(Update: This article was updated at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 8, to reflect the candidacy withdrawal of Payton Guthrie in House District 21, which made Rep. Cody Maynard the 34th legislator reelected by default.)
Of the 126 offices up for election in the Oklahoma Legislature, 34 legislators won automatic reelection to their seats after no challengers filed against them.
After Oklahoma’s three-day legislative filing period, which concluded at 5 p.m. Friday, 27 representatives and 7 senators won without a contest. Those figures are down in the House from the 2024 elections, when 44 representatives were automatically reelected, and slightly up in the Senate, where only five senators won automatic reelection in 2024.
Overall, Oklahoma has continued a downward trend in default elections since 2022, when 55 legislators — more than a third of the Legislature — were reelected automatically. The State Election Board released a statement Friday night saying the 611 total candidates filing for state, federal, legislative, or judicial office marked Oklahoma’s second-largest candidate filing period in the past 25 years. Buoyed by the teacher walkout, Oklahoma’s 2018 election cycle drew 794 candidates.
The following representatives won their reelections by default:
- Rep. Jim Olsen (R-Roland);
- Rep. Josh West (R-Grove);
- Rep. Steve Bashore (R-Miami);
- Rep. Neil Hays (R-Checotah);
- Rep. Tim Turner (R-Kinta);
- Rep. Jim Grego (R-Wilburton);
- Rep. Cody Maynard (R-Durant);
- Rep. Ryan Eaves (R-Atoka);
- Rep. Ronny Johns (R-Ada);
- Rep. Jay Steagall (R-Yukon);
- Rep. Jared Deck (D-Norman);
- Rep. Jacob Rosecrants (D-Norman);
- Rep. Tammy Townley (R-Ardmore);
- Rep. Stacy Jo Adams (R-Duncan);
- Rep. Gerrid Kendrix (R-Altus);
- Rep. Nick Archer (R-Elk City);
- Speaker Pro Tempore Anthony Moore (R-Clinton);
- Rep. Mike Dobrinski (R-Okeene);
- Rep. Kenton Patzkowski (R-Balko);
- Rep. Rob Hall (R-Tulsa);
- Rep. Suzanne Schreiber (D-Tulsa);
- Rep. Amanda Clinton (D-Tulsa);
- Rep. Ellen Pogemiller (D-OKC);
- Rep. Arturo Alonso (D-OKC);
- Rep. Mickey Dollens (D-OKC);
- Rep. Andy Fugate (D-OKC); and
- Rep. Robert Manger (R-OKC).
Adams’ automatic reelection comes after a political action campaign funded negative advertisements against her, possibly in an unsuccessful effort to recruit a candidate against her.
Five House members were term limited this year, and an additional 10 have chosen not seek reelection. Rep. Eddy Dempsey (R-Valliant) announced he would not run again last December, while Rep. Scott Fetgatter (R-Okmulgee) announced he would not in early March, and Rep. Mike Osburn (R-Edmond) announced he would not last Friday. Rep. Rande Worthen (R-Lawton) preempted rumors he was “forced out” of office for voting against a bill that would charge girls ages 13-17 with murder for getting an abortion, saying he had been considering leaving office for “some time now.”
Other representatives are leaving the Legislature to run for other offices. Minority Leader Cyndi Munson (D-OKC) seeks the governorship. Reps. Justin Humphrey (R-Lane) and Brian Hill (R-Mustang) are running for lieutenant governor. Rep. Dell Kerbs (R-Shawnee) is running to be a Pottawatomie County commissioner, Rep. Brad Boles (R-Marlow) is running to be a corporation commissioner, Rep. Kevin West (R-Moore) is running to be a labor commissioner, and Rep. Toni Hasenbeck (R-Elgin) is running to be the state superintendent of public instruction.
The following senators won their reelection by default:
- Sen. Jerry Alvord (R-Wilson);
- Sen. Mary Boren (D-Norman);
- Senate Minority Leader Julia Kirt (D-OKC);
- Sen. Carri Hicks (D-OKC);
- Sen. Michael Brooks (D-OKC);
- Sen. Mark Mann (D-OKC); and
- Sen. Nikki Nice (D-OKC).
Sen. Darrell Weaver (R-Moore) is leaving the Legislature after two terms to run in the lieutenant governor race. Sen. Brent Howard (R-Altus) did not seek reelection.
A list of all legislative candidates who filed can be found here. Candidates who choose to challenge an opponent’s eligibility for office must file their objection by 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 7, with the State Election Board.
