Oklahoma Senate Race Winner

Oklahoma voters head to the polls in runoff elections deciding the Republican nomination for governor and the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, alongside two statewide ballot measures. State Attorney General Gentner Drummond and former state Sen. Mike Mazzei, who narrowly split the June 16 primary vote, face off for the GOP gubernatorial nod; the winner will meet Democratic state House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson in November, with Democrats not having won the governorship in 20 years. Mazzei has self-funded heavily and drew President Trump's endorsement, while Drummond has outraised him in contributions—another test of Trump's mixed 2026 primary endorsement record.

On the Democratic side, nurse N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas and attorney Jim Priest are competing for the Senate nomination after neither cleared 50% in June; Priest holds a large fundraising edge. The winner faces Republican Rep. Kevin Hern, who won his primary outright. Voters also decide State Question 846, adding a voter ID requirement to the constitution, and State Question 844, concerning property tax reimbursements tied to manufacturing incentives.

Sen. Darline Graham defeated Rep. Ralph Norman 52% to 48% in South Carolina's Republican runoff for the Senate seat held by her brother Lindsey Graham for 23 years before his death in July. Gov. Henry McMaster had appointed her to fill the seat temporarily, and President Trump endorsed her bid for a full term, holding a tele-rally and headlining a Myrtle Beach rally while directing more than $800,000 from his super PAC, MAGA Inc., toward her campaign. Norman, a five-term congressman who largely self-funded his campaign and drew roughly $700,000 in outside spending tied to Nikki Haley, conceded but noted lingering bitterness among his supporters over Trump's involvement. Graham had weathered criticism after admitting during an August debate she was "not that informed on national security," shifting her campaign's focus to domestic issues and her brother's legacy. She now advances to face Democrat Annie Andrews, a pediatrician, in the November 3 general election for the seat, considered a safe Republican hold.

The result, alongside a narrow Trump-backed win in Oklahoma's gubernatorial runoff, reinforces the president's continued sway in GOP primaries despite recent Trump-endorsed losses elsewhere, including Wyoming and Florida.

Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton met Wednesday, Sept. 30, in what is expected to be their only one-on-one debate before the Nov. 3 general election to succeed term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom. CNN hosted the hour-long, prime-time debate in Los Angeles, with Jake Tapper and Dana Bash moderating.

The two clashed over the state's direction, with cost of living emerging as the top issue for voters. Becerra, a former congressman, state attorney general and Biden administration health secretary, pitched himself as the experienced choice, while Hilton, a Trump-endorsed former Fox News host, blamed Democratic leadership for California's high costs.

Polls show Becerra leading by wide margins, reflecting the state's heavily Democratic voter registration. The debate is seen as low-risk for Becerra but a make-or-break moment for Hilton, whose embrace of Trump's endorsement remains a liability with California voters. Becerra faces scrutiny over housing costs and unresolved homelessness under Democratic governance. No Republican has won the governorship since Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Hilton faces a steep climb in a state that hasn't elected one in 20 years.

Kansas, which has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1932, has become an unexpected midterm battleground. Republican Sen. Roger Marshall faces a tighter-than-anticipated race against megachurch pastor Adam Hamilton, with recent polls, including a YouGov survey, showing Hamilton narrowly ahead. The Cook Political Report has moved the contest from "Likely Republican" to "Toss Up," prompting the GOP's Senate Leadership Fund to pour millions into a seat once considered safe. Hamilton, pastor of the country's largest Methodist congregation, draws support across party lines and is campaigning heavily in red, agriculture-heavy counties.

Analysts attribute the shift to voter frustration over the economy, rising diesel and fertilizer costs during harvest season, tariff disputes affecting farmers and ranchers angered by eased beef-import tariffs, and immigration enforcement actions. Marshall, a close Trump ally endorsed by the president, retains a fundraising edge but faces scrutiny over lawsuits against patients with unpaid bills, some of whom were arrested. Trump's declining approval in the state has complicated Marshall's path, with Republicans outnumbering Democrats nearly two to one statewide, making Hamilton's bid for unaffiliated and crossover voters pivotal to national Senate control.

President Donald Trump opened a 32-day campaign tour on Oct. 1 with a stop in Denton, Texas, touring Peterbilt Motors' truck factory ahead of an evening rally in Durant, Oklahoma. Addressing factory workers and company leadership, Trump touted American manufacturing and credited 25% tariffs on foreign medium- and heavy-duty trucks and non-compliant components under the USMCA with helping add more than 1,000 jobs at the facility. Peterbilt's parent, PACCAR, also makes Kenworth trucks at U.S. plants in Ohio, Mississippi, Washington, and Kentucky.

Trump used the stop to deliver an enthusiastic endorsement of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, calling him "the single greatest attorney general in the United States," as Paxton runs for U.S. Senate against Democratic Rep. James Talarico, with recent September polling showing Talarico slightly ahead. Campaign finance filings show $10 million in ad spending split evenly between attacking Talarico and promoting Paxton. Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Ronny Jackson, facing a safer reelection bid, were also present. The tour continues with stops in Alabama, Ohio, and Nebraska, part of a broader Republican push ahead of the November midterms.

A proposed aluminum smelter in Inola, Oklahoma, majority-owned by Emirates Global Aluminum, has become a central issue in the state's 2026 governor's race ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Republican candidate Mike Mazzei supports the project, citing projected job creation, nearly $1 billion in annual income, and national security benefits as the U.S. seeks to reduce reliance on Chinese aluminum production. Democratic candidate Cyndi Munson opposes it, criticizing roughly $200 million in state incentives directed to a foreign corporation, though legislative records show a mixed voting history on related bills.

Developers estimate the facility could support thousands of jobs annually and contribute tens of billions of dollars to Oklahoma's economy through 2060, while recent design changes aim to cut fluoride emissions well below other U.S. primary aluminum plants. The state's Department of Environmental Quality is still reviewing an air permit application, and the project's environmental claims remain unverified pending construction. Three independent candidates are also on the gubernatorial ballot alongside Mazzei and Munson.

A new National Education Association study ranks Oklahoma 48th among states for starting teacher salary and 37th for average teacher salary. The state's starting pay of roughly $41,294 trails the national average of about $48,112. State education officials acknowledge the gap remains a barrier to attracting new teachers.

Lawmakers point to Senate Bill 201, passed in July, which raised the minimum teacher salary by $2,000, though the boost is guaranteed only for those already at the base pay scale; districts decide whether to extend raises to teachers paid above minimum. Some legislators warn that potential insurance premium increases could offset the raise for teachers using district health plans. Others note that despite a 75% rise in education funding over eight years, much of it hasn't reached classrooms. The state also recently enacted the Strong Readers Act, directing more than $26 million toward literacy instruction.

State Sen. Mary Boren, D-Norman, is inviting Oklahomans to share experiences and concerns about Flock Safety cameras ahead of an interim legislative study scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 21, at the state Capitol. The study will examine the widespread surveillance technology, which law enforcement agencies use to track vehicles, weighing issues of privacy, potential misuse and public safety benefits.

Boren's announcement cites reports of people being misidentified in criminal investigations through the camera network, as well as allegations that officials have misused tracking systems to monitor former partners. She framed the inquiry around Fourth Amendment protections against unnecessary surveillance, while also raising questions about the profit motives of camera vendors alongside genuine public safety concerns. Residents can submit their experiences, questions or concerns directly to her office by email ahead of the hearing.

The study reflects growing scrutiny nationwide of automated license plate reader networks, as lawmakers and civil liberties advocates increasingly question oversight, data access and accountability for surveillance tools marketed to police departments.

INTEGRIS Health's planned closure of some clinics, including a pediatric endocrinology practice in Oklahoma City, is disrupting care for patients with chronic conditions. State Sen. Carri Hicks, a Democrat, says her 12-year-old son Sawyer, who has Type 1 diabetes, faces the closure of his clinic in October and is in the process of transferring his care to a new provider, a transition involving extensive paperwork and uncertainty about maintaining prescriptions for insulin and glucose-monitoring supplies.

INTEGRIS has attributed the closures and workforce reductions to anticipated cuts in Medicaid and Medicare funding tied to the federal One Big Beautiful Bill, projecting an eventual net revenue loss of roughly $130 million annually. Hicks says her family's experience reflects a broader pattern of anxiety among Oklahoma families who rely on specialized, ongoing medical care and worry about coverage gaps as health systems adjust to the funding changes.