After months of AI-generated ads, accusations of leftism and attempts to win the president’s favor, Attorney General Gentner Drummond and former Sen. Mike Mazzei will go head to head in an Aug. 25 runoff for the Republican nomination to be Oklahoma’s next governor.
Despite millions of dollars sunk into commercials featuring bananas, burgers and deepfakes of Hillary Clinton, Oklahoma’s voter turnout in Tuesday’s Republican primary finished significantly lower than the the open gubernatorial primary in 2018. While 452,606 Republicans turned out to vote eight years ago, they cast about 403,000 ballots this year. That represents about an 11 percent decrease, with theories about advertising fatigue and an election calendar change — the 2018 primary occurred 10 days later — likely to be debated by political scientists in coming weeks.
With all but one precinct reporting, Drummond led the pack with 26.3 percent support (105,456 votes).
“Tonight, Oklahoma Republicans sent a clear message: They said leadership matters, they said results matter, and they said they want a governor who will fight for the people of Oklahoma, not the political establishment,” Drummond said in his watch-party speech.
Mazzei followed close behind with 25.9 percent (104,214 votes).
“I do have a big vision for the people of Oklahoma,” Mazzei said during his campaign watch party. “We can make Oklahoma a no-income tax state, we can abolish property taxes for seniors and veterans, we can hire a statewide literacy director to get our students reading on grade level and we can sign executive orders on day one to enforce the Oklahoma Constitution, which prohibits the foreign ownership of land.”
Mazzei earned President Donald Trump’s endorsement in May, culminating a months-long surge to become one of the race’s frontrunners. However, even with the endorsement of Trump — who carries an estimated 83 percent approval rating among Oklahoma Republicans — Mazzei could not secure the plurality of votes.
Interactive map
View precinct and county-level data about Oklahoma’s June 16 statewide primary election results at ok26onlytothinking.com.
One day before Trump announced his endorsement, Mazzei participated in a debate in which he alienated some educators by repeatedly saying Oklahoma’s 541 school districts are run by “liberal, left-leaning radical socialists” — a stance he softened on in the weeks that followed.
Former Secretary of Public Safety Chip Keating came in third with 18.5 percent support (74,208 votes). With a campaign launched Oct. 1 — months after his opponents — the son of former Gov. Frank Keating will not return to the governor’s office in 2027. Keating, who drew late endorsements from term-limited Gov. Kevin Stitt and former football coaches Barry Switzer and Mike Gundy, ran an eight-month campaign, nine months shorter than Drummond and six months less than Mazzei.
Former Sen. Jake Merrick surged to fourth place with 14.5 percent support (58,218 votes), culminating a grassroots campaign that gained significant traction despite being drastically outspent by the other frontrunners.
Once an early race frontrunner alongside Drummond, former House Speaker Charles McCall finished fifth with 11.8 percent (47,400 votes), conceding at 8:30 p.m. McCall’s support eroded among voters he had courted following Trump’s endorsement of Mazzei.
Five other Republican candidates captured some of the vote:
- Leisa Mitchell Haynes, who earned 1 percent (4,111 votes);
- Jennifer Dominico, who earned 0.9 percent (3,784 votes);
- Kenneth Sturgell, who earned 0.7 percent (2,919 votes); and
- Calup Anthony Taylor, who earned 0.4 percent (1,480 votes).
All results are unofficial until they are certified by the Oklahoma State Election Board.
Four of the top five candidates loaned themselves millions of dollars, vastly exceeding their collected campaign contributions. Mazzei spent $10.9 million on himself, according to Ethics Commission reports compiled by Oklahoma Voice, and McCall loaned himself $5.6 million. Keating and Drummond loaned themselves $3.5 million and $2.5 million, respectively.
Cyndi Munson defeats Connie Johnson
House Minority Floor Leader Cyndi Munson (D-OKC) secured her party’s nomination in a three-candidate field, receiving 74.9 percent support (128,900 votes).
First elected to represent HD 85 in 2015, Munson has served as House minority leader since 2021. She was raised in Lawton, where her father worked in the military.
“I’m different from the top Republicans left in the race. They are part of the same broken political system that got Oklahoma where it is today,” Munson said in a statement proclaiming her victory. “They tried to buy this election by giving their campaigns millions of dollars, pandering to Washington D.C. politicians and Trump, and fighting over silly and extreme issues instead of focusing on what can help everyday Oklahomans. They are wealthy, out-of-touch politicians who will sell out to anyone in order to further their political ambitions.”
Former Sen. Connie Johnson (D-OKC) finished in second place, earning 22.3 percent (38,327 votes). Johnson had previously run for governor in 2022 and 2018, and she also had an unsuccessful run for Senate District 48 in 2024.
In third place was Arya Azma, who was styled mononymously as Arya on the ballot. Azma’s campaign website featured cryptic Biblical references and accusations local government had violated his constitutional rights. He received 2.8 percent (4,812 votes).
(Update: This article was updated at 1:55 p.m. Thursday, June 18, to include additional information.)
