Mike Shambaugh

{{infobox officeholder

|name = Mike Shambaugh

|image =

|office = Speaker of the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council

|term_start = August 26, 2021

|term_end =

|predecessor = Joe Byrd

|successor =

|office2 = Cherokee Nation Tribal Councilor for the 9th district

|term_start2 = August 14, 2017

|term_end2 =

|predecessor2 = Curtis Snell

|successor2 =

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1964|12|22}}

|birth_place =

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Democratic Party

|spouse =

|education =

|citizenship = American
Cherokee Nation

}}

Mike Shambaugh is an American and Cherokee Nation politician, baseball player, and police officer who has served on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council representing the 9th district since 2017 and as speaker of the Cherokee Nation tribal council since 2021.

Early life, education, and baseball career

Mike Shambaugh was born on December 22, 1964.{{cite news |title=Meet the Hawks |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/915174568/?terms=%22Mike%20Shambaugh%22&match=1 |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=The Idaho Statesman |date=June 16, 1988 |page=18 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com}} He was raised in Jay, Oklahoma and graduated from Jay High School. He attended Oral Roberts University, but he did not graduate.

=Baseball career=

Shambaugh played on the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles baseball team from 1984 to 1987.{{cite news |last1=Tramel |first1=Jimmie |title=Then & Now: Mike Shambaugh trades his glove for a badge |url=https://tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/oru/then-now-mike-shambaugh-trades-his-glove-for-a-badge/article_597dacb8-6d81-55d5-b79f-1a81d9615d4d.html |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=Tulsa World |date=July 19, 2011}} He was selected by Collegiate Baseball magazine as one of their pre-season All-American team members in 1986.{{cite news |title=Two Titans, Razorback On Early All-American List |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/891124923/?terms=%22Mike%20Shambaugh%22&match=1 |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=Tulsa World |date=January 9, 1986 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com}} He played in the National Baseball Congress World Series championship games in 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1987. The first two years for Liberal, Kansas, followed by the Anchorage Glacier Pilots, and finally for the Wichita Broncos. His team won the championship in 1985 and 1986.{{cite news |title=Mike Shambaugh: NBC's good luck charm |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/701228592/?terms=%22Mike%20Shambaugh%22&match=1 |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=The Wichita Eagle |date=August 15, 1987 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1988, he signed with the Boise Hawks for a season.{{cite news |last1=Hurrle |first1=Ron |title=Hawks sign five players, complete 1988 roster |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/915351281/?terms=%22Mike%20Shambaugh%22&match=1 |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=The Idaho Statesman |date=June 8, 1988 |page=15 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1990, The Oklahoman named him as one of the 1980s "all-decade" Oklahoma high school baseball team members.{{cite news |title=The '80s All-Decade High School Baseball Team |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/452185509/?terms=%22Mike%20Shambaugh%22&match=1 |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=The Oklahoman |date=January 1, 1990 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com}} Shambaugh retired early from baseball after an injury.{{cite news |last1=Hayot |first1=Marc |title=Shambaugh helps out local communities |url=https://hl.nwaonline.com/news/2023/jul/05/shambaugh-helps-out-local-communities/ |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=Siloam Springs Herald Leader |date=July 5, 2023}}

Police career and campaigns for sheriff

After retiring from baseball, Shambaugh returned to his hometown of Jay, Oklahoma in Delaware County to work as a police officer. In 2000, he ran for Delaware County sheriff in the Democratic primary against Lynden Woodruff, Jerry Littlefield, and Mike Dilbeck.{{cite news |last1=Clark |first1=Jann |title=4 Demos battle for sheriff |url=https://tulsaworld.com/archive/4-demos-battle-for-sheriff/article_78b641f7-7a68-5797-987c-ff21f8c45464.html |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=Tulsa World |date=August 20, 2000}} Shambaugh and Woodruff advanced to a runoff, which Shambaugh lost receiving 46% of the vote.{{cite news |title=County Runoffs |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/454524865/?terms=%22Mike%20Shambaugh%22&match=1 |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=The Daily Oklahoman |date=September 20, 2000 |page=7 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com}} By 2003, Shambaugh served as Jay Chief of Police.{{cite news |last1=Stogsdill |first1=Sheila K. |title=Brothers fight convict's release |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/454964138/?terms=%22Mike%20Shambaugh%22&match=1 |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=The Daily Oklahoman |date=August 13, 2000 |page=2 |url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com}} Woodruff would later resign as Delaware County Sheriff after pleading guilty to driving under the influence; after his replacement, Rick White, was criticized for a racist joke during a stump speech in 2004, Shambaugh forwarded five complaints his office had received against White to the district attorney.{{cite news |last1=Luthy |first1=Brenda |title=Delaware County sheriff denies prejudice amid Indian flap |url=https://tulsaworld.com/archive/delaware-county-sheriff-denies-prejudice-amid-indian-flap/article_f556173f-725e-575a-9adf-48699838b7e1.html |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=Tulsa World |date=August 18, 2004 |page=16}} In 2007, Shambaugh was Jay Chief of Police during the 2007 ice storm, during which half the city did not have power and the area was under a Boil-water advisory.{{cite news |last1=Morgan |first1=Rhett |title=Recovery in Jay Slowed as melting ice causes outages |url=https://tulsaworld.com/archive/recovery-in-jay-slowed-as-melting-ice-causes-outages/article_190d926e-8a9d-5683-b99b-12a42c7121aa.html |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=Tulsa World |date=January 20, 2007}}

In 2016, Shambaugh ran Delaware County sheriff as the Democratic Party's nominee; after incumbent Harlan Moore won the election by seven votes, Shambaugh requested a recount.{{cite news |last1=Stogsdill |first1=Sheila K. |title=Challenger to seek recount in Delaware County sheriff's race; trails by 7 votes |url=https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/challenger-to-seek-recount-in-delaware-county-sheriffs-race-trails-by-7-votes/article_7030d4fa-e582-5488-ba44-9d89ac55925c.html |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=Tulsa World |date=November 12, 2016}} After the recount he lost the election by 5 votes.{{cite news |title=Delaware County sheriff wins election recount |url=https://journalrecord.com/2016/11/18/delaware-county-sheriff-wins-election-recount/ |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=The Journal Record |agency=Associated Press |date=November 18, 2016}}{{cite web |title=November 08 2016 Delaware County Official Results |url=https://results.okelections.us/OKER/?elecDate=20161108 |website=results.okelections.us |publisher=Oklahoma State Election Board |access-date=18 September 2023}}

Cherokee Nation tribal council

In 2017, Shambaugh filed to run for the 9th district of Cherokee Nation tribal council. Incumbent Curtis Snell was term-limited and four candidates filed for the general election: Shambaugh, Anthony Cochran, Edward Crawford, and Clifton Hughes.{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Jami |title=Tribal Council elections draw 35 candidates |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/tribal-council-elections-draw-35-candidates/article_71f1ac89-e4e1-55f1-9271-59ca07cca18c.html |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=February 11, 2017}} He advanced to a runoff election alongside Hughes after leading in the general election.{{cite news |last1=Bennett |first1=Brittney |title=Hughes, Shambaugh in Dist. 9 runoff |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/hughes-shambaugh-in-dist-9-runoff/article_088814ec-dc54-52ff-9b8a-7d8eb776695b.html |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=June 4, 2017}} Shambaugh went on to win the runoff election with 55% of the vote.{{cite news |last1=Kidd |first1=Chandler |title=Shambaugh wins runoff election for Dist. 9 council seat |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/shambaugh-wins-runoff-election-for-dist-9-council-seat/article_efa2332e-843b-5fd3-a851-cc08a7936e95.html |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=July 23, 2017}} He was sworn into office on August 14, 2017.{{cite news |last1=Boston |first1=Stacie |title=9 Tribal Councilors sworn into office |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/multimedia/9-tribal-councilors-sworn-into-office/article_b71e5648-ef6d-5054-9af2-15499c5e5fe1.html |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=August 15, 2017}}

On August 13, 2020, after the McGirt v. Oklahoma decision, principal chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. appointed Shambaugh to the Commission for the Protection of Cherokee Nation Sovereignty to examine the effects of the decision and make recommendations to the nation on how to allocate resources.{{cite news |title=Hoskin establishes sovereignty commission in wake of McGirt decision |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/hoskin-establishes-sovereignty-commission-in-wake-of-mcgirt-decision/article_238a4b02-7d6b-5a31-a1e7-b7ad816f7444.html |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=August 14, 2020}}

In June 2021, Shambaugh ran for re-election and faced challengers Lawrence Panther and Joyce Nix McCarter. He won re-election with 59% of the vote.{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Chad |title=Shambaugh retains Dist. 9 seat for 2nd term |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/cn_election_2021/shambaugh-retains-dist-9-seat-for-2nd-term/article_367df38c-c6d1-11eb-91ba-afc113dc8f01.html |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=June 6, 2021}} He was sworn in for his second term on August 14.{{cite news |last1=Rowley |first1=D. Sean |title=9 Cherokee Nation councilors take oath of office during ceremony |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/9-cherokee-nation-councilors-take-oath-of-office-during-ceremony/article_b7e761f2-ff83-11eb-894d-176d5c7d88f5.html |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=August 17, 2021}}

On August 26, he was elected speaker of Cherokee Nation tribal council and Victoria Vazquez was elected as vice-speaker.{{cite news |last1=Rowley |first1=D. Sean |title=Cherokee Nation’s Rules Committee keeps votes public, picks Shambaugh as Council speaker |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/council/cherokee-nation-s-rules-committee-keeps-votes-public-picks-shambaugh-as-council-speaker/article_9d1fe5c6-06a7-11ec-adef-cb3a6f15e461.html |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=August 27, 2021}}{{cite news |title=Cherokee Nation Tribal Council elects speaker, deputy speaker, secretary positions |url=https://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/news/cherokee-nation-tribal-council-elects-speaker-deputy-speaker-secretary-positions/article_b334bfd1-77d5-5766-930d-636bb743d12a.html |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=August 31, 2021}}

In 2022, Shambaugh criticized the Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta decision as "another broken promise."{{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Chad |title=SCOTUS hands down ‘terrible’ jurisdiction decision, AG says |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/scotus-hands-down-terrible-jurisdiction-decision-ag-says/article_58095620-02af-11ed-884d-7ff719d7680f.html |access-date=18 September 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=July 13, 2022}}

In 2023 after Governor Kevin Stitt appointed former Cherokee Nation tribal councilor Wes Nofire as the Oklahoma Native American Affairs Liaison, Shambaugh published an op-ed in the Cherokee Phoenix comparing Nofire to General George Armstrong Custer's Native American scouts and criticizing his appointment because of his "peddl[ing] in fact-free unhinged and ideologically extreme conspiracy theories that pose a danger of political violence" such as the Jewish Indian theory, implying principal chief Hoskins is "the biblical 'beast'" otherwise known as Satan, and accusing the Cherokee Nation of "child trafficking."{{cite news |last1=Mike |first1=Shambaugh |title=OPINION: Custer had his scouts. Governor Stitt has Wes Nofire. |url=https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/opinion/opinion-custer-had-his-scouts-governor-stitt-has-wes-nofire/article_c9c53162-4e67-11ee-ad41-ff1881de0c61.html |access-date=9 September 2023 |work=Cherokee Phoenix |date=September 8, 2023}}{{cite news |last1=Krehbiel |first1=Randy |title=Political notebook: State tax revenue continues lower |url=https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/political-notebook-state-tax-revenue-continues-lower/article_a009a030-4e83-11ee-ab0d-8f427e3f11db.html |access-date=10 September 2023 |work=Tulsa World |date=September 8, 2023}}