Oklahoma’s GOP Senate Primary Runoff Likely to Determine Inhofe’s Successor

After advancing to a runoff by defeating 11 opponents in Oklahoma’s U.S. Senate special GOP election primary on June 28, U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin and former Oklahoma Speaker of the House T.W. Shannon will learn if they win the Republican nomination within hours.

Oklahoma voters head to the polls on Aug. 23 for the GOP primary runoff in the race to replace Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe.

Inhofe, 87, took office in 1994 and was elected to a fifth term in 2020 before announcing in February that he will retire, effective Jan. 3, 2023.

On June 28, Mullin received 43.6 percent of the vote and Shannon finished second at 17.5 percent in a field of 13 candidates. Since neither surpassed 50 percent, a runoff was required to determine the Republican nominee.

Oklahoma Republican U.S. Senate candidate T.W. Shannon talks to voters at a campaign event on Aug. 22, 2022. (Courtesy of T.W. for Oklahoma)

The winner of the primary runoff will be favored to prevail in November’s general election against former Democratic U.S. Rep. Kendra Horn, who was a U.S. representative in Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District from 2019 to 2020.

Libertarian Robert Murphy and independent candidate Ray Woods are also on the general election ballot.

Oklahoma voters have not sent a Democratic senator to Washington in more than 30 years.

Endorsed by former President Donald Trump and Oklahoma Republican Governor Kevin Stitt, Mullin, 45, is a former professional MMA fighter and entrepreneur who owns a ranch and a plumbing company among other enterprises.

He has represented Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District since 2013 and is completing his 10th term.

Earlier in his career, Shannon was a staffer for former Republican U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts and current Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.).

The 44-year-old served eight years in Oklahoma’s state house and was named

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