Matt Langston, Ryan Walters’ campaign spokesman, confirmed that Hernandez worked as campaign manager for two weeks in January.
The chairman of the Oklahoma College Republicans and a former campaign manager for a candidate in the GOP state superintendent run-off was arrested in Oklahoma City on Friday on accusations of sex acts with a minor.
Jonathan Alberto Hernandez, 21, is being held in the Oklahoma County jail on charges of sodomy and lewd or indecent proposals or acts to a child. His bail is set at $50,000.
Matt Langston, Ryan Walters’ campaign spokesman, confirmed that Hernandez worked as campaign manager for two weeks in January.
Walters is Gov. Kevin Stitt’s secretary of education and is currently running for the office of state superintendent.
“This is extremely disappointing and concerning,” Langston told the Tulsa World Friday evening. “Hernandez worked less than two weeks for the campaign in an outreach role, but he did not adequately meet our needs. His role was terminated swiftly based on lack of performance and the campaign’s needs.”
People are also reading…
A campaign report for the first quarter of 2022 shows that Hernandez was paid $2,200 on March 4 for “campaign manager salary.”
“That was his title that we initially settled on, but there was not a management role, so that was misleading,” Langston told the World.
Hernandez posted on June 1 that he was beginning a new job as operations specialist for the Oklahoma Senate. On Friday evening, the chief operating officer of the Senate emailed all state senators and Senate personnel, telling them that Hernandez “is no longer an employee of the Oklahoma State Senate.”
Hernandez’ social media accounts show him in photos with all of the state’s highest office holders and a host of other current GOP lawmakers.
Earlier this week, Hernandez was recognized by state and national Republican party leaders at the grand opening of the new Republican National Committee Hispanic Community Center in south Oklahoma City.
Photos on his social media showed him receiving the “Chairman’s Champion” award from A.J. Ferate, newly elected leader of the Oklahoma Republican Party, as well as a televised message by RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel.
A news report in the Oklahoman showed Hernandez standing between Gov. Kevin Stitt and his campaign manager, Donelle Harder, at the event.
Contacted Friday evening, Harder said Hernandez had previously sought an internship with Stitt’s campaign but was never hired.
Featured video:
Deborah Gist spoke out after the State Secretary of Education and two TPS board members targeted the district over financial transparency concerns.
