OKLAHOMA CITY — More than $7 million in outside spending is already reshaping Oklahoma’s Republican gubernatorial primary — with a late-stage ad blitz funded by political action committees that won’t be fully disclosed until days before the June 16 election.
The surge of independent expenditures is flooding Oklahoma airwaves and mailboxes as a crowded GOP field — including Attorney General Gentner Drummond, former House Speaker Charles McCall, former State Senator Mike Mazzei and businessman Chip Keating — competes for a spot in a likely runoff, according to reporting by The Oklahoman.
At least four major outside groups have collectively spent $7.1 million so far, including one effort tied to a national conservative network that alone accounts for $4.3 million in advertising, the newspaper reported.
But the full scope of that spending remains unclear. Campaign finance reports currently available only cover activity through March, while ad buys have continued into April and May. Those expenditures are not required to be disclosed until June 8 — just over a week before primary day.
Outside money defines the race
Much of the spending is tied to groups aligned with — though legally separate from — leading campaigns.
A PAC connected to the national Club for Growth network has poured millions into ads targeting Drummond, particularly over his opposition to a proposed religious charter school, according to The Oklahoman.
At the same time, the Oklahoma Conservative Coalition has spent heavily backing McCall while attacking multiple opponents, and the Make Oklahoma Great Again PAC has supported Drummond while targeting McCall and former state Sen. Mike Mazzei, the newspaper reported.
Another group, Strong Policy Inc., has also entered the race with ads criticizing Drummond, though its total spending has not been fully disclosed.
All campaigns have said they do not coordinate with outside groups, which is prohibited under Oklahoma law.
Transparency gaps raise questions
State law allows unlimited independent spending by PACs as long as it is not coordinated with campaigns. But financial records reviewed by The Oklahoman show overlapping relationships between PAC leaders and political operatives tied to candidates, raising questions about how clearly those lines are drawn.
Some of the spending flows through nonprofit organizations that are not required to disclose donors — commonly referred to by critics as “dark money.”
A political science professor told the newspaper the system can function as a “political shell game,” making it difficult for voters to track who is behind the messaging.
AI ads escalate tensions
The advertising fight has also pushed into new territory with the use of artificial intelligence in campaign-style messaging.
Ads funded by the Make Oklahoma Great Again PAC have used deepfake-style imagery to attack opponents, drawing backlash from campaigns and scrutiny from state officials, according to The Oklahoman.
Gov. Kevin Stitt has said he is considering calling a special legislative session to address the use of AI in political ads following the controversy.
Familiar pattern, higher stakes
Heavy outside spending has become a defining feature of Oklahoma elections. During Stitt’s 2022 reelection campaign, at least $14 million in outside “dark money” was spent on advertising, according to prior reporting cited by The Oklahoman.
With Republicans dominating statewide elections, the primary is widely expected to determine the state’s next governor. If no candidate wins a majority on June 16, the top two will advance to an Aug. 25 runoff, the newspaper reported.
Source: The Oklahoman
