Oklahoma Republicans will hold runoff elections for governor and the state’s open 1st Congressional District seat after no candidate won a majority in Tuesday’s primary contests.
In the gubernatorial race, Attorney General Gentner Drummond and former state senator Mike Mazzei advanced to an August 25 runoff to succeed term-limited Governor Kevin Stitt. With approximately 94% of votes counted, Drummond received 26% and Mazzei 25.6%. Chip Keating, son of former Oklahoma governor Frank Keating, trailed with 18.4%, followed by six other candidates.
The matchup features two prominent figures in Oklahoma politics. Drummond, who has served as attorney general since 2023, campaigned on his record as the state’s top law enforcement official and entered the race with strong statewide name recognition. Mazzei, a former state senator and investment adviser, emphasized conservative economic policies and secured endorsement from President Donald Trump.
Trump’s backing provided Mazzei with a significant boost in the crowded Republican field and elevated the national profile of the race.
The winner of the runoff will advance to the November general election against Democrat Cyndi Munson in a state where Republicans have dominated statewide elections for decades.
Meanwhile, Republicans in Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District will also proceed to an August runoff after no candidate secured a majority in Tuesday’s primary. State Representative Mark Tedford and former Senate candidate Jackson Lahmeyer emerged as the top two finishers with 31.8% and 25.9% of the vote, respectively. With approximately 90% of votes counted, Nathan Butterfield placed third at 15.9%, followed by eight other candidates.
Lahmeyer received Trump’s endorsement during his campaign and highlighted that support in his bid for the Tulsa-area seat. Tedford benefited from endorsements from several Oklahoma Republican leaders, including Kevin Hern.
The 1st District, centered in Tulsa and surrounding communities, is considered safely Republican, making the GOP runoff likely to determine Hern’s successor in Congress.
These August runoffs will cap Oklahoma’s busy election season and help determine the Republican nominees in two of the state’s highest-profile races. The governor’s contest is expected to draw particular attention as Republicans choose a successor to Stitt and position themselves for the general election campaign this fall.
