McArthur to Challenge Incumbent LaRoque in White Earth Secretary-Treasurer Race

Challenger Jacob McArthur led a six-person field in the White Earth Nation primary election Tuesday, March 31, earning the top spot and forcing a general election showdown with incumbent Secretary-Treasurer Mike LaRoque on June 9.

McArthur collected 616 votes to LaRoque's 474, a gap of 142 votes across the reservation-wide race. The remaining four candidates were eliminated: Justin Keezer finished third with 195 votes, Jim LaFriniere drew 116, Mykee Brown received 50 and Rock E. Keezer Sr. tallied 47.

LaRoque, who first won the secretary-treasurer seat in June 2022 by defeating Eugene "Umsy" Tibbetts 886 votes to 821, had announced his reelection bid earlier this year. On the White Earth Nation's official website, LaRoque cited his record of financial oversight, transparency improvements and advocacy for elder and family disbursements as the foundation of his campaign.

McArthur, an enrolled White Earth Ojibwe Nation member, is challenging a sitting officeholder who controls the tribe's financial operations and holds one of the most consequential roles in White Earth governance. The secretary-treasurer oversees tribal finances and sits as part of the Reservation Business Committee, which manages programs and services for more than 20,000 enrolled members.

The secretary-treasurer contest is not the only race headed to a June 9 general election. In District I, incumbent Henry G. Fox will face Andy "Jack" Auginaush. In District II, with incumbent Eugene Sommers not seeking reelection, Alrick "Son" Accobee and Sheri Kay Snetsinger advanced from the primary.

McArthur's primary vote total suggests a strong base heading into the general, but LaRoque's 2022 margin of victory demonstrated he can consolidate support when it counts. The June 9 election will determine who manages White Earth Nation's finances for the next term.