By Constitution Staff

The General Election in November completed the 2022 elections. Republicans maintained their strong supermajority in the Oklahoma Legislature. While the Republicans lost one seat in the Oklahoma House, they picked up one seat in the Oklahoma Senate.

In 2022 a number of legislators were not able to run for reelection due to Term Limits. Oklahoma voters overwhelmingly adopted a State Question in 1990 that placed limitations on the terms of lawmakers. Legislators are limited to a total combined service in the House and/or Senate of 12 years.

In 2022 there were ten legislators who could not run for reelection because of Term Limits and all but one was a Republican. Four members of the State Senate were unable to seek reelection in 2022: Mark Allen (R-Spiro), Kim David (R-Porter), Marty Quinn (R-Clarmore), and Frank Simpson (R-Springer). Six members of the Oklahoma House were ineligible to run: Tommy Hardin (R-Madill), Jadine Nollan (R-Sand Springs), Dustin Roberts (R-Durant), Sean Roberts (R-Hominy), Todd Russ (R-Cordell), and House Minority Leader Emily Virgin (D-Norman).

Six of the term-limited legislators ran for another office this year. Sen. Kim David secured the nomination for the open Corporation Commissioner seat in the Runoff Primary and went on to be elected in November. Senator Marty Quinn ran for the open Second District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, but lost in the Primary. Rep. Dustin Roberts also ran for the open Second District seat in the U.S. House, and lost in the Primary. Rep. Sean Roberts lost to incumbent Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn in the Runoff Primary. Rep. Todd Russ won the GOP nomination for State Treasurer in the Runoff Primary and was elected to the post in November.

A number of other legislators decided not to run, even though they were not term-limited, including two Senators and seven members of the Oklahoma House: Sen. James Leewright (R-Bristow), Sen. Zack Taylor (R-Seminole), Rep. Merleyn Bell (D-Norman), Rep. Carol Bush (R-Tulsa), Rep. Denise Brewer (D-Tulsa), Rep. Sheila Dills (R-Tulsa), Rep. Avery Frix (R-Muskogee), Rep. Gary Mize (R-Edmond), and Rep. Collin Walke (D-Oklahoma City). Also, earlier this year, Rep. Jose Cruz (D-Oklahoma City) resigned. Representative Frix ran for the open Second District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, but lost in the Runoff Primary.

Primary elections were held on June 28 for legislative districts where there were multiple candidates of the same political party running for the same seat. For those races in which no candidate in the party primary received more than 50 percent of the vote, a Runoff Primary Election was held on August 23 between the top two candidates to determine the party nominee.

In the June 28 elections, three incumbents were defeated. Meanwhile, 19 other incumbents won reelection, and five newcomers were elected. In the August 23 Runoff Primary Elections one incumbent and three newcomers were elected. In the November General Election, 27 incumbents were reelected and 11 newcomers were elected. One incumbent was defeated in the Senate.

Oklahoma Senate

Senators serve four-year terms, with half of the seats up for election each election cycle. The odd numbered districts will not be on the ballot until 2024. The even numbered seats were up for election in 2022. Republicans went into the 2022 elections with a 39-9 majority in the 48 member Senate. Republicans hold 22 of the odd numbered seats that were not on the ballot last year, with Democrats holding only two. So, the GOP only needed to hold three of the 24 seats up for election in 2022 to maintain control.

Nine senators were automatically elected because no other candidates filed. Six of those are Republicans, and three are Democrats. Therefore, Republicans already had 28 seats before the primary elections, ensuring continued control.

One incumbent, Sen. Jake Merrick (R-Yukon), was defeated in the June 28 Primary elections. Merrick was just elected to the seat the previous year in a Special Election and was running for a full-term. He received a 76% score on the Oklahoma Conservative Index published by the Oklahoma Constitution newspaper.

Four incumbents (three Republicans and one Democrat) were elected on June 28 since they faced no opposition in the General Election. Two newcomers, both Republicans, were also elected. So, Republicans had secured 33 seats and Democrats had 6 seats, following the June 28 Primary Elections.

Four races went into the August 23 Runoff Primary Elections. Three of those were open seats, and one being held by Sen. Darcy Jech (R-Kingfisher). Sen. Jech won the Runoff and was reelected. Senator Jech has a 62%cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index. In Senate District 4, Tom Woods of Westville won the GOP nomination and was elected since there were no opponents in the General Election. He filled the open seat of Sen. Mark Allen (R-Poteau) who was term-limited. The election of these two senators brought the Republican total to 35 seats, compared to the 6 for the Democrats.

The remaining seven seats were filled in November. In the General Election five Republicans and two Democrats were elected. This included three incumbents and four newcomers. Republican Dana Prieto of Tulsa defeated incumbent Democrat Senator J.J. Dossett of Sperry. Dossett had gained office in a Special Election in 2015 to fill a vacant seat. The incumbent Republican had been charged with embezzlement and tax evasion and resigned. The district was considered a safe Republican district, and Dossett usually scored the highest among the Democrats in the Senate on the Oklahoma Conservative Index. But, that was not enough to keep the seat from returning to the Republican fold this time. Republicans ended up with a total of 40 seats, and the Democrats 8. Thus, the Republicans gained one seat in the 2022 elections.

Oklahoma House

Members of the Oklahoma House of Representative serve two-year terms and all 101 seats are up for election each election cycle. At the beginning of the 2022 election cycle there were 82 Republicans, 18 Democrats, and one vacant seat that was held by a Democrat. Because no other candidates filed, or their opponents withdrew or were stricken from the ballot after filing, 47 members of the House were elected by default. That number included 39 Republicans and just 8 Democrats. All except one were incumbents.

On June 28, two incumbents were defeated in their respective primaries. Rep. Wendi Stearman (R-Collinsville) lost to John Kane of Bartlesville who become the new representative since there was no opposition in the General Election. Rep. Stearman has a 100% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index. Rep. Logan Phillips (R-Mounds) lost to Chris Banning of Bixby who become the new representative since there is no opposition in the General Election. Rep. Phillips had a 62% score on the Oklahoma Conservative Index. Two Republican newcomers, and a Democrat newcomer, were also elected on June 28 since they faced no opposition in November.

Meanwhile, 15 incumbent representatives (all Republicans) were reelected on June 28 since they did not face opposition in November. That brought the Republican total to 55 seats, and Democrats to 9 seats. Seven seats headed into the August 23 runoffs for the Republican nomination. There were no runoffs for Democrats.

The winner of three of the runoffs, all Republicans, were elected since there were no other candidates in the General Election. In the District 21 runoff, Cody Maynard of Durant won the GOP nomination for the seat vacated by term-limited Rep. Dustin Roberts (R-Durant). In House District 31, Collin Duel of Guthrie won the seat vacated by Rep. Garry Mize (R-Edmond) who did not run for reelection. In House District 36, which was relocated by redistricting, John George of Newalla won the seat in eastern Oklahoma County. The old seat was held by term-limited Sean Roberts (R-Hominy). The election of these representatives increased the Republican total to 61 seats, compared to 9 for the Democrats.

There were 31 seats at stake in the General Election. The Libertarian Party only fielded a candidate in one of the races, and there were independent candidates in three races. One seat did not have a Republican running, and one had no Democrat running. In the General Election 24 incumbents and 7 newcomers were elected. This included 20 Republicans and 11 Democrats. This brought the final division in the Oklahoma House to 81 Republicans and 20 Democrats. This was a net loss of one seat for the Republicans.

The following incumbents were reelected to the Senate because they had no opponents:

David Bullard (R-Durant)

Mary Boren (D-Norman)

Michael Brooks (D-Oklahoma City)

Kay Floyd (D-Oklahoma City)

Chuck Hall (R-Perry)

Brent Howard (R-Altus)

Roger Thompson (R-Okemah)

Darrell Weaver (R-Moore)

One newcomer was elected to the Senate because he had no opponent:

Jerry Alvord (R-Wilson)

The following incumbents were reelected to the Senate in the June 28 Primary Elections:

Bill Coleman (R-Ponca City)

John Haste (R-Broken Arrow)

Brenda Stanley (R-Oklahoma City)

George Young (D-Oklahoma City)

The following newcomers were elected to the Senate in the June 28 Primary Elections:

Todd Gollihare (R-Bristow)

Jack Stewart (R-Yukon)

One incumbent was reelected to the Senate in the August 23 Runoff Primary:

Darcy Jech (R-Kingfisher)

One newcomer was elected to the Senate in the August 23 Runoff Primary:

Tom Woods (R-Westville)

The following incumbents were reelected to the Senate in the General Election:

Carri Hicks (D-OKC)

Julia Kirt (D-OKC)

John Montgomery (R-Lawton)

The following newcomers were elected to the Senate in the General Election:

Grant Green (R-Wellston)

Dana Prieto (R-Tulsa)

Ally Seifried (R-Claremore)

Kristen Thompson (R-Edmond)

The following incumbents were reelected to the House because they had no opponents:

Forrest Bennett (D-Oklahoma City)

Meloyde Blancett (D-Tulsa)

Jeff Boatman (R-Tulsa)

Brad Boles (R Marlow)

Rusty Cornwell (R-Vinita)

Dean Davis (R-Broken Arrow)

Mike Dobrinski (R-Okeene)

Mickey Dollens (D-Oklahoma City)

Scott Fetgatter (R-Okmulgee)

Andy Fugate (D-Oklahoma City)

Tom Gann (R-Inola)

Regina Goodwin (D-Tulsa)

Jim Grego (R-Wilburton)

David Hardin (R-Stilwell)

Toni Hasenbeck (R-Elgin)

Brian Hill (R-Mustang)

Justin Humphrey (R-Lane)

Ronny Johns (R-Ada)

Chris Kannady (R-Oklahoma City)

Gerrid Kendrix (R-Altus)

Mark Lawson (R-Sapulpa)

Dick Lowe (R-Amber)

Robert Manger (R-Oklahoma City)

T.J. Marti (R-Tulsa)

Ryan Martinez (R-Edmond)

Stan May (R-Broken Arrow)

Charles McCall (R-Atoka)

Nicole Miller (R Edmond)

Carl Newton (R-Cherokee)

Monroe Nichols (D-Tulsa)

Jim Olsen (R-Roland)

Mike Osburn (R-Edmond)

Daniel Pae (R-Lawton)

Kenton Patzkowsky (R-Balko)

John Pfeiffer (R-Orlando)

Ajay Pittman (D-Oklahoma City)

Lonnie Sims (R-Jenks)

Chris Sneed (R-Fort Gibson)

Danny Sterling (R-Tecumseh)

Preston Stinson (R-Edmond)

Judd Strom (R-Copan)

Mark Vancuren (R-Owasso)

John Waldron (D-Tulsa)

Kevin West (R-Moore)

Rick West (R-Heavener)

Danny Williams (R-Seminole)

One newcomer was elected to the House because he had no opponent:

Mark Tedford (R-Tulsa)

The following incumbents were reelected to the House in the June 28 Primary Elections:

Rhonda Baker (R-Yukon)

Sherrie Conley (R-Newcastle)

Eddy Dempsey (R-Valliant)

Ross Ford (R-Broken Arrow)

Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow)

Ken Luttrell (R-Ponca City)

Mark McBride (R-Moore)

Marcus McEntire (R-Duncan)

Anthony Moore (R-Clinton)

Randy Randleman (R-Eufaula)

David Smith (R-Arpelar

John Talley (R-Stillwater)

Tammy Townley (R-Ardmore)

Kevin Wallace (R-Wellston)

Josh West (R-Grove)

The following newcomers were elected to the House in the June 28 Primary Elections:

Arturo Alonso (D-Oklahoma City)

Nick Archer (R-Elk City)

Chris Banning (R-Bixby)

Josh Cantrell (R-Kingston)

John Kane (R-Bartlesville)

The following newcomers were elected to the House in the August 23 Runoff Primary Elections:

Cody Maynard (R-Durant)

Collin Duel (R-Guthrie)

John George (R-Newalla)

The following incumbents were reelected to the House in the November 8 General Election:

Steve Bashore (R-Miami)

Ty Burns (R-Morrison)

Chad Caldwell (R-Enid)

Trey Caldwell (R-Faxon)

Bob Ed Culver (R-Tahlequah)

Denise Crosswhite Hader (R-Yukon)

Jon Echols (R-OKC)

Dell Kerbs (R-Shawnee)

Mark Lepak (R-Claremore)

Jason Lowe (D-OKC)

Kevin McDugle (R-Broken Arrow)

Cyndi Munson (D-OKC)

Terry O'Donnell (R-Catoosa)

Melissa Provenzano (D-Tulsa)

Trish Ranson (D-Stillwater)

Eric Roberts (R-OKC)

Cindy Roe (R-Lindsay)

Jacob Rosecrants (D-Norman)

Marilyn Stark (R-Bethany)

Jay Steagall (R-Yukon)

Mauree Turner (D-OKC)

Tammy West (R-OKC)

Max Wolfley (R-OKC)

Rande Worthen (R-Lawton)

The following newcomers were elected to the House in the November 8 General Election:

Jared Deck (D-Norman)

Neil Hays (R-Checotah)

Ellyn Hefner (D-OKC)

Annie Menz (D-Norman)

Suzanne Schreiber (D-Tulsa)

Clay Staires (R-Skiatook)

Amanda Swope (D-Tulsa)