U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern won the Republican nomination for Oklahoma’s U.S. Senate seat in the state’s June 16 primary election, while voters decisively rejected a ballot measure that would have raised the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2029.
Hern, who received Trump’s endorsement before the primary, secured more than 50% of the vote, avoiding a runoff in the race for the seat once held by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. His main rivals stayed out of the contest after Trump’s early backing, clearing a path to victory.
“We have a lot of friends in a lot of different states, including blue states,” Hern said after his win, striking a bipartisan tone while promising to represent conservative principles in the Senate. The congressman noted his experience working on trade and energy issues in the House and said he already has relationships with current senators.
In the deeply conservative state, Democrats haven’t won a Senate seat since 1990. Hern will face the winner of a Democratic runoff between N’Kiyla Thomas, a nurse and community activist, and Jim Priest, an attorney and minister, in November’s general election.
Minimum Wage Measure Fails, Governor’s Race Heads to Runoff
Oklahoma’s minimum wage will remain at $7.25 per hour after voters rejected State Question 832. The measure would have gradually increased the wage to $15 per hour by 2029, with additional increases tied to the cost of living, beginning at $12 per hour on January 1 if approved.
Oklahoma has maintained the $7.25 minimum wage since 2009, matching the federal rate. The State Chamber of Commerce celebrated the outcome. “Tonight, voters chose to protect Oklahoma’s economic momentum and one of our greatest competitive advantages: affordability,” said Chad Warmington, the organization’s president and CEO.
Amber England, a senior adviser for the measure, argued the result reflected the political environment rather than public sentiment. “This result is not indicative of the will of the people,” she said. “It’s indicative of a political machine who wanted a specific outcome, but we’re going to stop fighting for higher wages for Oklahoma families.” She suggested the measure might have fared better on the November general election ballot, which typically draws higher voter turnout.
Thirty states and the District of Columbia now have minimum wages above $7.25 per hour, with the District of Columbia leading at $17.95 per hour.
In the governor’s race, Republican Gentner Drummond, the state’s attorney general, and Trump-backed Mike Mazzei, a former state senator, advanced to an August runoff after no candidate secured a majority. Democrat Cyndi Munson won her party’s nomination by a wide margin and will face the GOP runoff winner in November.
The gubernatorial primary was crowded and expensive, with four leading candidates—Drummond, Mazzei, former House Speaker Charles McCall, and Chip Keating, a former public safety director—contributing $22.5 million of their own funds, or 72% of their combined $31 million in fundraising. Mazzei alone invested nearly $10.9 million of his own money, representing 95% of his $11.5 million total.
Drummond, narrowly ahead in the primary results, suggested Trump might reconsider his endorsement of Mazzei. “Mr. Mazzei got a bump, but now he’s got to earn the rest,” Drummond said. Trump reaffirmed his backing of Mazzei on his Truth Social platform Monday.
Sources
- AP News — Hern’s GOP Senate nomination win, governor’s race runoff results, Trump endorsement details, and fundraising information
- Oklahoma Voice — State Question 832 minimum wage defeat, voter quotes, and context on state minimum wage history
- KOSU — Confirmation of Drummond-Mazzei runoff and Munson’s Democratic primary victory
