Powers seeks re-election on record of infrastructure improvements, government efficiency
Lifelong Comanche County resident is on ballot in June 16 GOP primary
Josh Powers says serving as a Comanche County Commissioner has been a privilege that he wants to continue for four more years.
The incumbent Powers, who was elected to the District 3 seat on the Board of Commissioners in 2022, seeks a second term. He seeks the Republican nomination for re-election and faces Landon Cochrane in the primary election scheduled for June 16.
“Serving as your Comanche County Commissioner for District 3 has been a privilege, and I’m proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish together,” Powers said. “It means a lot to me to be part of this community, and I look forward to continuing to work hard for the people of Comanche County.”
Powers is a fourth-generation Lawton resident. He attended Cameron University after graduating from Eisenhower High School. He and his wife Cortney have two daughters. He also spent 11 years with the Lawton Police Department. He retired from the force in 2021.
He has served as part of the county’s Facilities Authority, Tax Correction Board, Lawton Economic Development Corporation and the National Association of Counties Agriculture and Rural Affairs Steering Committee among others.
Powers also is the owner and founder of Valor Defense Depot, the largest standalone firearms store in Lawton. And in 2020, he and his wife acquired an Allstate Insurance agency. Powers also owns and manages multiple commercial properties and single-family homes in the county. And since purchasing his first ranch last year, he has been growing his agricultural business.
In his first term, Powers says he’s worked hard to make decisions he believes were right for the people of District 3 and Comanche County.
“Not every decision has been easy, and not everyone has always agreed with them, but I’ve always tried to approach this job with honesty, integrity and a commitment to doing what’s best for our community,” he said. “Over the last three and a half years, I haven’t campaigned on empty promises — I’ve campaigned on results. And together with the incredible employees of District 3, we’ve made real progress across Comanche County.”
Some of those accomplishments include more than 77 miles of chip & seal completed; more than 30 miles of road striping; major road, bridge, culvert and guardrail improvements; new equipment and fleet modernization to improve efficiency and emergency response; technology upgrades such as GPS tracking, fuel tracking, security improvements, and better accountability systems; employee pay scale improvements, updated policies and stronger operational structure; and partnerships with schools, volunteer fire departments, Comanche Nation, Medicine Park, Cache, Faxon and many others to complete projects across the district and county.
“We’ve rebuilt roads, upgraded equipment, improved operations, increased transparency and worked hard to make sure taxpayer dollars are being used more effectively and responsibly,” Powers said. “I wasn’t elected to sit quietly or rubber stamp decisions. I was elected to work, solve problems, and produce results — and that’s exactly what we’ve done.
“There is still more work ahead, but I’m proud of the progress we’ve made and grateful for the support from so many people throughout District 3.”
Powers also says will continue fighting for what makes Comanche County more efficient and what’s best for the people of District 3.
“It may not always be what others want, but I’ve never had a problem standing alone when it comes to doing what’s right,” he said. “What appears cheaper at first glance isn’t always the most cost-effective in the long run. I’m concerned this decision may prove to be exactly that.”
In a re-election campaign announcement this spring, Powers highlighted some of his greatest accomplishments from his first term as commissioner. Among these are obtaining a $180,000 grant from the Oklahoma DOT to improve a key stretch of county road, eliminating obsolete paperwork, reorganizing and optimizing personnel roles, seeking formal opinions from the district attorney to clarify county policy and pushing for detention center upgrades.
The Private Property Rights Institute, whose mission is to combat government infringement on private property rights, has endorsed Powers.
“As an organization dedicated to protecting property owners from the intrusive reach of government, we are proud to endorse Josh Powers for re-election to the Comanche County Commission,” said Charlie Kolean, president of the PPRI. “He understands he works for the voters first, not the government, and stands for transparency, fiscal responsibility and the rights of private property owners which is the foundation of our free market economy.”
Per the Comanche County government website, the commission’s responsibilities include enforcing legislation passed by the state Legislature, entering into contracts, receiving and expending funds, investigating and assessing the performance of county offices as well as approving development contracts. The commission comprises three members.