Oklahoma Holds Primaries for Open U.S. Senate and Governor Seats
Voters chose Republican nominees Tuesday for an open U.S. Senate seat and the governor’s office. The contests follow departures that left both positions vacant.
winnipegfreepress.comU.S. Senate seat and the governor’s office. S. Rep. Kevin Hern, who is seeking the nomination for the seat previously held by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
An energy executive, Alan Armstrong, currently holds the seat on an interim basis but is barred by state law from running for a full term. A crowded field is competing to succeed Gov. Kevin Stitt, who is prevented from seeking another term by term limits.
The candidates include Attorney General Gentner Drummond, former state Sen. Mike Mazzei, former Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall and former public safety director Chip Keating. 5 million of that total coming from their own funds, according to campaign finance reports.
State rules require a runoff in August if no candidate receives at least 50 percent of the vote. Oklahoma has not elected a Democratic senator since 1990. Mullin left the Senate to join the cabinet and replace Kristi Noem, who was removed from the homeland security post in March amid criticism of her leadership.
Transparency
Some ideological spread among the sources; broader cross-spectrum confirmation would strengthen it.
