Trump-Endorsed Mazzei Wins Tight GOP Gubernatorial Primary in Oklahoma
With the endorsement of President Donald Trump, candidate Mike Mazzei narrowly won Oklahoma’s Republican gubernatorial runoff on Tuesday, defeating the state’s Attorney General Gentner Drummond by 2,020 votes.
Mazzei received 186,604 votes, or 50.27 percent, while Drummond received 184,584 votes, or 49.73 percent, according to Tulsa’s KOTV.
Drummond conceded the race just before 10 p.m. local time with 99 percent of precincts reporting.
The runoff settled a bitter primary that drew national attention because of President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Mazzei.
Trump had posted in support of the former Oklahoma state senator throughout the race and posted a graphic celebrating his victory on the Truth Social social media platform Tuesday night.
Mazzei, who moves on to the Nov. 3 general election, thanked God, his family, voters, and Trump after the votes were counted.
Mike Mazzei, the Republican nominee for Oklahoma governor, came out to a room full of supporters in Tulsa around 10 p.m.
He defeated Gentner Drummond by about 2,000 votes with all precincts reporting. The unofficial results haven’t been certified by the State Election Board. pic.twitter.com/hlQ1MJ7IXO
— Ashton Slaughter (@AshtonS_OK) August 26, 2026
The runoff followed a June primary in which Mazzei finished less than one point behind Drummond in a crowded Republican field, The Hill noted.
Tuesday’s election pitted the candidates against each other to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt.
As the election drew nearer, Trump laid into Drummond as a “RINO” — or Republican in Name Only.
In his capacity as AG, Drummond recently filed a lawsuit seeking to block a Trump-supported project that will see the construction of one of the country’s largest aluminum smelters outside of Tulsa.
In comments earlier this month at the University of Tulsa, Drummond said he views some Republicans as “fascist.”
“I aspire to be the governor of all. That sometimes draws me in sharp contrast with the extreme members of the Republican Party,” he said, Tulsa’s KJRH-TV reported.
Drummond added, “But I don’t think they are real Republicans. I consider them more fascist.”
During the campaign, Drummond also implied that trying to root out fraud was racism:
🚨Just in: Oklahoma Candidate for Governor Gentner Drummond criticized mass immigration enforcement efforts during tonight debate saying:
“Oklahoma doesn’t have the resources to hang out at daycare and shopping malls harassing people that don’t look like they are from Europe.” pic.twitter.com/tYGBsFk296
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) August 4, 2026
To wrap up the heated race, Drummond released the results of a drug test that showed no illicit drug use and called on Mazzei to do the same, as the Journal Record of Oklahoma City reported.
After Mazzei showed voters a clean test, according to KGOU-TV in Oklahoma City, Drummond attacked him for not having his hair tested.
Hair follicles will show evidence of drug use going back much further than a drug or urine test. Drummond had released results of tests of his own hair, according to the Journal Record.
Oklahoma has backed Trump by more than 30 points in each of his three presidential races.
Mazzei will face Democrat Cyndi Munson with the president’s backing in November.
Munson is backed by teachers’ unions and has pledged to raise the state minimum wage and increase pay for state employees if elected.
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