Gentner Drummond (R) and Mike Mazzei (R) advanced to the August 25 Republican primary runoff after defeating seven other candidates in the primary on June 16. Incumbent Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) is term-limited and retiring from public office. In the primary, Drummond received 25.9% of the vote to Mazzei’s 25.5%.
The Oklahoman's Alex Gladden wrote, "In Oklahoma, a highly conservative state, the Republican primary often determines who will be the next governor." In 2024, Donald Trump (R) received 66.2% of the vote, and it was Trump's fifth-best performance in any state that year. In 2022, Gov. Stitt was re-elected with 55% of the vote. The last Democrat elected governor was Brad Henry (D) in 2006.
In the runoff, Drummond has campaigned on his record as attorney general, and says he "pushed back on the separation of church and state, against Big Pharma, against State Farm, against out-of-state companies that would injure Oklahomans’ home, payroll, paycheck, future. I’m the guy fighting for you, that brings in a lot of out-of-state money." Mazzei has campaigned on receiving President Donald Trump's (R) endorsement and supporting a conservative vision for the state: "Now with the runoff election, there’s a clear difference between Mr. Drummond and me: I am the complete and total endorsement of President Donald Trump. I’m running for governor to move Oklahoma in a more conservative direction.”
