Mike Mazzei Wins Oklahoma Republican Primary for Governor

Former state Sen. Mike Mazzei secured the Republican nomination for governor in Oklahoma on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, defeating state Attorney General Gentner Drummond in a tight primary runoff, according to NBC News projections.

Mazzei won the primary runoff by approximately 2,000 votes. The victory follows a close initial primary in June, where Drummond led Mazzei by just over 1,000 votes in a crowded field that forced the runoff after no candidate secured a majority.

Campaign finance records filed last week show Drummond outspent and outraised Mazzei prior to the runoff, collecting $2.3 million between mid-June and the election, compared to Mazzei's $816,000. Both candidates also self-funded heavily, with Mazzei loaning his campaign $11 million and Drummond loaning $3 million.

Former President Donald Trump endorsed Mazzei in May to succeed term-limited Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt, actively campaigning against Drummond in the final week of the race.

"Drummond is not the right guy. He’s got a bad attitude, and he doesn’t stand for the Values of Oklahoma, which must VOTE FOR ‘MIKE MAZZEI FOR GOVERNOR,’ on Tuesday, August 25th," Trump posted on Truth Social.

Trump also criticized Drummond for filing a lawsuit to halt construction of a major aluminum smelter in Inola, Oklahoma, over environmental and public health concerns.

"He wants to dethrone a magnificent, Job producing, desperately needed, and brand new, Aluminum Plant that will be one of the best projects ever conceived or built, not only in the Great State of Oklahoma, but in the United States, itself," Trump wrote in another post.

Drummond publicly broke with Trump's policy decisions shortly before the vote, criticizing the administration's choice to waive tariffs on foreign beef imports.

"I think Oklahoma and I are supportive of President Trump and many of his policies. I do think the majority of Oklahomans would agree that the tariffs are too far, that importing cheap beef only injures Oklahoma’s cattlemen, ranchers and farmers," Drummond told NewsNation.

Although Trump remains influential in Republican politics, five gubernatorial candidates endorsed by him lost their primary races earlier this year. Mazzei advances as the heavy favorite in the conservative state and will face Democratic state Rep. Cyndi Munson in November's general election.