Oklahoma voters participated in a Republican runoff election on Tuesday to select their party’s nominee for governor. The contest featured former state Senator Mike Mazzei and state Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who are vying to succeed the term-limited incumbent, Gov. Kevin Stitt (R).
The runoff followed an initial primary held on June 16, where neither candidate secured a majority of the vote. In that first round, Drummond led Mazzei by approximately 1,100 votes. Because Oklahoma is a Republican-leaning state, the winner of this runoff is considered the favorite in the upcoming November general election.
Donald Trump endorsed Mazzei in the race and publicly criticized Drummond. In statements leading up to the runoff, Trump referred to Drummond as a "fake Republican" and criticized the Attorney General for not expressing an opinion regarding Trump's impeachment. Mazzei previously served as the state's budget secretary in addition to his time in the state Senate.
The race also serves as a measure of Donald Trump's influence over state-level Republican politics. By opposing a sitting Attorney General in favor of a former state senator, Trump’s involvement sets a precedent for how national figures may attempt to shape the leadership of state governments. The winner will face a Democratic opponent in the general election, though the source does not name the specific challenger.
Voters in Oklahoma saw polls close at 8 p.m. EDT on Tuesday. Once the results are certified, the focus will shift to the general election scheduled for November 2026. The new governor will be inaugurated following the expiration of Gov. Stitt's final term, though the specific inauguration date was not reported.