Governor’s June 10 endorsement slate produced four statewide losses, two statewide wins and two runoff contenders before he shifted his backing from Chip Keating to Mike Mazzei.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Gov. Kevin Stitt on Thursday endorsed Mike Mazzei in Oklahoma’s Republican gubernatorial runoff, backing his former budget secretary after his June 10 choice for governor, Chip Keating, failed to advance from the June primary.
According to KSWO, Stitt explained his decision to endorse Mazzei by saying, “I was going to wait until the runoff just to let the process work.”
“But Mike Mazzei is the guy that I think should be the next governor. And he is a little goofy, but he’s so smart; he’s an accountant type.”
A June 10 email titled “Governor Stitt’s Official Primary Election Voting Guide” identified former Public Safety Secretary Chip Keating as Stitt’s choice for governor before the June 16 Republican primary. Distributed by ARD Fundraising to supporters, the guide also listed Stitt’s preferred candidates in seven other statewide races. OK Politics Today obtained a copy of the email through a forwarded message provided to the publication.
The endorsement slate produced mixed results. Four of Stitt’s endorsed statewide candidates lost their primaries. Keating finished third in the gubernatorial race, David Ostrowe lost the lieutenant governor’s race, Jeff Starling lost the attorney general’s race and Todd Russ was defeated for state treasurer. Two endorsed candidates — U.S. Sen. candidate Kevin Hern and Corporation Commission candidate Brad Boles — won their primaries, while Kevin West and Marty Quinn advanced to Aug. 25 runoff elections for labor commissioner and insurance commissioner, respectively.
Before the primary, Stitt publicly suggested Republican voters were likely to favor a candidate with business experience over a career politician. Keating campaigned as a political outsider and businessman but finished third in the nine-candidate field.
Mazzei, a financial planner by profession, spent 12 years in the Oklahoma Senate before serving as Stitt’s secretary of budget. Drummond, a businessman and attorney, has served about 3½ years in elected office as attorney general.
While Thursday’s endorsement marks Stitt’s first backing of a candidate in the gubernatorial runoff, he and Drummond have been political rivals for years.
Oklahoma House Speaker Pro Tempore Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, said the endorsement came as no surprise.
“Kevin Stitt will endorse anyone with a pulse over Gentner. I can’t wait to see if he endorses Cyndi Munson next.”
Mazzei finished second in the June 16 Republican primary to advance to the Aug. 25 runoff against Drummond, who led the field but fell short of the majority needed to secure the nomination outright.
President Donald Trump endorsed Mazzei before the Republican primary and has continued to support his candidacy. Stitt’s endorsement adds another high-profile Republican supporter as the runoff campaign gains momentum.
The winner of the Republican runoff will face Democratic nominee Cyndi Munson in the Nov. 3 general election.
