The DGA's investment of half a million dollars comes as the nonpartisan firm Cross Timbers Poll says Munson and her Republican opponent, former state senator Mike Mazzei, are running a close race.
The poll relies on a small opt-in sample, which lowers overall credibility to the point of suggesting no clear leader in the race. Prediction markets, AI models and conventional Oklahoma wisdom still largely project Mazzei winning.
A spokesperson for Mazzei's campaign told Tulsa's Channel 6 the Cross Timbers re-affirms the Republican's lead over Munson. Munson's team, while skeptical of the poll's reliability, told the TV news station the results align with their internal campaign polling.
The DGA's investment in Munson is relatively small for political contributions at this level (compared to Mazzei self-donating $11 million to his own campaign, for example). Still, it suggests the association hopes she could be the first Democrat to be elected Oklahoma governor since Brad Henry won in 2006.
"Cyndi Munson is a great candidate who has put Oklahoma on the map by running a strong, aggressive, grassroots campaign focused on what Oklahomans care about," DGA spokesperson Kevin Donohoe said in a statement. "Cyndi is in a strong position to defeat corrupt and unpopular Mike Mazzei and will be an outstanding governor who will improve public schools and lower costs."
It also suggests Democrats believe Mazzei could be vulnerable. Even with Trump's endorsement, he barely survived a bruising GOP primary runoff against a more moderate opponent, Attorney General Gentner Drummond, and it's unclear if those Drummond voters will turn out for Mazzei or potentially Munson.
On Tuesday afternoon, The Oklahoman reported the Republican Governor's Association has also injected $3 million to bolster Mazzei's chances.
"Mike Mazzei is winning," Jahan Wilcox, a Mazzei spokesperson, told the publication. "Speculation about the eventual outcome of this race comes only from DC insiders who don't know a thing about Oklahoma."
