Trump-backed Mike Mazzei wins Oklahoma GOP gubernatorial runoff
Mike Mazzei, backed by President Donald Trump, won Oklahoma's Republican gubernatorial runoff on Tuesday, defeating Attorney General Gentner Drummond. Mazzei now faces Democrat Cyndi Munson in the November general election.
Mike Mazzei, a former Oklahoma state senator and financial planner, secured the Republican nomination for governor on Tuesday, defeating Attorney General Gentner Drummond in a primary runoff. With the backing of President Donald Trump, Mazzei is now the heavy favorite to become Oklahoma's next governor in the November general election.
The victory also marks a political win for outgoing Gov. Kevin Stitt, who has long opposed Drummond. Stitt, who is term-limited and cannot run again, endorsed Mazzei and described the race as a choice for a pro-business leader. The governor and attorney general have clashed for years over lawsuits, public statements, and policy disagreements, with Stitt at one point calling Drummond a longtime political enemy.
The feud between Stitt and Drummond centered largely on Drummond's legal actions against Oklahoma poultry companies over phosphorus pollution in water supplies. Stitt rejected those efforts as an overreach of the attorney general's role and warned that litigation could threaten jobs and the state's agricultural industry. In endorsing Mazzei, Stitt said the state needs a pro-business governor to lead for the next four years.
Trump also threw his support behind Mazzei, calling him a MAGA warrior in a May post on Truth Social. The president praised Mazzei's background as a businessman, former chairman of the State Senate Finance Committee, and Oklahoma's secretary of budget, saying he understands the America First policies needed to grow the economy, create jobs, cut taxes and regulations, and promote American energy dominance.
Mazzei built his campaign around tax reform, promising to eliminate Oklahoma's income tax within six years and remove property taxes for seniors and veterans. He also emphasized preventing foreign nationals from buying state land, strengthening the education system, and holding the government accountable for spending. He sought to portray Drummond as a fake Republican who favored expanding government, saying Drummond's solution to every problem was to raise taxes and grow government.
Drummond, a multigenerational rancher and former fighter pilot, highlighted his record as attorney general during the campaign. He touted confronting Chinese criminal operations running illegal marijuana farms, shutting down thousands of illegal grow operations, and enforcing immigration law. He also pledged to stand with Trump on securing the border, deporting undocumented immigrants, and stopping the flow of drugs and crime.
The runoff became necessary after the initial primary on June 2, when no candidate reached the 50 percent threshold needed to win the nomination outright. Only Mazzei and Drummond advanced to the runoff from a crowded field of hopefuls seeking to replace Stitt.
The Club for Growth, a pro-small-government group that contributed $9 million in support of Mazzei, praised his victory. Club for Growth PAC President David McIntosh said Mazzei is a principled conservative who will advocate for lower taxes, fewer regulations, and parental voice in education. McIntosh also criticized Drummond for opposing school freedom, saying the message is clear that Republicans who oppose school choice will lose their primaries.
Mazzei will now face Democratic nominee Cyndi Munson, the House minority leader in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, in the general election scheduled for Nov. 3. Given Oklahoma's strong Republican leanings, Mazzei is widely expected to win the governorship.
