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 governor's race, Newsmax and Decision Desk HQ determined that Attorney General Gentner Drummond and former state Sen. Mike Mazzei advanced to the Aug. 25 runoff to succeed term-limited Gov. Kevin Stitt.
With about 94% of the vote totaled, Drummond had 26% and Mazzei 25.6%. Chip Keating, a son of former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating, was third with 18.4%, followed by six other candidates.
The matchup sets up a contest between two well-known figures in Oklahoma politics. Drummond, who has served as attorney general since 2023, entered the race with strong statewide name recognition and campaigned on his record as the state's top law enforcement official. Mazzei, a former state senator and investment adviser, emphasized conservative economic policies and received the endorsement of President Donald Trump.
Trump's backing gave Mazzei a significant boost in the crowded Republican field and helped elevate the race's national profile. 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 head to a runoff after no candidate secured a majority in the race to succeed Rep. Kevin Hern, who earlier Tuesday won the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate.
Jenks Mayor Mark Tedford and former Senate candidate Jackson Lahmeyer emerged as the top two finishers and will face each other in the August runoff, according to Newsmax and Decision Desk HQ.
With about 90% of the vote counted Tedford had 31.8% and Lahmeyer had 25.9%. Nathan Butterfield was third with 15.9%, followed by eight other candidates.
Lahmeyer received President Trump's endorsement during the campaign and highlighted that support in his bid for the Tulsa-area seat. Tedford, meanwhile, benefited from endorsements from several Oklahoma Republican leaders, including Hern, who backed the mayor as his preferred successor.
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.
The August runoffs will cap a busy election season in Oklahoma 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.