(Update:Â On Tuesday, June 16, Brad Boles won the GOP nomination for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission seat.)
In a packed-to-the-rafters election season, the Republican primary for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission seat being vacated by Todd Hiett is one the few statewide races not headed for an August runoff.
That’s because only two candidates are running.
Rep. Brad Boles (R-Marlow) and Justin Hornback make up the two-man field for the GOP nomination. Hornback is taking his third crack at the nomination, having run in the last two election cycles. Boles is attempting to make the transition from Oklahoma Legislature to a statewide office defined by public hearings, lengthy filings and complicated rate cases.
Three members make up the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, with Chairwoman Kim David, Commissioner Brian Bingman and Hiett, who is term-limited and ineligible to run for reelection, each having a legislative background themselves.
The commission’s core responsibilities include enforcing regulations in the state’s oil and gas industry, ensuring reliable service at fair rates for electric and natural gas utilities, and the safe and legal operation of motor carriers, pipelines, rail crossings and fueling stations, as well as the prevention and remediation of energy-related pollution of the environment.
The Corporation Commission hasn’t been without controversy. In 2024, Hiett was accused of groping a man at national conference, and the three commissioners ended 2025 by terminating the agency’s administrative director without explanation.
On the regulatory side, Oklahomans are paying more for electricity than ever before amid rising energy costs. Rate hikes have become commonplace and rarely rejected. Combine that with the data center saga playing out in places like Oklahoma, which critics say drain energy and water resources, and consumers are getting a little grumpy.
The following cheat sheet offers a look at the two Republican candidates running to replace Hiett in the June 16 primary. The winner will face the winner among a trio of Democrats — Donald Clytus, Rhonda Eastman and Harold Spradling — running for their party’s nomination.
Brad Boles
Age: 42
Profession/Background: Rep. Brad Boles is a three-term legislator who first won election to HD 51 in 2020 and became the chairman of the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee. He has also worked in private business as the owner of Wilco, a manufacturing company. Boles is also the former mayor of Marlow and president of the town’s chamber of commerce.
In 2023, the former president of Boles’ staffing company, Philtek Services, was charged with six counts of embezzlement from the company. At the time, Boles called it an “unfortunate event” where a “life-long friend and trusted employee” had betrayed his trust. The case is set to for trial in July.
Platform: Among Boles’ biggest priorities if elected include protecting Oklahoma consumers by ensuring fair utility rates while fighting unnecessary regulations. Boles said the role of the commission should be to help foster economic growth in the energy sector while making sure that development doesn’t harm land and water resources.
“As a businessman and as a state representative, I have always put Oklahoma families and quality jobs first,” Boles wrote on Facebook. “That means protecting our conservative values, standing up for hardworking taxpayers, supporting economic growth, and keeping Oklahoma strong for the next generation. I am running for corporation commissioner to continue protecting ratepayers, support energy jobs, and promote American energy independence.”
In 2025, Boles authored the so-called “behind the meter” legislation authorizing large-load industrial companies to build their own electricity generation facilities to service their property. This year, he authored a proposal that requires regulatory review of large-load electricity customers — like data centers — to be considered in a way that avoids increasing the electricity rates of residential and other grid customers. Both bills became law, and Boles has touted that work in a TV advertisement.
“In the private sector, my businesses have created hundreds of Oklahoma jobs,” Boles states in the ad. “In the state House, I passed bills that have grown our economy, protected ratepayers and made Oklahoma a national leader in energy policy.”
Justin Hornback
Age: 42
Profession/Background: A Broken Arrow native, Justin Hornback ran for seats on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission in 2022 and 2024, finishing third and and second in those primaries. With a career that has involved leadership of the Pipeliners Union 798 in Tulsa, Hornback spent 20 years working in the oil and gas industry as a pipeline worker and welding inspector. He is also a specialist in workplace health and safety.
Platform: One of Hornback’s primary campaign promises is to increase transparency and accessibility in state government regulatory bodies through better communication efforts utilizing social media platforms, while also addressing concerns from the public.
“When I launched this campaign, I made a firm commitment: to be accessible, to listen, and to be willing to work with everyone in our community,” Hornback wrote on Facebook. “Part of that commitment is being completely transparent about where I stand. I believe that whether it’s a voter at a town hall or an advocacy group sending a questionnaire, if you take the time to ask me a question, you deserve a clear and honest answer. I make it a priority to thoroughly complete candidate surveys because you deserve leadership that doesn’t hide from the tough questions.”
Hornback is largely self-financing his campaign. In a 2022 debate hosted by NonDoc, Hornback discussed the perceptional problems with Corporation Commission candidates raising money from people in the petroleum and electric utility world owing to the regulatory relationship between commissioners and the industries.
“Is it limiting? Yes. Does it hurt my campaign? Absolutely,” Hornback said of not raising funds from those most interested in the Corporation Commission. “But I also appreciate the chances to meet people and tell them why I want to represent them. I think that’s what the people of Oklahoma want to see. They are tired of issues like Epic and Swadley’s.”
