By Constitution Staff

Oklahoma Runoff Primary elections were held on August 27, and some races for seats in the state legislature were filled because there are only candidates from a single party. For those seats in which no candidate in the party primary elections on June 18 received more than 50 percent of the vote, a Runoff Primary Election was held between the top two candidates. The General Election will be on November 5 for the races with opponents from other parties and/or an independent candidate.

One incumbent state senator and two representatives were defeated in the Runoff Primaries.

In Senate District 3, Sen. Blake "Cowboy" Stephens (R-Tahlequah) was defeated in the runoff with Dr. Julie McIntosh of Porter. McIntosh won the Republican nomination over Stephens with 61% of the vote. The Oklahoma Legislature redistricted the boundaries following the 2020 U.S. Census, and the district is much different from what it was when Stephens was elected four years ago. Stephens had a cumulative average of 65% on the Oklahoma Conservative Index published by the Oklahoma Constitution newspaper. No Democrats filed for the seat, but Dr. McIntosh will face an independent candidate in the General Election.

In House District 32, Budget Committee Chairman Kevin Wallace (R-Wellston) was defeated by challenger Jim Shaw of Chandler. Shaw won the runoff with 54% of the vote. Since there is no opposition in the General Election, Shaw was elected to the seat. Rep. Wallace had a cumulative average of only 54% on the Oklahoma Conservative Index.

In House District 98, Rep. Dean Davis (R-Broken Arrow) was defeated by just 28 votes. The winner, Gabe Woolley also of Broken Arrow, will face a Democrat in the General Election. Rep. Davis had a cumulative average of 73% on the Oklahoma Conservative Index, but had a perfect 100% score in the 2024 session.

In addition to the election of Jim Shaw in House District 32, three other representatives were also elected in the Runoff Primary elections since there is no opposition in the General Election. In District 50, Stacy Jo Adams (R-Duncan) was elected to the seat held by Marcus McEntire (R-Duncan) who did not seek reelection. In District 53,

Jason Blair (R-Moore) was elected to the seat held by Mark McBride (R-Moore) who was Term-Limited. In District 60, Mike Kelley (R-Yukon) was elected to the seat held by Rhonda Baker (R-Yukon) who did not run for reelection.

Oklahoma Legislative Seat Summary

The Oklahoma House of Representatives has 101 members, and the Oklahoma Senate has 48 members (only half of the senate seats were up for election this year). A number of legislators were not able to run for reelection this year due to Term Limits. Oklahoma voters overwhelmingly adopted a State Question in 1990 that placed limitations on the terms of lawmakers. It took effect in 1992, but did not include previous years of service. Legislators are limited to a total combined service in the House and/or Senate of 12 years.

In 2024 there were eight legislators who could not run for reelection because of Term Limits – all but one was a Republican. That list includes four members of the House, and four members of the Senate.

All four members of the Oklahoma House that were ineligible to run this time were members of the House leadership: House Speaker Charles McCall (R-Atoka), Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols (R-OKC), Assistant Majority Floor Leader Mark McBride (R-Moore), and Majority Whip Terry O'Donnell (R-Catoosa).

Four members of the State Senate were unable to seek reelection in 2024, including Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat (R-OKC), the leader of the Senate. Others included Nathan Dahm (R-Broken Arrow) who was elected chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party last year, and Rob Standridge (R-Norman). One Democrat, Kevin Matthews (D-Tulsa) was also Term-Limited. In addition, Senate Minority (Democrat) Leader Kay Floyd (D-OKC) was not up for election this year, but reached the term-limit in the middle of her term due to the time she previously served in the Oklahoma House. The seat will be filled in a Special Election which coincides with the other legislative elections.

A number of other legislators decided not to run, even though they were not Term-Limited, including ten members of the Oklahoma House, and two Senators. Representatives Jeff Boatman (R-Tulsa) and Regina Goodwin (D-Tulsa) did not seek reelection and instead ran for open seats in the Oklahoma Senate. Boatman lost in the primary, but Goodwin won election in the primary. Rep. Monroe Nichols (D-Tulsa) is running for mayor of Tulsa. Rep. Lonnie Sims (R-Jenks) filed for an open Tulsa County commissioner seat.

Representatives Rhonda Baker (R-Yukon), Sherrie Conley (R-Newcastle), Keven McDugle (R-Broken Arrow), Marcus McEntire (R-Duncan), Randy Randleman (R-Eufaula), and Mauree Turner (D-OKC) also did not seek another term.

Four members of the Senate did not seek reelection, including Tom Dugger (R-Stillwater), Cris Kidd (R-Ringling), Joe Newhouse (R-Broken Arrow), and Dewayne Pemberton (R-Muskogee). In addition, Sen. George Young (D-OKC) is resigning his seat at the end of the current session. His seat was not scheduled for election this year, so it will be filled in a Special Election which will coincide with the other legislative elections.

Some former legislators filed for seats this year. With incumbent Sen. Dewayne Pemberton (R-Muskogee) not running for reelection, former Rep. Avery Frix (R-Muskogee) filed for the open seat and won the seat since no other candidates filed. Frix gave up his former seat in the Oklahoma House in 2022 to run for the open Second District U.S. House seat.

Former Senator Ron Sharp (R-Shawnee) challenged Sen. Shane Jett (R-Shawnee) in an attempt to reclaim his old seat. But Sen. Jett was reelected in the primary over Sharp and several other challengers. With the resignation of Sen. George Young (R-OKC), former Senator Connie Johnson (R-OKC) ran for the seat, but lost to Nikki Nice who has served on the Oklahoma City Council since 2018. Since only Democrats filed for the seat, Nice was elected in the primary. Former Rep. Wendi Stearman (R-Bartlesville) challenged Sen. Julie Daniels (R-Bartlesville), but Daniels was reelected.

Senators serve four-year terms, with half of the seats up for election each election cycle. The even numbered districts will not be on the ballot until 2026. The odd numbered seats are up for election this year. However, as previously noted, two of the even numbered seats were on the ballot this year due to Sen. Floyd being Term-Limited, and the resignation of Sen. Young. Republicans went into the election year with a 40-8 majority in the 48 member Senate. Republicans held 18 of the even numbered seats not on the ballot this year, with Democrats holding only four. So, the GOP only needed to hold 7 of the 26 seats on the ballot his year to maintain control.

Six senators were automatically elected because no other candidates filed. All six of those were Republicans. Therefore, Republicans were already guaranteed to have 24 seats at filing, just one seat short of the 25 needed for continued control. Republicans picked up six more seats in the June 18 primary elections, since only Republicans were running for those seats. Democrats took just two. So, the GOP had 30 seats, compared to six for the Democrats, assuring Republicans of continued control of the Senate. The remaining 12 seats will be filled in the November General Election. No Democrats filed for three of the remaining seats – only independents are challenging the GOP candidates.

All 101 Oklahoma House seats are up for election each election cycle. In the House there were 81 Republicans, 20 Democrats. Because no other candidates filed, or their opponents withdrew or were stricken from the ballot after filing, 44 members of the House were elected at filing. That number included 38 Republicans and just 6 Democrats. Nineteen Republicans and three Democrats were elected in the June 18 primary elections, since there was no opposition in the General Election. That number included 13 incumbents (12 Republicans and one Democrat). Another four Republicans were elected in the August 27 Runoff Primary elections. Therefore, the GOP goes into the General Election guaranteed to have 61seats compared to 9 for the Democrats. So, Republicans are already guaranteed to keep control of the House.

There will be just 31 House seats at stake in the General Election. In five of those races, no Democrats filed, and the Republican will only face a Libertarian or independent candidate. One seat does not have a Republican running, and the Democrat is only competing with an independent.

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

George Burns (R-Pollard)

Lonnie Paxton (R-Tuttle)

Roland Pederson (R-Burlington)

Adam Pugh (R-Edmond)

Paul Rosino (R-OKC)

One Senator, not an incumbent, was elected to the Senate because he had no opponent:

Avery Frix (R-Muskogee)

The following incumbents were reelected to the Senate in the June 18 Primary:

Micheal Bergstrom (R-Big Cabin)

Julie Daniels (R-Bartlesville)

Shane Jett (R-Shawnee)

Casey Murdock (R-Felt)

The following Senators, not incumbents, were elected to the Senate in the June 18 Primary:

Regina Goodwin (D-Tulsa)

Spencer Kern (R-Duncan)

Nikki Nice (D-OKC)

Jonathan Wingard (R-Ada)

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

Nick Archer (R-Elk City)

Chris Banning (R-Bixby)

Steve Bashore (R-Miami)

Forrest Bennett (D-OKC)

Meloyde Blancett (D-Tulsa)

Brad Boles (R-Marlow)

Ty Burns (R-Pawnee)

Chad Caldwell (R-Enid)

Josh Cantrell (R-Kingston)

Rusty Cornwall (R-Vinita)

Jared Deck (D-Norman)

Mike Dobrinski (R-Okeene)

Mickey Dollens (D-OKC)

Collin Duel (R-Guthrie)

Ross Ford (R-Broken Arrow)

Tom Gann (R-Inola)

John George (R-Newalla)

Jim Grego (R-Wilburton)

Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow)

Brian Hill (R-Mustang)

Justin Humphrey (R-Lane)

John Kane (R-Bartlesville)

Gerrid Kendrix (R-Altus)

Mark Lawson (R-Sapulpa)

Mark Lepak (R-Claremore)

Dick Lowe (R-Amber)

Jason Lowe: (D-OKC)

T.J. Marti (R-Broken Arrow)

Stan May (R-Broken Arrow)

Cody Maynard (R-Durant)

Nicole Miller (R-Edmond)

Anthony Moore (R-Clinton)

Mike Osburn (R-Edmond)

Kevin Patzkowsky (R-Balko)

David Smith (R-Arpelar)

Chris Sneed (R-Fort Gibson)

Danny Sterling (R-Tecumseh)

Amanda Swope (D-Tulsa)

Mark Tedford (R-Tulsa)

Arturo Alonso Sandoval (D-OKC)

John Waldron (D-Tulsa)

Josh West (R-Grove)

Kevin West (R-Moore)

Rick West (R-Heavener)

The following incumbents were reelected to the House in the June 18 Primary:

Toni Hasenbeck (R-Elgin)

Neil Hays (R-Checotah)

Ronny Johns (R-Ada)

Chris Kannady (R-OKC)

Robert Manger (R-Oklahoma City)

Carl Newton (R-Cherokee)

Jim Olsen (R-Roland)

Ajay Pittman (D-OKC)

Cindy Roe (R-Lindsay)

Preston Stinson (R-Edmond)

Judd Strom (R-Copan)

Tammy Townley (R-Ardmore)

Danny Williams (R-Seminole)

The following Representatives, not incumbents, were elected to the House in the June 18 Primary:

Ryan Eaves (R-Atoka)

Rob Hall (R-Tulsa)

Mike Lay (R-Jenks)

Derrick Hildebrant (R-Catoosa)

Molly Jenkins (R-Coyle)

Michelle McCane (D-Tulsa)

Ron Stewart (D-Tulsa)

Tim Turner (R-Kinta)

The following Representatives, not incumbents, were elected to the House in the August 27 Runoff:

Stacy Jo Adams (R-Duncan)

Jason Blair (R-Moore)

Mike Kelley (R-Yukon)

Jim Shaw (R-Chandler)