Sen. Paxton’s endorsement sharpens the candidates’ disagreement over whether independence or stronger relationships with leadership would better serve District 18.
YUKON — Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton is backing challenger Tyler Herring in the Aug. 25 Republican runoff against incumbent Sen. Jack Stewart, making the candidates’ relationships with Senate leadership a key issue in the race.
Herring disclosed the endorsement in written responses to OK Politics Today, saying he met with Paxton and members of his leadership team after the June primary. Paxton confirmed his support.
“After the primary election in June, Tyler and I met and spoke about his vision and passion for Oklahoma,” Paxton said. “It’s that vision and passion to make Oklahoma an even better place to live and raise his family that made my decision to help him in his primary runoff an easy one.”
Stewart noted that Paxton will not be among those deciding the runoff.
“My reaction? I guess I’m glad he isn’t a voting member of my district on Aug. 25,” Stewart said.
Paxton’s decision, Stewart said, reflects his willingness to put constituents ahead of “Capitol leaders, special interests or a faction of the party.”
“If something isn’t what my community wants or isn’t good for them, I will always stand for what is right for them — no matter the personal cost,” Stewart said.
That disagreement runs through the race. Stewart says experience and independence produce results. Herring says District 18 needs more consistent attendance and a senator with a “seat at the table” with Senate leadership.
Stewart led the June 16 primary with 46% of the vote. Herring received 35%, and Misty Shannon finished with 19%. With no candidate receiving a majority, Stewart and Herring advanced to the runoff. The winner will face Democrat Meredith McGinnis in the Nov. 3 general election.
Both candidates answered comparable sets of 10 questions from OK Politics Today.
Leadership and independence
For Herring, effective representation requires a working relationship with Paxton and the Senate leadership team.
“What is best for Senate District 18 is to have a seat at the table,” Herring said. “You can’t have a seat at the table if you are an obstructionist.”
Herring also said he would support Paxton in a future election for president pro tempore. Paxton welcomed that support but said the two had not discussed a leadership election.
Stewart said he sees no reason to automatically side with either Senate leadership or the Oklahoma Freedom Caucus. Lawmakers still must build coalitions if they want to pass bills, he said.
“I’ve never believed that being a conservative means I have to agree with every member of a caucus, and I’ve never believed that being part of the Senate majority means I should automatically agree with leadership,” Stewart said.
He said he would work with either side when they agree.
“I am not seeking a title or additional caucus membership,” Stewart said. “I’m seeking results.”
Experience versus attendance
Stewart points first to his experience. Before his election to the Senate in 2022, he worked 31 years as a civil engineer for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and served 12 years as a Canadian County commissioner.
“That experience matters because Senate District 18 is one of the fastest-growing areas in Oklahoma,” Stewart said. “I understand infrastructure, transportation, water, construction and government from the ground up — not just from a legislative desk.”
He cited legislation intended to reduce costs and delays on public construction projects, along with his support for the 2026 income-tax cut.
Herring grew up in Chickasha and went into metal-building manufacturing after high school, working in fabrication, engineering, sales and project management.
He counters Stewart’s experience argument with one about attendance. Senate records show Stewart was excused for the final floor votes on the general appropriations bills in 2025 and 2026, although he voted for both measures earlier in committee.
“I believe Yukon deserves to have someone who will show up and do the work, especially on the $12 billion budgets,” Herring said. “I will not see floor votes as a formality, but rather as my job.”
Growth and the data center
The candidates find considerably more common ground on the district’s rapid growth.
“We shouldn’t be in a race to fill empty land with housing before we have the infrastructure to support it,” Herring said.
His answer is a coordinated plan developed by state and local officials and tribal nations.
Stewart said residents worry about traffic, schools, water and whether infrastructure can keep pace with the population.
“They want growth, but they don’t want growth to destroy the quality of life that attracted them here in the first place,” Stewart said.
Those concerns are playing out in the debate over a proposed Yukon-area data center.
Stewart said the developer should pay the costs created by unusual demands on water, electricity and other infrastructure. Residents also should have a meaningful voice in the approval process, he said.
“I support economic development and new investment, but I don’t support giving any development a blank check,” Stewart said. “A project of this size has to make economic sense for the community and protect the people who are already here.”
Herring did not directly support or oppose the project. He favors local control, along with protections for nearby schools, churches, neighborhoods and water resources.
“I believe projects like data centers should be left up to local cities and counties,” Herring said. “What works for Yukon may not work for Woodward.”
Property taxes and priorities
On property taxes, Herring supports State Question 847, which will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot. Beginning in 2027, it would lower the annual growth cap on the fair cash value of homesteads and agricultural land from 3% to 1.75%.
“I would like to see reliable caps and full transparency so people understand exactly why their bill changed,” Herring said.
The proposal would not reduce existing taxable values, but it could slow future property-tax collections.
Education is another Herring priority. He supports reading science, early screening and high-quality curriculum under the Oklahoma Strong Readers Act.
“In four years, I want to be able to highlight how we have climbed from the bottom of the rankings,” Herring said.
Stewart’s property-tax answer begins with a warning: The revenue supports schools and local government. He called for controlling government spending, reducing unnecessary mandates and using economic growth to broaden the tax base.
“We need to pursue property-tax relief responsibly — protecting homeowners while making sure schools, law enforcement and essential local services remain financially sound,” Stewart said.
Campaign influence
The candidates also clashed over lobbyists and campaign money.
Stewart raised Herring’s family relationships with lobbyists and said those interests do not influence his own decisions.
“Listening to someone does not mean I work for them — the only people I work for are the neighbors across District 18 that I represent,” Stewart said.
Herring noted that his pre-primary funding came from individuals and loans from himself, with no PAC contributions. Stewart’s report included PAC contributions and money transferred from his previous campaign committee.
Herring also cited endorsements from state and local business organizations as evidence that those groups want a change.
“I am beholden to the people of Senate District 18, not to special-interest groups,” Herring said.
Paxton’s endorsement leaves voters with the race’s central choice. Herring says attendance and relationships with Senate leadership will give the district greater influence. Stewart says his experience and independence allow him to put the district first.
