Guy Barker is a
Quapaw-American politician and attorney who served one term as the secretary-treasurer of the
Quapaw Nation between 2020 and 2022. During the
, Barker ran for retiring Congressman
Markwayne Mullin's seat in
Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district, placing 5th in the 14 candidate
Republican primary.
Early life
Barker is an eighth-generation Oklahoman.
He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biosystems and mechanical engineering from
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater
Oklahoma State University–Stillwater (officially Oklahoma State University; informally Oklahoma State, OK State, OSU) is a public land-grant research university in Stillwater, Oklahoma. OSU was founded in 1890 under the Morrill Act. Originall ...
and a
Juris Doctor
The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law
and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice law ...
from the
Oklahoma City University School of Law
Oklahoma City University School of Law, also known as OCU Law, is the law school of Oklahoma City University. OCU Law is located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and was founded in 1907. OCU Law was located in the Sarkeys Law Center on the southwest side ...
.
Career
2020 election and Secretary-Treasurer of Quapaw Nation
Prior to running for office, Barker worked as a petroleum engineer and attorney.
Barker ran for
Quapaw Nation secretary-treasurer in 2020 and was elected to his first term, defeating incumbent Tamara Smiley-Reeves. He campaigned for election with his cousin,
Joseph Tali Byrd, who was elected chairman of the tribe in the same election.
Barker came into office after a forensic audit of the Tribe resulted in the indictment of former
Quapaw Nation Chairman John Berrey and former Quapaw Nation Secretary-Treasurer Tamara Smiley Reeves for mishandling $7 million.
While in office Barker pursued a settlement of the
Quapaw Nation's claim for damages against the United States for damage done to
Tar Creek (referred to as the "Bear Settlement" by the Quapaw Nation). He also oversaw the increase in the tribe's
Saracen Casino Resort credit rating by
Moody’s Investors Service
Moody's Investors Service, often referred to as Moody's, is the bond credit rating business of Moody's Corporation, representing the company's traditional line of business and its historical name. Moody's Investors Service provides international ...
and
S&P Global Ratings and oversaw the reinvestment in the tribes
criminal justice system after the reestablishment of the Quapaw reservation in a follow-up case to the
McGirt v. Oklahoma
''McGirt v. Oklahoma'', 591 U.S. ___ (2020), was a landmark United States Supreme Court case which ruled that, as pertaining to the Major Crimes Act, much of the eastern portion of the state of Oklahoma remains as Native American lands of the pr ...
decision. He was named "Tribal Executive of the Year" in 2021.
2022 congressional campaign
Barker ran for
Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district in 2022 after incumbent
Markwayne Mullin announced his retirement to run for the open U.S. Senate seat.
He placed fifth and failed to qualify for the runoff.
2022 Quapaw elections
Barker ran for reelection in the 2022 Quapaw Nation elections, facing challenger Kathryn "Wena" Supernaw.
Supernaw defeated Barker in the July election.
Electoral history
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barker, Guy
21st-century American politicians
21st-century Native American politicians
Candidates in the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections
Living people
Oklahoma Republicans
Quapaw Nation politicians
Year of birth missing (living people)