Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., believed that voters craved the SAVE America Act, but wasn't sure why Senate Republicans voted against it. He's running for the Senate, too, to replace DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
Two underdog candidates advanced to a runoff election in Oklahoma’s 2026 Democratic Senate primary after no candidate clinched a majority of the vote.
N’kiyla Jasmine Thomas, a nurse and Chickasaw Nation citizen, and Jim Priest, a lawyer and ordained minister, will compete in an Aug. 25 runoff election, according to The Associated Press.
Thomas won 45% of the vote, followed by Priest, who registered just under 24% support.
The winner will face Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., who easily clinched the GOP nomination for the deep-red Senate seat and avoided a runoff election. Hern is endorsed by President Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.
The State flag flies over the Oklahoma State Capitol in Oklahoma City. (Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Under Oklahoma law, if no candidate secures more than 50% of the primary vote, the top two vote-getters will compete in a runoff election.
Sen. Alan Armstrong, R-Okla., a former energy executive who currently represents the seat, was barred by state law from seeking election for a full Senate term. He was appointed by Gov. Kevin Stitt, R-Okla., to replace Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin in March.
The Democratic primary winner will face an uphill battle in the ruby-red state that voted for Trump by a 2-to-1 margin in 2024. A Democratic candidate has not won a Senate race in the Sooner State in more than 35 years.
National Democrats have not invested in the race, signaling little expectation it could flip.
Markwayne Mullin, secretary of Homeland Security, speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 26, 2026. (Will Oliver/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Imag
