Cara Cowan Watts

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Cara Cowan Watts

|image = Cara Cowan Watts Portiat 2023.jpg

|office = Member of the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council

|term_start = August 14, 2003

|term_end = August 14, 2015

|predecessor = Harold DeMoss

|successor = Buel Anglen

|constituency = 7th District (2003–2011)
5th District Seat 2 (2011–2013)
13th District (2013–2015)

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|4|23}}

|birth_place = Shawnee, Oklahoma, U.S.

|death_date =

|death_place =

|relatives = John Rogers (ancestor)

|nationality = Cherokee Nation
United States

|education = Oklahoma State University, Stillwater (BS, MS, PhD)

}}

Cara Cowan Watts (born April 23, 1974) is a Cherokee Nation politician. She served on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council from 2003 to 2015 and was a candidate for Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation in the 2023 Cherokee Nation principal chief election.

Early life and family

Cara Cowan Watts was born on April 23, 1974, in Shawnee, Oklahoma, to Beverly (Leerskov) and Clarence "Curly" Cowan. She has a brother named Brett. She is a descendant of Cherokee "Old Settler"{{efn|"Old Settlers", in the context of Cherokee peoples, refers to Cherokee people who voluntarily relocated to Arkansas before the Trail of Tears.{{cite news |last1=Landes |first1=Tim |title=Mullin: 'volunteer walk' comment referred to Old Settlers |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/mullin-volunteer-walk-comment-referred-to-old-settlers/article_9d364b1f-4042-586b-afdb-d1ea47235d2f.html |access-date=22 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=November 2, 2018}}}} Chief, John Rogers.

Cowan Watts graduated from Seminole High School in Seminole, Oklahoma. She then attended Oklahoma State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1997, a Master of Science degree in engineering with a focus on Telecommunications in 2002, and a Ph.D. in Biosystems Engineering in 2015.{{Cite web |last=Stillwater |first=Oklahoma State University |last2=Campus |first2=OK 74078 |last3=Maps744-5000 |first3=Parking |date=2020-10-12 |title=OSU alumna honored for work in science and technology - Oklahoma State University |url=https://news.okstate.edu/articles/communications/2020/osu-alumna-honored-for-work-in-science-and-technology.html |access-date=2023-05-01 |website=news.okstate.edu |language=en}}

Early career

In 2003, Cowan Watts worked for WilTel Communications in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Cherokee Nation political career

In 2003, Cara Cowan won her first Tribal Councilor election in District 7 with 66% of the vote, the highest winning percentage of any Tribal Councilor in that election. At the time she was the youngest Cherokee Nation tribal councilor in history at 29.{{cite news |last1=Snell |first1=Travis |title=Cara Cowan eager to help constituents |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/cara-cowan-eager-to-help-constituents/article_7d745b5a-9304-5b55-a434-11fbdc1d6b6e.html |access-date=22 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=October 10, 2003}} She defeated incumbent Harold DeMoss.{{cite news |last1=Chavez |first1=Will |title=Grayson, Chapman in runoff |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/grayson-chapman-in-runoff/article_d328571c-49f9-529d-813c-5d326d80d53e.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=June 5, 2003}} She served as deputy speaker of the tribal council from 2007 to 2011 and as acting speaker in 2011. In 2011, She was appointed to the technical advisory group for the Oklahoma Water Resources Board to assist in a review of water quality in Oklahoma's scenic rivers.{{Cite web |title=Tribal Councilor Cowan Watts appointed to water advisory group |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/tribal-councilor-cowan-watts-appointed-to-water-advisory-group/article_e5275f42-a4d1-5776-98ba-a0f74b630385.html |access-date=2023-05-01 |website=cherokeephoenix.org |language=en}} She was re-elected in 2011 to District 5, Seat 2 after redistricting and sworn in on August 14, 2011.{{cite news |last1=Chavez |first1=Will |title=Elected leaders sworn in at inauguration ceremony |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/elected-leaders-sworn-in-at-inauguration-ceremony/article_ee4e956e-fd64-581a-bbd8-1cbe92a578cb.html |access-date=25 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=August 17, 2011}} After another round of redistricting, she represented the 13th district starting August 14, 2013.{{cite news |last1=Snell |first1=Travis |title=15-district map in effect for Tribal Council |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/15-district-map-in-effect-for-tribal-council/article_eb9ce265-44c5-50c7-9654-e689c23fa001.html |access-date=25 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=August 19, 2013}}

Cowan Watts served as a Tribal Councilor for the Cherokee Nation from 2003 to 2015 when she was term limited.{{cite news |last1=Dickinson |first1=Diana |title=Cara Cowan Watts withdraws from race for CN Principal Chief |url=https://www.claremoreprogress.com/news/cara-cowan-watts-withdraws-from-race-for-cn-principal-chief/article_9bd550ce-c280-11e4-be86-b7230d273cf5.html |access-date=22 May 2023 |work=The Claremore Daily Progress |date=March 4, 2015}} She was succeeded by Buel Anglen.{{cite news |last1=Boston |first1=Stacie |title=2016 IHP approved, legislators say goodbyes |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/2016-ihp-approved-legislators-say-goodbyes/article_bf3b8540-7f5c-553e-b9ea-29a27184591e.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=August 12, 2015}}

In 2019, Cowan Watts ran against incumbent Cherokee Nation tribal councilor Keith Austin in the 14th district; she lost the election.{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Chad |title=UPDATED: Voters back Austin for another Dist. 14 term |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/updated-voters-back-austin-for-another-dist-14-term/article_09b4b1ce-327d-50ab-88af-5dbf29a34680.html |access-date=27 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=June 2, 2019}}

= Anglen vs Cowan Watts lawsuit =

On March 19, 2013, Tribal Councilor Buel Anglen filed a lawsuit in Cherokee Nation District Court against Tribal Councilor Cara Cowan Watts and the tribe's Election Commission. Anglen's petition challenged the constitutionality of new election laws under the Cherokee Nation constitution. Anglen opposed Legislative Act 26-12, which would change the voting districts within the Cherokee Nation boundaries from 5 to 15 and redistrict the tribal council. The redistricting placed Cowan Watts in District 13, a district she did not live in.{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Jami |title=Anglen files suit against Cowan Watts, EC |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/anglen-files-suit-against-cowan-watts-ec/article_93a3a2cb-c7dc-54d2-832b-984d597a6c96.html |access-date=22 May 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=March 20, 2013}} On January 23, 2013, Judge Bart Fite of the Cherokee Nation district court upheld the legality of the new district maps, which would create 15 districts plus two at-large districts.{{cite news |last1=Wade |first1=Jarrel |title=Cherokee council redistricting upheld in tribal court |url=https://tulsaworld.com/archive/cherokee-council-redistricting-upheld-in-tribal-court/article_ed7c905d-dc8d-5078-addd-10eafd9ad3cd.html |access-date=22 May 2023 |work=Tulsa World |date=January 23, 2013}} The ruling was appealed to the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court and on February 28, 2013, the Court announced its decision to uphold the lower court's ruling.{{cite news |title=Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Upholds 15 Voting Districts |url=https://ictnews.org/archive/cherokee-nation-supreme-court-upholds-15-voting-districts |access-date=22 May 2023 |work=Indian Country Today |date=March 4, 2013}}

=Principal Chief campaigns=

Cowan Watts campaigned for Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation in February 2015, but withdrew from the race in March.{{cite news |title=Cowan Watts running for principal chief |url=https://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/news/local_news/cowan-watts-running-for-principal-chief/article_e2c666ba-ac8e-11e4-837c-d317b5c2d979.html |access-date=22 May 2023 |work=Tahlequah Daily Press |date=February 4, 2015}}

In 2023, Cowan Watts announced she would run in the 2023 Cherokee Nation principal chief election. Her running mate was David Walkingstick.{{efn|Cherokee Nation election ballots formally list principal chief and deputy chief separately, but candidates frequently (but not uniformly) campaign with a running mate.{{cite news |last1=Crumbacher |first1=Katrina |title=Three challenge Hoskin Jr. in race for Cherokee Nation principal chief |url=https://nondoc.com/2023/05/31/cherokee-nation-principal-chief-general-election/ |access-date=3 June 2023 |work=NonDoc |date=May 31, 2023}}}}{{cite news |last1=Herrera |first1=Allison |title=Cherokee Nation Principal, Deputy Chief candidates debate issues in Tahlequah |url=https://www.kosu.org/politics/2023-04-28/cherokee-nation-principal-deputy-chief-candidates-debate-issues-in-tahlequah |access-date=22 May 2023 |work=KOSU |date=April 28, 2023}}

She lost the election to incumbent principal chief Chuck Hoskin Jr.{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Chad |title=Unofficial vote points to landslide Hoskin re-election |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/cn_election_2023/unofficial-vote-points-to-landslide-hoskin-re-election/article_ecd408f2-02ab-11ee-8ca5-431d636ba536.html |access-date=4 June 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=June 4, 2023}}

Political positions

=Citizenship and Cherokee Freedmen=

In 2007, Cherokee citizens passed a constitutional amendment that limited Cherokee Nation citizenship to those who have "Indian blood." Cowan Watts supported the amendment as a right under self-governance. Limiting Cherokee Nation citizenship by blood was criticized by Cherokee Freedmen groups who argued the measure stripped 2,800 African American descendants of Freedmen's citizenship; Watts argued the amendment "is absolutely something that we have to defend. And the Cherokee people overwhelmingly voted in the Constitution that we want to remain an Indian tribe made up of Indians" and pointed out there were still 1,500 Black Cherokee Nation citizens after the amendment.{{cite news |last1=Kellogg |first1=Alex |title=Cherokee Nation Faces Scrutiny For Expelling Blacks |url=https://www.npr.org/2011/09/19/140594124/u-s-government-opposes-cherokee-nations-decision |access-date=22 May 2023 |work=NPR |date=September 19, 2011}} The constitutional amendment was overturned and all references to "by blood" were removed from Cherokee Nation law by a Cherokee Nation Supreme Court ruling in 2021.{{cite news |last1=Kelly |first1=Mary Louise |title=Cherokee Nation Strikes Down Language That Limits Citizenship Rights 'By Blood' |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/02/25/971084455/cherokee-nation-strikes-down-language-that-limits-citizenship-rights-by-blood |access-date=22 May 2023 |work=NPR |date=February 25, 2021}}

Cowan Watts is a supporter of cooperation between the Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band of Cherokee to combat fraudulent Cherokee heritage groups.{{cite news |last1=McKie B.P. |first1=Scott |last2=Brown |first2=Anthony |title=Tribe establishes Cherokee Identity Protection Committee |url=https://theonefeather.com/2011/10/14/tribe-establishes-cherokee-identity-protection-committee/ |access-date=22 May 2023 |work=Cherokee One Feather |date=October 14, 2011}}

= STEM advocacy =

Cowan Watts received the Ely S. Parker Award, the highest honor from the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), for her contributions and achievements in STEM fields. In 2001, she and her brother established a scholarship fund for Native American engineering students in their parents' honor. Cowan Watts was involved with the university chapter of AISES and the Native American Student Association during her time at OSU.