reno. This shows the kinds of bridges Wassana has helped build over the past several years while serving as C&A governor. 

“When the Cheyenne and Arapaho do well, El Reno does well,” Wassana told the audience that included tribal members as well as El Reno city leaders.

“And when El Reno does well, the Cheyenne and Arapaho do well,” he continued. 

In this age of political divisiveness, it’s refreshing to see a leader work as hard as Gov. Wassana does to help build bridges that bring people together. As he’s said many times before, everyone fares better when we work together. 

Isn’t that what a leader is supposed to help do, work so that everyone who desires is able to do better?

Wassana was the first C&A leader to gain trust status for tribal lands. He’s led the effort to build modern businesses and today the C&A employ more than 1,500 people. That makes it one of the largest employers in western Oklahoma. He’s partnered with cities and towns in central and western Oklahoma for economic development projects and he’s led efforts to transform the C&A into a major agriculture producer in the state. 

Being a leader requires a thick skin. Critics are everywhere. They never go away and that’s OK. 

But facts are facts and what we've seen from Wassana is leadership and the ability to work with people.

He’s traveled many times to Washington, D.C., working for the rightful return of Fort Reno to the Cheyenne and Arapaho.

It’s a battle he won’t give up.

Wassana has extended an offer to allow the research to continue at Fort Reno, all while using its resources to help create jobs. Our economy is desperate for good-paying jobs. It boggles the mind wondering how our elected federal leaders can stand in the way of creating jobs, while still conducting research at Fort Reno. That’s not leadership. 

Fighting for justice and progress is leadership and Wassana has demonstrated he’s willing to stand up for what he believes. 

He has helped build programs that provide for the youth as well as the elders of the C&A. He’s a people person. 

The Cheyenne and Arapaho people need and deserve consistent, professional and forward-thinking leadership. From what we’ve seen, Reggie Wassana has provided all of this and deserves re-election.