State Offices Head to Runoff Election
GOVERNOR
Republican Governor Kevin Stitt is serving his second and final four-year term. Due to Oklahoma Term Limits, Governor Stitt could not run for another term in 2026. Fifteen candidates filed for the open seat, including nine Republicans, three Democrats, and three independents (no political party).
Republican Primary Election
With nine candidates competing for the Republican nomination, it was expected that a runoff would be necessary to select the nominee. Two of the candidates were in a vertual tie and move to the GOP Runoff Primary on August 25. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond took first place with 26.25%, finishing slightly ahead of former State Senator Mike Mazzei who garnered 25.97 percent. Businessman Chip Keating, the son of former Gov. Frank Keating, took third place with 18.45 percent. Former State Senator Jake Merrick, who spent little money but had an impressive grassroots following, was in fourth place with 14.47 percent. Despite a multi-million campaign, former Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives Charles McCall finished at the bottom of the top tier of candidates with 11.79 percent. The remaining four candidates were far behind with one percent or less of the vote: Leisa Mitchell Haynes received 1.02%, Jennifer Domenico got 0.94%, Kenneth Sturgell snared 0.73%, and Calup Anthony Taylor was in last place with 0.37 percent.
The GOP Runoff battle is expected to be a continuation of the vicious and expensive battle leading up to the June 16 primary. Both Drummond and Mazzei will likely run expensive campaigns, much of it fueled by their personal wealth. It is likely that the deciding factors that will determine the winner involve who can turn out the vote in the runoff which has a historically low participation, and who can attract supporters of the candidates no longer in the competition.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, 62, of Hominy served as an Air Force pilot during the Gulf War, and is an attorney, rancher, and businessman. He is the principal owner of Blue Sky Bank. He was elected Oklahoma Attorney General in 2022 after losing the GOP nomination in 2018 to former Attorney General Mike Hunter.
Before running for AG, he had not previously been active in the Republican Party and had contributed to many Democrat candidates. Drummond contributed to liberal Democrats in their unsuccessful campaigns against conservative U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, and First District Congressman Jim Bridenstine. He also contributed to Democrat Dan Boren for Congress and Drew Edmondson for Governor.
A notable contribution was $500 to liberal Democrat John Waldron in his first State House race in 2017. Waldron would later became chair of the Oklahoma Democratic Party. During his time in the Oklahoma Legislature, Waldron compiled a cumulative average score of just 8 percent on the Oklahoma Conservative Index published by the Oklahoma Constitution newspaper.
Perhaps the most controversial Drummond contribution to a Democrat was $1,000 to President Joe Biden in 2020 – against the reelection of President Donald Trump. That contribution became an issue during this year’s campaign and Drummond tried to dismiss the donation by saying it was given by his wife, Wendy. Interestingly, he did not blame the earlier Democrat contributions on his wife. And, reportedly they are still married.
Wendy Drummond took the blame for the Biden contribution in a letter issued by the campaign and printed in a campaign flyer. In the letter, she explained: “In August 2020, I heard something that made me so emotional that I made a mistake. I attempted to make a political contribution through ActBlue. I acted on my own, without Gentner’s knowledge, involvement, or approval.” She did not explain what she heard or what she was doing on the ActBlue website. According to Wikipedia, “ActBlue is an American Democratic Party political action committee (PAC) and fundraising platform founded in 2004. ActBlue is a major part of the Democratic Party’s fundraising infrastructure.” She went on to explain that she did not realize that the transaction was linked to a joint account and mistakenly attributed to her husband. The following month she requested that ActBlue change the name on the contribution to hers or reverse the charge. She also noted that Gentner Drummond contributed to Donald Trump in the 2024 campaign.
When the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board voted in June of 2023 to approve St. Isidore’s application to become the nation’s first religious charter school, Drummond, partnered with left-wing organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union and the Freedom From Religion Foundation and filed a lawsuit against the virtual charter school board. This was one of several issues that Drummond and Gov. Kevin Stitt were at odds in recent years.
At the Randall University forum in February, Drummond announced that he was a strong supporter of Civil Asset Forfeiture (CAF). CAF allows law enforcement to seize private property if they say they believe it was used in commission of a crime. In the past, both local and national law enforcement has utilized CAF to seize assets like cars and cash. Under CAF, the person whose property was seized has the burden of proof that the property was not used in a crime to get the property back. Many times, law enforcement will seize cash, arguing that it was probably payment for a drug deal or was going to be used to buy drugs. Instead of the State vs. an individual, as in a criminal case, it is styled the State vs. $2,500 in cash (for example).
Former State Senator Mike Mazzei, 60, of Tulsa is the founder and CEO of Trinity Strategic Wealth, a financial management firm. He was first elected to the Oklahoma Senate in 2004 and served for 12 years and could not run for reelection in 2016 due to Term Limits. He chaired the Senate Finance Committee for a decade and pushed for tax cuts, pension reform, and ending ineffective tax credits. Based on his score on the Oklahoma Conservative Index, he was one of the more politically moderate Republicans in the Oklahoma Legislature – he earned a 64% cumulative average. However, it should be noted that he missed a number of votes following his recovery from a broken back as a result of an accident. So, his score would likely have been higher if he had been there for those votes. After leaving the Senate, Mazzei joined Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt as his Secretary of Budget from 2019 to 2020.
Mazzei received President Donald Trump’s endorsement. President Trump reiterated his support for Mazzei on Truth Social after the June 16 primary, saying Mazzei had Trump’s “COMPLETE and TOTAL Endorsement” and Trump also called Drummond a “fake Republican.” Gov. Kevin Stitt also endorsed Mazzei following the primary election.
Mazzei’s vote for the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) in 2014 became an issue in the this year’s campaign. Deceptive television advertisements called Mazzei a “Clinton Lover” and included fake images created by AI showing Mazzei holding a campaign sign for Hillary Clinton for President and hugging Hillary. Of course no such things ever happened, but those images were imprinted in people’s minds. Mazzei tried to deflect the issue and responded in one of the debates: “Let me be clear: I never supported the national popular vote. And I never voted to get rid of the Electoral College.” Mazzei was correct that he did not vote to get rid of the Electoral College – only a national constitutional amendment to the U.S. Constitution approved by the states could accomplish that. Instead, the NPVIC seeks to manipulate the vote in the Electoral College of the states joining the compact to ensure that the candidate who receives the most votes nationwide is elected President, regardless of how the people in the states joining the compact voted.
Very early in the campaign, before it became an issue, the Oklahoma Constitution newspaper quizzed Mazzei about his vote. It was one of the ten votes included on the 2014 Oklahoma Conservative Index published by the Oklahoma Constitution. Mazzei spoke to the Oklahoma Conservative Assembly last November 13. When asked about the vote, he responded that in his 12 years in the state legislature, it was one of the two worst votes he had cast. He explained that he had been led by supporters of the bill to believe that it would increase the turnout for Republicans in “blue” states. It would be good for Mazzei to reiterate his earlier position that he made a mistake when he cast that vote.
Another issue that surfaced in the final days leading up to the June 16 primary was the proposed aluminum smelting facility in Inola, Oklahoma. Attack ads, again with fake AI images, showed Mazzei in a Middle East desert giving a briefcase filled with cash to the Arabs. Mazzei was not in the Oklahoma Legislature when the bill providing the support for the project was passed in 2025. But, after speaking with President Trump, Mazzei did come out in support of the project.
Emirates Global Aluminium (UAE) and Century Aluminum (USA) are developing the $4 billion aluminum smelter plant negotiated by the Trump administration to re-shore U.S. manufacturing. The plant would be the first major domestic primary smelter built since 1980, and the facility is projected to create 1,000 permanent jobs and 4,000 construction jobs. While the bulk of the funding will be provided by the joint venture company, the federal government is providing a $500 million grant and Oklahoma will provide about $255 million in incentives.
After President Trump endorsed Mazzei, and Mazzei came out in support of the project, Attorney General Gentner Drummond filed a lawsuit on June 4 – two weeks before the June 16 Primary Election – to block the project. That was immediately followed by the televison commercials against Mazzei over the project.
Gov. Kevin Stitt criticized the lawsuit, arguing the project would create economic opportunities for Oklahoma and strengthen domestic aluminum production. “As soon as President Trump made his endorsement in the governor’s race, Drummond dropped the act and showed his true colors,” Stitt said in a statement.
Democrat Primary
State Representative Cyndi Munson, 41, of Oklahoma City is the Minority (Democrat) Leader of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. She easily secured the Democratic Party nomination for governor in the June 16 primary, receiving 74.93% of the vote. Former State Senator Connie Johnson came in second with 22.27 percent, while Arya Azma finished in last place with 2.80 percent.
Munson was first elected to the Oklahoma House in a 2015 Special Election. She was elected to a full term in 2016 and reelected in 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024. She would have been term-limited from running for reelection in 2028. She has mostly worked in the non-profit sector including a long stint at the Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma. During her time in the Oklahoma Legislature she has compiled a very liberal record, earning only an 11% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index.
Independent Candidates
Three candidates filed as independents (no political party) and they advance to the November General Election.
Jerry Griffin, 82, of Tulsa switched from running for the Superintendent of Public Instruction post, to the race for Governor. He ran for the Tulsa Police and Fire Commission in 1974. He was elected to the Tulsa Public Schools board in 2020 and served for over three years until he resigned in 2024. In 2022 he ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Tulsa City Council.
Robert E. Brooks, Sr., 46, of Moore refused to provide what he called, “a polished, pre-written biography crafted by consultants and political insiders,” so little is known about him. He is heading what he calls the “Farmer Servant Movement” which he says is made up of ordinary, everyday citizens.
Orlando Lynn Bush, 60, of Edmond provided no additional information beyond his age and residence.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell was elected to the office in 2018 and is completing his second and final term, due to Term Limits. Seven candidates filed for the open post, including six Republicans, and one Democrat.
Republican Primary
Former Oklahoma House Speaker T.W. Shannon, 48, of Oklahoma City secured the GOP nomination with 53.76% of the vote in June 16 primary. He has been serving in the current Trump administration as Senior Advisor for Rural Prosperity at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Shannon was first elected to the Oklahoma House in 2006 and reelected in 2008, 2010 and 2012. He did not seek reelection in 2014, opting instead to run in the Special Election for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Tom Coburn. Shannon lost in the primary to former Congressman James Lankford, who still holds that seat. In 2022, Shannon ran in the Special Election for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Jim Inhofe, who like Senator Coburn, resigned before his six-year term was up. Shannon lost in the GOP Runoff Primary to Congressman Markwayne Mullin who went on to win the seat. Shannon was the most conservative Oklahoma House Speaker in modern times, with a cumulative average score of 74% on the Oklahoma Conservative Index. He is an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation.
Shannon has also been an commentator and guest host for the Newsmax TV channel. He was the National Chair of Black Voices for Trump in the 2024 campaign, and President Trump has endorsed Shannon for Lieutenant Governor.
State Sen. Darrell Weaver, 64 of Moore took second place with 13.03 percent. He was first elected to the Oklahoma Senate in 2018, and reelected in 2022. Prior to his election, he served for over 28 years in law enforcement, including the last nine years as director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control. He has a 68% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index.
State Representative Justin JJ Humphrey, 59, of Lane finished in third place with 12.56 percent. He was first elected to the Oklahoma House in 2016. Humphrey has a background in law enforcement, experience as a drug court administrator, and in ranching. He worked for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections for twenty years before retiring. He has a 64% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index.
David Ostrowe, 57, of Oklahoma City came in fourth with 9.26 percent. He was appointed by Governor Stitt in September 2025 to serve as the state Chief Operating Officer (COO) and a senior advisor. Previous to the appointment, Ostrowe was President & CEO of O&M Restaurant Group. During Stitts first term Ostrowe served as Oklahoma’s first Secretary of Digital Transformation and Administration from 2019 to 2021.
State Representative Brian Hill, 49, of Mustang received 7.56 percent. He was first elected to the Oklahoma House in 2018. Before serving in the Legislature, he says he spent two decades running 14 businesses. He has a 67% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index.
H. Victor Flores, 48, of Edmond finished last with 3.84 percent. He has previously worked as an administrator for the Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma and is currently a managing principal for REDW, an accounting firm serving tribes and tribal enterprises. He is the founder and President of the Oklahoma Tribal Finance Consortium.
Democrat Candidate
Kelly Forbes, 42, of Oklahoma City was the only Democrat to file, so he advances to the General Election. He began a career in education in 2008. He has a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Oklahoma City University, and two master’s degrees from the University of Central Oklahoma – Bilingual Education and Administrative Leadership. A fluent Spanish speaker, he has served as a classroom teacher, in school administration, as a federal programs director, director of dual language education, and an adjunct professor. He is also the owner of Kelly B’s Consulting, which helps schools and communities navigate the education and government bureaucracy. On the personal side, he lives with his partner, Dr. Chris Culver, who is also involved in education.
STATE AUDITOR AND INSPECTOR
Incumbent State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd was term-limited and decided to run for State Treasurer in 2026. Deputy State Auditor Melissa Capps, 52, of McLoud will assume the office since she was the only candidate to file. Capps has served in the agency for over 25 years. In her first decade with the office, she worked in the State Agency Audit Division. She currently serves as the Director of the Performance Audit Division. Capps holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Central Oklahoma.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
With the current Attorney General, Gentner Drummond, seeking the governor’s office rather than running for reelection in 2026, the AG’s office is open. Three candidates filed, including two Republicans and one Democrat.
Republican Primary
Former state Representative Jon Echols, 46 of Oklahoma City, secured GOP nomination with 55% of the vote in the June 16 primary. He was first elected to his west Oklahoma City House seat in 2012 and served eight years as Majority Floor Leader. He was unable to run for reelection in 2024 due to term-limits. During his legislative career he was been one of the more politically moderate Republicans, earning a 65% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index. Attorney Jeff Starling, the Oklahoma Secretary of Energy and Environment, received 45 percent.
Democrat Candidate
Nick Coffey, 35, of Oklahoma City is a career prosecutor who recently left the U.S. Department of Justice. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Law and worked at the McAfee & Taft law firm before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma where he served for seven years. Since he was the only Democrat candidate to file, he advances to the General Election.
STATE TREASURER
Republican Primary
State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd, 53, of Coalgate defeated the incumbent State Treasurer Todd Russ in the June 16 primary. Byrd won the GOP nomination with 61.65 percent. Russ, 65, of Cordell received 38.35 percent. He was elected Treasurer in 2022 and was running for reelection to second four-year term. Byrd was elected state Auditor and Inspector in 2018 and reelected in 2022. Due to Term Limits she could not run for reelection in 2026, and had been running for Lieutenant Governor for over a year, but instead filed for State Treasurer. She is a CPA and has spent over two decades in state government. Before her election to the post, she served as Deputy Auditor and Inspector. No Democrats filed, but there will be a Libertarian candidate on the November ballot.
Libertarian Candidate
Libertarian Party candidate – Kiefer Perry, 37, of Broken Bow – is the current Vice Chair for the Oklahoma Libertarian Party. He is a digital creator. He will be challenging Byrd in the November election.
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
Republican Ryan Walters resigned as State Superintendent of Public Instruction last year to become Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Teacher Freedom Alliance (TFA). Governor Stitt named Lindel Fields of Tulsa to serve the remainder of Walters’ term which expires in January 2027. Fields is not seeking election to the post.
Even before Walters revealed if he would run for reelection in 2026, several candidates had already announced their intention to run for the post. But, with the office becoming an open seat due to Walters’ resignation, more candidates joined the race, while others dropped out. Nine candidates filed for the position, including seven Republicans and two Democrats.
Republican Primary
As was expected with seven Republicans running, no candidate won the GOP nomination in the June 16 primary. So, the top two candidates will compete in the August 25 runoff.
Robert Franklin, 66, of Sand Springs finished in first place with 22.59 percent. He spent the first 29 years of his career in Sand Springs Public Schools as a special education teacher, principal and district administrator. He then joined the Tulsa Technology Center where he later became the associate superintendent of student affairs. In 2024, he retired Tulsa Tech and started teaching education courses at the University of Oklahoma’s Tulsa campus. He stepped down that same year from the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board. He had served on the state board from 2018 to 2024, including four years as chair. In 2023, he was one of only two board members who voted against allowing a religious charter school in Oklahoma. During the primary campaign he recommended a controversial book. This could be an issue in the runoff. See the article concerning the book elsewhere in this edition.
Dr. James Taylor of Oklahoma City finished second with 19.66 percent and will compete in the runoff. He ran a number of times for the GOP nomination to the U.S. House of Representatives challenging Fourth District Congressman Tom Cole. In his last race in 2022, he finished behind Cole with 27 percent of the vote. He previously ran for the seat in 2016, 2018, and 2020. Dr. Taylor is the author of It’s Biblical, Not Political, which guides Christian voters on how to vet political candidates to ensure they will follow the Constitution and the intent of the Founding Fathers. The black author, also produced a DVD: “Critical Race Theory vs. The Bible,” which exposes the lies of CRT being taught in our education system. He teaches U.S. History and Government at Little Axe. He previously worked for the Oklahoma City Public Schools, but was fired for refusing to comply with their mask mandate during the COVID pandemic. He also serves as the senior pastor of First Christ’s Church in Norman.
Dr. John Cox, 63, of Hulbert finished in third place with 18.42 percent. He has been a career government educator for over three decades – working as a math teacher, coach, and as the long-time superintendent of Peggs Public Schools in eastern Oklahoma. He was the Democrat nominee for State Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2014 and 2018, losing both times to Joy Hofmeister who at that time was a Republican. In 2022 he switched parties and ran for the office as a Republican and finished in third place in the GOP Primary.
State Representative Toni Hasenbeck, 54, of Elgin took fourth place with 16.59 percent. She is a former teacher and was first elected to the Oklahoma House in 2018 and reelected in 2020, 2022 and 2024. She currently serves as Deputy Majority Leader and is on the Standing Committee on Education and Postsecondary Education as well as the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education. She has earned accolades for authoring some conservative legislation, yet during her legislative career she was been one of the more politically moderate Republicans, earning just a 59% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index.
State Senator Adam Pugh, 48, of Edmond came in fifth with 11.47 percent. He is the chairman of the Senate Education Committee. He was first elected to the Oklahoma Senate in 2016 and reelected in 2024. He is in the middle of his term and will continue to serve in the Senate. Senator Pugh has been one of the more moderate Republicans in the Legislature, with a 64% cumulative average score on the Oklahoma Conservative Index. He is a former U.S. Air Force Officer and an owner/Chief Growth Officer of Ready 3 LLC, an aerospace and defense company.
Debra A. Herlihy, 55, of Yukon received 9.44 percent. She is a research analyst at Southern Nazarene University, and an Adjunct Professor.
William E. Crozier, 79, of Union City finished last with 1.81 percent. He is a longtime conservative activist and this was his third race for the office – making an unsuccessful runs in 2006 and 2022. In 1972 he was the Republican nominee for Oklahoma’s Fourth Congressional District against Democrat Congressman Tom Steed. He was the Republican nominee against Democrat U.S. Senator David Boren in 1984. Crozier also made an unsuccessful run for lieutenant governor in 2010.
Democrat Primary
Jennette Marshall, 67, of Tulsa won the Democratic nomination with 57.69% of the vote in the June 16 primary. Craig McVay, the retired Superintendent for El Reno Public Schools, received 42.31 percent. Marshall served two terms on the Tulsa Public Schools board. She is the founding Pastor of Living Sanctuary Evangelistic Ministries and has also served as a Chaplain for the Tulsa Police Department. She worked 17 years as a Probation and Parole Officer and case manager for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, and three years as a Child Welfare Investigator with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services.
LABOR COMMISSIONER
Commissioner of Labor Leslie Osborn was first elected to the office in 2018 and was reelected in 2022. She could not run for reelection in 2026 due to Term Limits. Six candidates filed for the post, including four Republicans, one Democrat, and a Libertarian.
Republican Primary
None of the Republican candidates received more than 50% of the vote in the June 16 GOP primary. So, the top two finishers will compete for the Republican nomination in the runoff primary on August 25.
State Representative Kevin West, 58, of Moore finished in first place with 41.78 percent which gives him a spot in the runoff. He has held manufacturing jobs, worked in the commercial cabinet industry, and owned and operated his own cabinet shop. He was first elected to the Oklahoma House in 2016 and reelected in 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024. During his legislative career he was been one of the more politically conservative Republicans, earning a 79% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index.
State Representative John Pfeiffer, 40, of Mulhall finished in second place with 35.27 percent and will also compete in the runoff. He is a Marine Corps veteran and a rancher. He was first elected to the Oklahoma House in 2014 and reelected in 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024. He could not run for reelection in 2026 due to Term Limits. During his legislative career he was been one of the more politically moderate Republicans, earning only a 58% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index.
Lisa Janloo, 36, of Oklahoma City finished third with 14.51 percent. She is the State Director of the L.U.C.A Foundation (Latinos United for Conservative Action) which works to bring conservative communities into political spaces. She grew up alongside her father, who immigrated to the U.S. after the Iranian Revolution, helping to run their family-owned business. She founded a homeschool program during the COVID pandemic. Janloo is Vice President of the Spencer Chamber of Commerce and the Chair of the Spencer Parks Board. She ran for a seat in the Oklahoma House in 2022 and for the Spencer City Council in 2023.
Keith Swinton, 62, of Norman finished in last place with 8.43 percent. He ran for Labor Commissioner in 2018, and again in 2022, but lost in the Republican primary both times. For three decades he worked for the United States Postal Service’s National Center for Employee Development. He is a mechanical engineer and inventor, and worked as a project engineer for Ready Services, LLC following his retirement from the postal agency.
Democrat Candidate
Kevin Dawson, 64, of Norman is a retired railroad locomotive engineer. At 18 years old, he started a 43-year career in the railroad industry and became one of the youngest locomotive engineers in the country. Since he was the only Democrat candidate to file, he advances to the General Election.
Libertarian Candidate
Mike Hall, 59, of Oklahoma City was the only Libertarian Party candidate to file and will be on General Election ballot.
INSURANCE COMMISSIONER
Current Republican Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready was first elected in 2018 and is completing his second and final term due to Term Limits. Five candidates – four Republicans and one Democrat – filed for the open office.
Republican Primary
Since none of the Republicans received more than 50% of the vote in the June 16 primary, the top two candidates will compete for the GOP nomination in the runoff primary.
Bob Sullivan, 40, of Inola finished in first place with 37.37% of the vote earning him a spot in the GOP runoff. He is a Certified Risk Manager and provides insurance services to businesses through the Alera Group. He received a B.S. degree from Oklahoma State University majoring in Finance and Accounting.
Marty Quinn, 66, of Oklahoma City came in second with 27.68 percent and will also be in the runoff primary. He is a former member of the Oklahoma Legislature who served in the both the House and the Senate representing the Claremore area. In 2022 he was term-limited for his state senate seat and ran for the open seat for Congress in the Second District, losing the GOP nomination in the crowded primary. During his time in the legislature he earned a 72% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index. He has spent his professional career in the insurance business, and was Chairman of the Senate Insurance Committee where he worked to cut red tape, improve transparency, and protect consumers.
Greta Shuler, 43, of Shawnee took third place with 17.57 persent. She is a small-business owner, and serves on the Shawnee City Commission. After graduating from Oklahoma Baptist University, she worked for over a decade in the insurance industry.
Chris Merideth, 51, of Edmond finished in last place with 17.38 percent. He has 25 years of experience in the insurance industry.
Democrat Candidate
Craig MacIntyre, 60, of Shawnee is a property management professional. Since he was the only Democrat candidate to file, he advances to the General Election.
CORPORATION COMMISSIONER
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC) regulates oil and gas drilling, electric and gas utilities, trucking, pipelines, and telecommunications in Oklahoma. There are three Corporation Commission seats with six-year staggered terms. So, every two years one of the seats is up for reelection. The seat held by Republican Todd Hiett is up for election this year. Hiett cannot run for reelection this year due to Term Limits. The other incumbents are Commissioners Kim David and Brian Bingman. Five candidates – two Republicans and three Democrats – filed for the open seat.
Republican Primary
Since there were only two candidates running for the Republican nomination, it was assured that one would secure the GOP nomination in the June 16 primary.
State Representative Brad Boles, 42, of Marlow finished first and secured the Republican nomination with 55.27 percent of the vote. He was first elected to the Oklahoma House in a Special Election in 2018 and won a full two-year term later in 2018. He was reelected in 2020, 2022 and 2024. He is chairman of the House Energy & Natural Resources Oversight Committee. He has a 71% cumulative average on the Oklahoma Conservative Index.
Justin Hornback, 42, of Broken Arrow received 44.73 percent. Hornback has run twice previously for a seat on the OCC. In 2022 he finishing in third place in the Republican Primary. He ran again in 2024 and finished in second place in the GOP Primary. He has over two decades of experience in the energy industry, with knowledge concerning transmission pipelines, energy generation, regulations, and safety. He has worked as a Pipeline Welder/Welding Inspector/Specialist in Safety and Health. He also worked with the leadership of the Pipeliners Union 798 between 2017 and 2021.
Democrat Primary
Rhonda Eastman, 53, of Spiro won the Democratic nomination with 70% of the vote in the June 16 primary. Eastman was state employee for 16 years before returning to the private sector where she has held jobs managing construction projects. During the campaign she said: “I am not a politician. I am not wealthy.” She is now a politician. Harold Spradling, 92, of Oklahoma City finished in second place with 20.09 percent. This was his fifth race for a spot on the OCC. He ran unsuccessfully as a Republican in 2018, 2020, and 2022, losing each time in the GOP primary. In 2024 he ran as the lone Democrat, and lost in the General Election. Donald Anthony Clytus of Oklahoma City finished last with 9.91 percent. He is black businessman and founder of Insider Analytics.
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