Advertising consumed much of the campaigns’ spending, while Mazzei also paid political firms with ties to President Donald Trump.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Gentner Drummond and Mike Mazzei spent more than $3.6 million combined during the latest campaign finance reporting period, much of it on the familiar machinery of a statewide campaign: advertising, mail and consultants to get their messages in front of voters.
Drummond spent about $2.21 million from June 2 through Aug. 10, while Mazzei spent about $1.42 million, according to reports filed with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission.
The reports also show where the two Republican campaigns are putting their money as they head toward the Aug. 25 runoff.
Advertising takes the biggest bite
Advertising accounts for much of the spending on both sides.
Drummond spent about $1.36 million with FlexPoint Media for digital advertising placement. His campaign also made substantial payments to Camp Political for direct mail, production and other campaign services.
Mazzei’s biggest expenditures included about $587,000 to Ventura Media Partners for television advertising and about $525,000 to Ascend LLC, primarily for direct mail and related campaign services.
His campaign also paid Jamestown & Associates $51,021.77 for television production during the period. The firm’s founder, Larry Weitzner, was a lead media strategist and ad maker for Trump’s presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020.
Jamestown isn’t Mazzei’s only connection to Trump’s political orbit.
Mazzei paid $7,500 during the period to Drake Ventures, a firm associated with longtime Trump adviser Roger Stone. The latest payment brought the campaign’s total payments to Drake Ventures to $82,500.
A smaller expense stands out
Among the smaller expenditures, Mazzei reported two payments totaling $3,539.40 to Krischelle Blackwell of Ada for “grooming” — one for a candidate forum in Lawton and another for a candidate appearance. The report does not specify what services were provided.
The expense is a tiny fraction of what the campaigns are spending as the runoff approaches. Most of the money is going toward a far more familiar objective: getting their messages in front of Republican voters before Aug. 25.
