Pointing to 2026 governor’s race, Ryan Walters accuses Charles McCall of ‘clear political attack’

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Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters sauntered into the Oklahoma State Capitol this afternoon for a press conference criticizing House Speaker Charles McCall and Appropriations and Budget Subcommittee on Education Chairman Mark McBride and daring them to begin impeachment proceedings against him on Monday.

Announced with less than an hour’s notice, the press conference came at the end of a long week for Walters, which has included news about a legislative investigation into how his agency has and has not allocated appropriated funds, questions about his compliance with state transparency laws, and a new defamation lawsuit filed against him by Bixby’s superintendent.

“I will not continue to stand here and listen to Speaker McCall and Mark McBride lie about my office and lie about the work we are doing,” Walters said while standing in front of the House of Representatives chamber. “What we’ve seen here is a clear political attack. And why are we getting that political attack? Because Charles McCall is more concerned about running for governor in 2026 than taking care of Oklahomans. This is a clear attack on who he views as his biggest political opponent in that governor’s race in 2026. My focus is kids in the state of Oklahoma. I’m not worried about a future election.”

McCall (R-Atoka) has declined to say publicly whether he intends to run for governor, although he, Walters and Attorney General Gentner Drummond are widely rumored to be likely Republican candidates. While Walters’ remarks Friday appear to mark the closest he has come to saying he plans to run for governor, he declined to answer the question when asked about it directly.

“Charles McCall is concerned about running for governor in 2026. My focus is the education system for our kids. My focus is ensuring this is the greatest school year we’ve ever had for the kids of Oklahoma,” Walters said. “I could care less about future elections — not on my my radar whatsoever.”

McCall and McBride (R-Moore) are both term limited and will exit the Legislature later this year. Since Walters took office in January 2023, he has found himself constantly at odds with McBride over various financial issues related to his agency.

Acknowledging the calls from some Oklahomans and many Democratic legislators for the House to initiate impeachment proceedings, Walters directed his comments mainly in response to a Thursday announcement that at least the House half of the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency will be investigating “spending concerns” about how money is or is not flowing through the State Department of Education.

“I will go ahead and cut to the chase. There is none — there is no evidence. These are political lies from the speaker and Mark McBride,” Walters said. “We do not need to wait on a LOFT committee. We do not need to wait on an investigation. It is time to start the proceedings immediately. The speaker wants to impeach me for political advantage in the 2026 governor’s race. So then let’s start the impeachment proceedings. I am calling on Speaker McCall and Mark McBride to begin their impeachment proceedings Monday. It is time for Oklahomans to have the answers.”

Rep. Kevin Wallace (R-Wellston), who chairs LOFT and the House Appropriations and Budget Committee, announced the investigation, which he said he “spearheaded” and McCall approved.

“This isn’t about Superintendent Walters,” Wallace said in a press release Thursday. “This is about the transparency of a state agency and getting answers for our constituents.”

In pursuit of a sixth and final term representing House District 32, Wallace is facing an Aug. 27 runoff election against challenger Jim Shaw. On Friday, Walters said he did not have an endorsement in the race.

“I’ve always worked well with Chairman Wallace,” Walters said. “What I’ve seen is Charles McCall is giving direction to Mark McBride. Mark McBride — you guys have seen it — he’s fought me for three years. (…) Now, there are a lot of other people getting caught in the crossfire on this.”

In a statement sent late Friday afternoon, McCall declined to initiate impeachment proceedings against Walters despite the superintendent’s request that he do so.

“While Superintendent Walters may desire a path toward his own impeachment, my focus is firmly on the LOFT investigation into the Oklahoma State Department of Education,” McCall said. “This investigation is about ensuring taxpayer dollars are properly allocated, not targeting individuals. It is essential we understand why school districts are not receiving their required funding. My advice to Superintendent Walters is to prioritize getting resources to Oklahoma schools and improving our state’s education rankings, rather than engaging in political theatrics.”

Stitt: ‘It’s a hateful game sometimes in politics’

Although Walters focused his comments on McCall and McBride, nearly two dozen House Republicans have appeared critical of the superintendent in some way this week.

Many signed onto a letter sent by McBride to McCall asking the speaker to form a special committee to investigate Walters and possibly initiate impeachment proceedings against him. McCall ultimately denied that request.

Other lawmakers criticized Walters for his recent online name-calling about Bixby Public Schools Superintendent Rob Miller, who subsequently filed a defamation lawsuit against Walters on Thursday.

Walters called that lawsuit “frivolous” during Friday’s press conference.

“(I’m) not worried about that whatsoever,” Walters said. “I am focused on the education system for our kids.”

McCall’s heir apparent, House Speaker Pro Tempore Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow) did not sign McBride’s letter, but on Tuesday he did call for an end to Walters’ “rhetoric toward educators.”

One day later, Gov. Kevin Stitt said “there’s no need” for name-calling when asked about Walters choice of rhetoric after a “Disagree Better” event he co-hosted at the Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum.

“The name-calling, nobody likes that from from either side,” Stitt said. “I would just encourage him, ‘Hey, let’s focus on the policies.’ It’s a hateful game sometimes in politics, as people are taking shots at you. But if you keep your head down and you just do a good job and you’re focused on providing the best education in the state of Oklahoma (…) that would be my advice.”

Walters, for his part, maintained the attitude Friday that he often has when asked if he feels his sharp messaging has impeded his stated goals of improving education in Oklahoma.

“I represent the families of all 77 counties in state of Oklahoma. I went to all 77 counties — won a statewide election. By the way, folks, it wasn’t close. All my elections were not close,” Walters said. “I crushed my opponents. I won every election because we listened to Oklahoma parents. We watched an education be captured by left-wing activists and the teachers union, and we took it back and put parents in charge. We took out the woke indoctrination.”

Although Walters’ feud is mainly directed at the state House, Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat said in a press release Friday that his chamber “stands ready to respond” to any of the LOFT investigation’s findings.

“While this does not follow the original mission or purpose of LOFT, and the Senate was not involved in the initiation of the investigation, the concerns are serious, and the nature of this matter deserves attention,” said Treat (R-OKC). “I look forward to the outcome of the House investigation.”

Watch Friday’s Ryan Walters press conference

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