Mike Mazzei Wins GOP Nomination for Oklahoma Governor

Former state Senator Mike Mazzei has secured the Republican nomination for governor in Oklahoma, according to NBC News projections. President Donald Trump endorsed Mazzei, making him the preferred candidate.

Mazzei defeated state Attorney General Gentner Drummond by a narrow margin of around 2,000 votes in the GOP primary runoff. The initial primary in June was also competitive, with Drummond finishing just over 1,000 votes ahead of Mazzei. Since no candidate gained a majority, the election advanced to a runoff.

Before the runoff, Drummond surpassed Mazzei in fundraising and spending. Drummond’s campaign reported raising $2.3 million between the mid-June primary and the runoff. Mazzei raised $816,000 in the same period. Both candidates also provided substantial personal loans to their campaigns—$11 million from Mazzei and $3 million from Drummond.

Trump endorsed Mazzei in May to succeed term-limited GOP Governor Kevin Stitt. Trump consistently supported Mazzei throughout the campaign. In a Truth Social post last week, Trump praised Mazzei and criticized Drummond, labeling Drummond as having a bad attitude and not representing Oklahoma’s values. Trump urged voters to support Mazzei in the August 25th election.

Drummond faced presidential criticism for his legal action against constructing the nation’s largest aluminum smelter in Inola, Oklahoma, citing environmental and public health concerns. Trump opposed this, praising the project as vital for job creation in Oklahoma and the United States. Mazzei supports the aluminum plant’s construction.

This week, Drummond disagreed with Trump on waiving tariffs for certain beef imports, aiming to reduce U.S. beef prices. Drummond expressed support for Trump’s policies but argued that tariffs harm Oklahoma’s cattle industry, echoing concerns of GOP lawmakers from major cattle-ranching states.

Despite Trump’s endorsement being highly sought after in GOP politics, he faced challenges, especially in governor’s races, with five supported candidates failing to win primaries this year. Mazzei’s Tuesday victory makes him a strong contender in November’s general election due to Oklahoma’s Republican voter base. He will compete against Democratic state Representative Cyndi Munson.