(Update: This article was updated at 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 8, to reflect the candidacy withdrawal of Ron Durbin from the 1st Congressional District race, which occurred three days after video surfaced of Durbin berating a Black employee of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections with disparaging language.)
Oklahomans can expect quite a shakeup in the 2026 election, with open seats for U.S. Senate, governor, attorney general, state superintendent of public instruction, the 1st Congressional District and more drawing a crowd atop voters’ ballots.
When candidate filing closed Friday, however, one statewide post was won by default. Melissa Capps, a longtime employee in the State Auditor & Inspector’s Office, was the only candidate to file to succeed term-limited State Auditor Cindy Byrd.
A list of all candidates who filed for state office 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.
Several seeking to succeed Stitt as governor
A total of 15 candidates filed to succeed Gov. Kevin Stitt, who chose not to run for the U.S. Senate seat opened by the appointment of Markwayne Mullin as U.S. secretary of homeland security. Republican Party and Democratic Party primaries are set for June 16, with the Democratic field including:
- House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson (D-OKC);
- former Sen. Connie Johnson (D-OKC); and
- Arya Azma, a securities trader who announced his candidacy in October.
On the Republican side, nine candidates filed:
- Attorney General Gentner Drummond;
- former House Speaker Charles McCall (R-Atoka);
- former Sen. Mike Mazzei (R-Tulsa);
- former Secretary of Public Safety Chip Keating;
- former Sen. Jake Merrick (R-OKC);
- former Mangum and Tuttle city manager Leisa Mitchell Haynes;
- small business owner Kenneth Sturgell;
- small business owner Jennifer Domenico; and
- Calup Anthony Taylor.
Gubernatorial hopefuls Jerry Griffin, Robert Brooks and Orlando Lynn Bush filed to run as independent candidates.
Lieutenant governor field shakes up at last minute
For lieutenant governor, six Republicans and one Democrat filed by Friday’s deadline. Kelly Forbes, a former teacher and a consultant, was the only Democrat to file.
Meanwhile, six Republican candidates filed for office:
- Former House Speaker T. W. Shannon (R-Lawton);
- Sen. Darrell Weaver (R-Moore);
- Rep. Justin “JJ” Humphrey (R-Lane);
- Rep. Brian Hill (R-Mustang);
- Businessman Victor Flores; and
- David Ostrowe, Oklahoma’s chief operating officer.
Ostrowe, a fast food magnate, became the last lieutenant governor candidate to file late Friday, marking the second shakeup in the race of the day after term-limited State Auditor Cindy Byrd filed for state treasurer instead of lieutenant governor, the seat she had announced for months ago.
Shannon, meanwhile, appears to be the race’s frontrunner following his endorsement by President Donald Trump.
Byrd challenges Russ as state treasurer
With Shannon announcing for lieutenant governor after her, Byrd’s months-long campaign for that post was undercut last month by Trump’s endorsement. On Friday, Byrd suddenly chose to challenge incumbent State Treasurer Todd Russ in the Republican primary.
The winner of that June 16 matchup will face Libertarian candidate Kiefer Perry.
Echols, Starling, Coffey compete for AG
As Drummond runs for governor, three candidates will vie for attorney general:
- former House Majority Floor Leader Jon Echols (R-OKC);
- Oklahoma Secretary of Energy and Environment Jeff Starling; and
- former federal prosecutor Nick Coffey, the first Democrat to file for the position since 2018.
State superintendent seat draws a crowd
With Ryan Walters resigning last year and appointed State Superintendent of Public Instruction Lindel Fields saying from the start that he would not seek reelection, the 2026 race to lead Oklahoma’s State Department of Education was bound to be hotly contested.
By the end of Friday’s filing period, nine candidates had thrown their hats into the ring. Democratic candidates Craig McVay, a retired superintendent of El Reno Public Schools, and Tulsa Public Schools Board member Jennettie Marshall will face off June 16 in the hope of facing whichever Republican candidate emerges from a field of seven:
- Sen. Adam Pugh (R-Edmond)
- Rep. Toni Hasenbeck (R-Elgin)
- former Peggs Public Schools Superintendent John Cox;
- Robert Franklin (R) associate superintendent for student affairs at Tulsa Tech;
- William Crozier, who ran for the post in 2022;
- Debra A. Herlihy, a research analyst at Southern Nazarene University; and
- James Taylor, a teacher and pastor.
Six seek labor commissioner post
If you’re wondering who will inspect Oklahoma’s elevators and amusement park rides from 2027 to 2031, the field for commissioner of labor became clear Friday.
Democrat Kevin Dawson, a retired locomotive engineer, and Libertarian Mike Hall await the winner of a four-way Republican contest between:
- Rep. John Pfeiffer (R-Orlando);
- Rep. Kevin West (R-Moore)
- Lisa Janloo, a mother and small business owner; and
- Keith Swinton, a retired federal postal training center employee.
Five file for insurance commissioner
Amid much talk about high home insurance rates, Oklahoma’s next insurance commissioner race will see Democrat Craig MacIntyre, a property management professional from Shawnee, await the winner the Republican primary, and potentially runoff.
Four Republicans filed for the post:
- Former Sen. Marty Quinn (R-Claremore);
- insurance counselor Bob Sullivan;
- former Shawnee City Councilwoman Greta Shuler; and
- insurance professional Chris Merideth.
Five file for Corporation Commission seat
While welding inspector Justin Hornback is making his third bid for a six-year term on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, Rep. Brad Boles (R-Marlow) has a strong fundraising advantage.
The winner of the June 16 GOP primary will face the winner of a three-way Democratic race:
- Harold Spradling, a perennial candidate;
- Spiro resident Rhonda Eastman; and
- Insider Analytics founder Donald Anthony Clytus.
Hern heavy favorite for U.S. Senate seat
U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK1) announced his campaign for U.S. Senate following Mullin’s appointment to Trump’s Cabinet, triggering various political dominoes over the last few weeks.
With a massive fundraising and name identification advantage, Hern is a strong favorite to win the six-year Senate term. He drew three Republican challengers:
- William Sean Buckner, who turned a traffic stop in Sallisaw into a tenth circuit lawsuit;
- Brian Ragain, a firefighter;
- Nick Hankins, whose website pledges he “will only consider bills that are single subject or line-item veto”; and
- Gary Ty England, a country music musician who played in Garth Brooks’ band.
Five Democrats filed for the Senate seat:
- Ponca City attorney Joe Cassity;
- Troy W. Green, founder of the nonprofit Safe Haven Oklahoma, which aids human trafficking victims;
- Oklahoma City attorney, minister and former Goodwill CEO Jim Priest;
- nurse N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas; and
- former Sen. Ervin Yen, a physician who served in the Oklahoma Legislature as a Republican, ran for governor in 2022 as an independent and filed Friday as a Democrat.
Two independents — Ron Meinhardt and Curtis Stinnett — and Libertarian Sevier White also filed for the U.S. Senate.
CD 1 draws 13 candidates
Meanwhile, a bevy of candidates filed for Hern’s open seat. Tulsa Public Schools Board member John Croisant will be the Democratic nominee and will face a Republican nominee who is almost certain to be decided in an Aug. 25 runoff.
Presented alphabetically, the 13 GOP candidates who filed for CD 1 are:
- Nathan Butterfield, a pilot;
- Jed Cochran, a longtime government affairs staffer;
- Corporation Commissioner Kim David;
- Ron Durbin, a disbarred attorney who has launched a Facebook page called Guerrilla Publishing — which he took disabled after the Oklahoma Department of Corrections released video of Durbin berating a Black prison guard with disparaging terms. Durbin withdrew his CD 1 candidacy three days later;
- Tahlequah resident Nancy Dyson;
- Courtney Gill, the head of innovation for a venture capital firm;
- Jackson Lahmeyer, a pastor and former U.S. Senate candidate;
- Dan Rooney, a former F-16 fighter pilot in the Air National Guard and the founder of Folds of Honor;
- Paul Royse, private investigator;
- Rep. Mark Tedford (R-Jenks);
- Kelly Walsh, an analytical chemist; and
- Todd Woods.
Brecheen seeks reelection in CD 2
U.S. Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK2) drew four challengers for his seat which, he has held since 2023.
Brecheen will first face Republican Will Webb, a veteran and missionary, before facing independent candidate Ronnie Hopkins and either Democrat Erik Terwey, a small business manager and former teacher, or Democrat Brandon Wade.
Lucas challenged by Burleson in CD 3
U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK3) has held his seat since 1994, and he drew three challengers for the 2026 election, including Republican Wade Burleson, a retired pastor.
Lucas or Burleson will advance from the Republican primary to face the winner of the Democratic primary, either Suzie Byrd or Jules Roberson.
Four challenge Cole in CD 4
U.S. Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK4) is competing to retain his seat for a 12th term, and he’ll face former marketing and newspaper employee Marcie Everhart in the Republican primary.
The winner of that will face either Democrat Mitchell Jacob — an army veteran and University of Oklahoma law school graduate who ran for HD 20 in 2024 — or Democrat Jeff Pixley, a retired Air Force Colonel, as well as independent Rocco Bonacci, a disability advocate from Lawton.
Nelson sets eyes on Bice in CD 5
U.S. Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-OK5) is the only Republican running for the central-Oklahoma seat.
Democrat Jena Nelson, a former teacher and nonprofit leader who ran for State Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2022, has been running to unseat Bice for months, but she’ll first have to face fellow Democrat Trey Martin in June.
Independent candidates Robert P. Henri and Austin Nieves also filed for CD 5.
(Correction: This article was updated at 8:35 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 4, to correct references to CD 1 candidates. It was updated again to include U.S. Senate candidate Ty England. NonDoc regrets the errors.)
