Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt told News 9 Friday afternoon that he will not run for Senate. He met with President Trump in Washington to discuss who he might appoint to fill Sen. Markwayne Mullin's seat.
Stitt said in a statement last week that he was committed to choosing a "small government conservative" to fill the position after Mullin officially begins as Secretary of Homeland Security. He has indicated that he will make the decision once Mullin is confirmed. The confirmation hearing begins next week.
The individual Stitt chooses is barred by state law from running for the seat in November, but it's unclear how that could be enforced.
Rep. Stephanie Bice, a Republican who serves central Oklahoma's Fifth District, released a statement that she will be running to retain her position. She said last week that she was considering running for Senate, after President Trump announced the appointment of current Sen. Markwayne Mullin as Secretary of Homeland Security.
"As a fourth generation Oklahoman, I look forward to continuing to deliver results," she said in the statement. "President Trump needs strong allies in the House and it is my honor to champion policies that better the lives of everyday Oklahomans."
I am truly overwhelmed by the words of support and encouragement I have received from across this great state. After prayerful consideration, I remain committed to serving the Fifth Congressional District, a place that I proudly call home. As a fourth generation Oklahoman, I look…
— Stephanie Bice (@stephaniebice) March 13, 2026
Bice has been in Congress since 2021, after defeating Oklahoma's only Democratic representative, Kendra Horn, in 2020. In the House, she has supported policies against abortion, earning the highest rating from Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, and has sought to advance Trump's agenda on financial management (particularly with the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which is no longer active).
Before sitting in the House, Bice served in the Oklahoma Senate from 2014 to 2020.
On Wednesday, Bice's colleague, Rep. Kevin Hern, officially joined the race for Senate. The move leaves his House seat, in the Tulsa-area House District 1, up for grabs.
Kim David announces for CD-1
Oklahoma Corporation Commission Chair Kim David announced on Thursday that she would be running for Hern's seat.
At the OCC, David has often sided with the corporations she regulates, particularly Oklahoma's investor-owned utilities.
Before being elected to the OCC in 2022, David represented her hometown of Porter and the area in and around Wagoner County in the State Senate. She was the first woman in Oklahoma history to head the Senate Appropriations Committee and to serve as the Senate Majority Leader. Late in her tenure as floor leader, she was censured for comments her colleagues said disparaged them over a Medicaid debate.
If elected, David's priorities will include immigration enforcement, domestic energy production, spending cuts and the Second Amendment, according to a press release.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
