The 2022 United States Senate special election in Oklahoma was held on November 8, 2022, to elect a member of the

United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...

for

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

. The election took place concurrently with the regularly scheduled election for Oklahoma's other Senate seat. The candidate filing deadline was between April 13 and 15, 2022. This special election was held to fill the remaining four years of incumbent Republican Senator

Jim Inhofe James Mountain Inhofe (; ; November 17, 1934 – July 9, 2024) was an American politician who served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Oklahoma from 1994 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...

's term. In February 2022, Inhofe announced that he would resign early at the end of the

117th United States Congress The 117th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C., on January ...

on January 3, 2023. He was first elected in a 1994 special election with 55% of the vote to succeed Democratic senator

David Boren David Lyle Boren (April 21, 1941 – February 20, 2025) was an American lawyer and politician from Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served as the 21st governor of Oklahoma from 1975 to 1979 and thr ...

in the wake of his impending resignation to become president of the University of Oklahoma. Most recently, Inhofe was re-elected to a fifth full term in

2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...

with 62.9% of the vote. Former

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

Kendra Horn secured the Democratic nomination by default, while the primary election for the Republican nomination took place on June 28, 2022. U.S. Representative

Markwayne Mullin Markwayne Mullin (born July 26, 1977) is an American and Cherokee Nation, Cherokee businessman and politician who has served as the Seniority in the United States Senate, junior United States Senate, United States senator from Oklahoma since 2023 ...

won the Republican primary runoff on August 23, defeating former

State House State House or statehouse may refer to: Buildings *Aso Villa or State House, the official residence of the President of Nigeria *Government House, Dominica or The State House, the official residence of the President of Dominica * State House, Bar ...

Speaker T. W. Shannon. Mullin ultimately won the election. Mullin, a member of the

Cherokee Nation The Cherokee Nation ( or ) is the largest of three list of federally recognized tribes, federally recognized tribes of Cherokees in the United States. It includes people descended from members of the Cherokee Nation (1794–1907), Old Cheroke ...

, became the first

Native American Native Americans or Native American usually refers to Native Americans in the United States. Related terms and peoples include: Ethnic groups * Indigenous peoples of the Americas, the pre-Columbian peoples of North, South, and Central America ...

to serve in the U.S. Senate since fellow Republican

Ben Nighthorse Campbell Ben Nighthorse Campbell (born Benny Marshall Campbell; April 13, 1933) is an American and Northern Cheyenne politician and Air Force veteran who served in both chambers of the United States Congress; representing Colorado in the U.S. House of Re ...

retired from Congress in 2005, and the first Native American representing this state since

Robert Owen Robert Owen (; 14 May 1771 – 17 November 1858) was a Welsh textile manufacturer, philanthropist, political philosopher and social reformer, and a founder of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement, co-operative movement. He strove to ...

in 1925. Conversely, Horn won

Oklahoma County Oklahoma County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 796,292, making it the most populous county in Oklahoma. The county seat is Oklahoma City, the state capital and ...

, making her the first Democrat since

2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...

to carry any Oklahoma county in a Senate election.

Republican primary

On February 25, 2022,

, the state's longest-serving U.S. Senator, announced he would leave office at the end of the

117th Congress The 117th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C., on January 3 ...

, triggering a special election for his U.S. Senate seat in

. A crowded field of candidates was expected in the Republican primary following the announcement of Inhofe's retirement. Luke Holland, Inhofe's former chief of staff, launched his campaign for Inhofe's seat on the same day with Inhofe's endorsement. The next day,

, a U.S. Representative for

Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district is one of five United States congressional districts in Oklahoma and covers approximately one-fourth of the state in the east. The district borders Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Texas and includes (in who ...

, announced his campaign. By February 28, Oklahoma State Senator Nathan Dahm had announced he was switching his campaign from running for Oklahoma's Class III seat to running for the special election seat. On March 8, former

United States National Security Council The United States National Security Council (NSC) is the national security council used by the president of the United States for consideration of national security, military, and Foreign relations of the United States, foreign policy matter ...

chief of staff Alex Gray announced his campaign. T. W. Shannon, a former

Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives The Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives is the speaker (politics), presiding officer of the lower house of the Oklahoma Legislature, the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The speaker exercises administrative and procedural function ...

, officially announced his campaign on March 11.

Scott Pruitt Edward Scott Pruitt (born May 9, 1968) is an American attorney, lobbyist and Republican Party (United States), Republican politician from the state of Oklahoma. He served as the 14th Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) f ...

, former

Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency The administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency is the head of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and is thus responsible for enforcing the nation's Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, as well as numerous other envir ...

, filed to run on April 15.

Candidates

Nominee

, U.S. representative for Nathan-Dahm-1

Eliminated in runoff

* T. W. Shannon, former speaker of the

Oklahoma House of Representatives The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its members introduce and vote on bills and resolutions, provide legislative oversight for state agencies, and help to craft the state's ...

(2013–2014), former state representative for the 62nd district (2007–2015), and candidate for U.S. Senate in

2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...

Eliminated in initial primary

*Michael Coibion * Nathan Dahm,

state senator A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. History There are typically fewer state senators than there ...

for the 33rd district (2012–present) and candidate for in

2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...

and

2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...

*Jessica Jean Garrison, author, dietician and daughter of former state senator Earl Garrison * Randy Grellner, physician *Luke Holland, former chief of staff for U.S. Senator

*Adam Holley, office manager *Laura Moreno *

, former

(2017–2018) and former

attorney general of Oklahoma The attorney general of Oklahoma is the State Attorney General for the state of Oklahoma. The attorney general serves as the chief legal and law enforcement officer of the Oklahoma, State of Oklahoma and head of the Office of the Oklahoma Attorn ...

(2011–2017) *Paul Royse *John Tompkins, orthopedic surgeon and candidate for U.S. Senate in

Withdrew before primary

*Alex Gray, former

chief of staff (''Endorsed Luke Holland in primary and Markwayne Mullin in runoff'')

Declined

Stephanie Bice Stephanie Irene Bice (née Asady; born November 11, 1973) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Oklahoma's 5th congressional district since 2021. She is the first American of Iranian and Pakistani descent to be elected ...

, U.S. representative for ''( running for re-election)'' *

Jim Bridenstine James Frederick Bridenstine (born June 15, 1975) is an American military officer and politician who served as the 13th administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Bridenstine was the United States representative ...

, former administrator of the

National Aeronautics and Space Administration The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the United States's civil space program, aeronautics research and space research. Established in 1958, it su ...

(2018–2021) and former U.S. representative for (2013–2018) *

G. T. Bynum George Theron Bynum IV (born August 28, 1977) is an American politician and lobbyist who served as the 40th mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma, from 2016 to 2024. Bynum was first elected to the Tulsa City Council, representing the ninth district in 2008 a ...

, mayor of

Tulsa Tulsa ( ) is the second-most-populous city in the state of Oklahoma, after Oklahoma City, and the 48th-most-populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tul ...

Gentner Drummond Gentner Frederick Drummond (born October 1, 1963) is an American attorney, rancher, Air Force veteran, and politician serving as the 20th attorney general of Oklahoma. A member of the Republican Party, he is a candidate for governor in the 202 ...

, attorney ''( running for attorney general)'' *

Kevin Hern Kevin Ray Hern (born December 4, 1961) is an American politician and businessman from Oklahoma. A Republican Party (United States), Republican, he is serving as a member of the United States House of Representatives for since 2018. Born in Mis ...

, U.S. representative for ''( running for re-election)'' *Jackson Lahmeyer, pastor ''( ran for the Class 3 U.S. Senate seat)'' *

Frank Lucas Frank Lucas (September 9, 1930 – May 30, 2019) was an American drug lord who operated in Harlem, New York City, during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was known for cutting out middlemen in the drug trade and buying heroin directly from hi ...

, U.S. representative for

Oklahoma's 3rd congressional district Oklahoma's 3rd congressional district is the largest congressional district in the state, covering an area of 34,088.49 square miles, over 48 percent the state's land mass. The district is bordered by New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, and the Texas ...

''( running for re-election)'' *

Charles McCall Charles Adelbert McCall III (born April 19, 1970) is an American politician who served as the Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party, he represented the 22nd district in southeastern Oklahoma from 2013 ...

Kyle McCarter Kyle McCarter (born June 27, 1962) is an American politician from Illinois and former diplomat. He served as the United States Ambassador to Kenya from 2019 to 2021. He previously served as a Republican member of the Illinois Senate from Februa ...

, former

U.S. Ambassador to Kenya After Kenya's independence on December 12, 1963, the United States immediately diplomatic recognition, recognized the new nation and moved to establish diplomacy, diplomatic relations. The embassy in Nairobi was established December 12, 1963—Ke ...

John M. O'Connor John Michael O'Connor (born December 5, 1954) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 19th Attorney General of Oklahoma, attorney general of Oklahoma between 2021 and 2023. O’Connor was previously a shareholder of Hall Estill ...

''( running for attorney general)'' *

Matt Pinnell Philip Matthew Pinnell (born August 15, 1979) is an American politician serving as the 17th lieutenant governor of Oklahoma, since 2019. Pinnell is also serving as the first Oklahoma Secretary of Tourism & Branding. Pinnell is a member of the ...

lieutenant governor of Oklahoma The lieutenant governor of Oklahoma is the second-highest executive official of the state government of Oklahoma. As first in the gubernatorial line of succession, the lieutenant governor becomes the new governor of Oklahoma upon the death, ...

''( running for re-election)'' * R. Trent Shores, former

U.S. attorney United States attorneys are officials of the U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 U.S. federal judicial districts. Each U.S. attorney serves as the United States' chief federal ...

for the Northern District of Oklahoma (2017–2021) *

Kevin Stitt John Kevin Stitt (born December 28, 1972) is an American businessman and politician serving as the 28th governor of Oklahoma since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he was elected in 2018, defeating Democrat and former state Attorney Ge ...

governor of Oklahoma The governor of Oklahoma is the head of government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor serves as the head of the Oklahoma Executive (government), executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma. The gover ...

''( running for re-election)'' *

Greg Treat Greg Treat (born May 9, 1978) is an American Republican Party (United States), Republican politician from Oklahoma who served as the President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma Senate. He represented the 47th district from 2011 to 2024. Treat is an Ok ...

president pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate The president ''pro tempore'' of the Oklahoma Senate is the second-highest-ranking official of the Oklahoma Senate and the highest-ranking state senator. The Oklahoma Constitution designates the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma as the highest-rank ...

* J. C. Watts, former U.S. representative for

Oklahoma's 4th congressional district Oklahoma's 4th congressional district is located in south-central Oklahoma and covers (in whole or in part) a total of 14 counties. Its principal cities include Midwest City, Oklahoma, Midwest City, Norman, Oklahoma, Norman, Moore, Oklahoma, Moo ...

(1995–2003) * Paul Wesselhoft, legislator for the 9th district of the

Citizen Potawatomi Nation Citizen Potawatomi Nation is a federally recognized tribe of Potawatomi people located in Oklahoma. The Potawatomi are traditionally an Algonquian languages, Algonquian-speaking Eastern Woodlands tribes, Eastern Woodlands tribe. They have 29,155 e ...

(2007–present) and former state representative for the 54th district (2004–2016)

First round

Endorsements

Debates

Polling

Results

Runoff

Endorsements during runoff

Debates

Polling

Results

Democratic nomination

Former

Kendra Horn was the only Democrat to file to run and was automatically awarded the Democratic nomination.

General election

Candidates

* Kendra Horn (Democratic), former

for *

(Republican),

for *Robert Murphy (Libertarian), retired

University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma, United States. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two territories became the ...

data technician,

U.S. Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionary ...

veteran, and carpenter *Ray Woods (independent), candidate for U.S. Senate in

Predictions

Post-primary endorsements

Polling

Aggregate polls
Graphical summary

Results

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

(largest city:

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Oklahoma, most populous city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat ...

)

By congressional district

Mullin won all five congressional districts.https://davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap::f726bcb3-b750-44b2-9d0b-e2df90fe6fa5

Notes

References

External links

Official campaign websites
Kendra Horn (D) for Senate

Markwayne Mullin (R) for SenateRobert Murphy (L) for Senate
{{2022 United States elections 2022 special Oklahoma special United States Senate special Oklahoma 2022 United States Senate 2022 Oklahoma Senate 2022

Republican primary

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in runoff

Eliminated in initial primary

Withdrew before primary

Declined

First round

Endorsements

Debates

Polling

Results

Runoff

Endorsements during runoff

Debates

Polling

Results

Democratic nomination

General election

Candidates

Predictions

Post-primary endorsements

Polling

Results

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

By congressional district

See also

Notes

References

External links