Republican Markwayne Mullin defeated Democrat Rob Wallace for an open U.S. House seat in Oklahoma, according to early election returns.

Mullin is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. However, he has not brought up his tribal heritage on the campaign and has not raised any Indian issues even though Oklahoma's 2nd Congressional district has the highest percentage of Native Americans of any in the country.

Yet Mullin's victory puts him in rare territory. When the 113th Congress convenes in January 2013, he will be the second Native American in the House -- the other being Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma), a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation.

Cole for years has been the only Native American in Congress. At one point, there were three -- Cole, Brad Carson, a Cherokee who previously represented the 2nd Congressional district, and Ben Nighthorse Campbell, a Northern Cheyenne who served in the Senate.

Mullin's seat is being vacated by Rep. Dan Boren (D-Oklahoma), who has had a strong relationship with tribes. He is retiring from Congress and will be working for the Chickasaw Nation.

Get the Story:
Republican Markwayne Mullin wins eastern Okla. US House seat, defeats Democrat Rob Wallace (AP 11/6)

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