Mike Mazzei defeated Attorney General Gentner Drummond by 2,020 votes Aug. 25 to win the Republican nomination for governor of Oklahoma.

Mazzei, a Tulsa businessman who loaned his campaign $11.6 million, captured 186,604 votes (50.27%) to Drummond's 184,584 (49.73%) out of 371,188 ballots cast, according to Oklahoma State Election Board data reported by News On 6. The Associated Press called the race at 10 p.m. Central time.

Mazzei will face Democrat Cyndi Munson, the outgoing House minority leader, in the Nov. 3 general election.

"I'm so very grateful and honored to be the official Republican nominee to be the next Governor of Oklahoma," Mazzei told supporters Tuesday night, according to Fox 25.

Trump's endorsement and big spending

President Donald Trump endorsed Mazzei in May and repeatedly attacked Drummond during the runoff. Trump called Drummond a "fake Republican," NBC News reported. Mazzei also won backing from Gov. Kevin Stitt and Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, according to Politico.

The money matched the rhetoric. Mazzei loaned his campaign $11.6 million; Drummond loaned $3 million. The Club for Growth spent $8 million on TV ads boosting Mazzei and attacking Drummond, Politico reported. Total TV and digital spending during the runoff exceeded $14 million, according to Newsweek, after nearly $40 million had already been spent on the governor's race overall.

Drummond conceded Tuesday night and urged Mazzei to govern on behalf of all Oklahomans, Newsweek reported.

Mazzei's background

Mazzei chairs and serves as CEO of Trinity Strategic Wealth, a Tulsa-based wealth management firm, according to Forbes. He served 12 years in the Oklahoma Senate before being term-limited in 2016 and spent a year as Stitt's budget secretary in 2019, Politico reported.

His campaign priorities include eliminating the state income tax, property tax relief for seniors and veterans, and a statewide literacy program.

November matchup

Munson became the first Asian-American woman elected to the Oklahoma Legislature when she won her House seat in 2015. She has served 11 years in the chamber and holds the title of House minority leader.

Her campaign released a statement Tuesday night characterizing Mazzei as a candidate with extreme positions, alleging he opposes increased public school funding and supports diverting public dollars to private schools.

The odds favor Mazzei. No Democrat has won an Oklahoma governor's race since Brad Henry secured a second term in 2006. As of July 31, the state had nearly 1.3 million registered Republicans compared with about 616,000 Democrats and 500,000 independents, according to Newsweek.

Yukon's Stewart loses Senate seat

Closer to home, state Sen. Jack Stewart, a Yukon Republican representing Senate District 18, lost his seat in Tuesday's runoff. Stewart, first elected in 2022, is a former Canadian County commissioner and professional engineer.

Stewart and state Sen. Dana Prieto of Tulsa, a founding member of the Oklahoma Freedom Caucus, both fell to challengers. Prieto lost to Aaron Forst in District 34.

Jackson Lisle, founding partner at Amber Integrated, characterized the results as a win for Senate Republican leadership over the Freedom Caucus faction.

"They were able to knock off two Freedom Caucus incumbent state senators, and that added to their total that they had taken out from the primary election," Lisle told Fox 25.

The race was close. About 30% of Oklahoma's registered Republicans voted in the runoff, Fox 25 reported, and Lisle said he was surprised turnout held up given months of negative advertising across the ballot.