Oklahomans elected Republican Brian Bingman to the Corporation Commission and retained all U.S. congressional incumbents Tuesday.
Additionally, Oklahomans overwhelmingly voted for former President Donald Trump in the presidential race, likely surprising no one. With almost all precincts reporting, Trump received around 65 percent of the vote. Vice President Kamala Harris received around 30 percent of the Oklahoma vote. Trump won all 77 of Oklahoma’s counties and the state’s seven votes in the Electoral College.
All of Oklahoma’s congressional districts except District 3 — in which U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas did not face a general election challenger — were up for election. Although some challengers noted during their campaigns that all five of Oklahoma’s representatives voted against certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election, U.S. Reps. Kevin Hern (R-OK1), Josh Brecheen (R-OK2), Tom Cole (R-OK4), and Stephanie Bice (R-OK5) were all reelected for their districts by wide margins.
In the Corporation Commission race, voters chose Bingman to replace Bob Anthony, the longest-serving utility commissioner in the United States and the longest-serving statewide-elected official in Oklahoma. Anthony was first elected in 1988 and could not seek reelection owing to the imposition of term limits.
Tuesday’s online results are unofficial until they are certified by the Oklahoma State Election Board.
Bingman successful in second bid for Corporation Commission
Bringman prevailed among the three candidates on Tuesday’s ballot for the open Corporation Commission seat, winning the election with 63.71 percent of the more than 1.5 million votes cast. Harold Spradling, a Democrat, received 28.88 percent support. Chad Williams, a Libertarian, received 7.41 percent of the vote.
Bingman will be sworn into his new position in January and will serve alongside Commissioner Kim David, the OCC’s chairwoman, and Commissioner Todd Hiett, whom some legislators have asked to resign following allegations of habitual drunkenness and sexual assault.
Bingman, 70, is a Muscogee Nation citizen and has served in multiple elected and appointed positions since the 1990s. Bingman was elected in 2004 to the Oklahoma House of Representatives and two years later to the State Senate where he served the last five years in office as president pro tempore. Before running for the Legislature, Bingman was elected in 1994 to the Sapulpa City Commission, and two years later he was selected as mayor, a post he held until winning the House seat.
Bingman made an unsuccessful bid for Corporation Commission in 2018, losing to Anthony in the GOP primary. Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed him as secretary of state in October 2020, but he resigned from the post in September 2023 when he announced his candidacy for corporation commissioner. Bingman raised more than $520,000 in campaign contributions, according to his October reports with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, far more than his opponents.
Kevin Hern retains CD 1 seat
In Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District covering the Tulsa area, Rep. Kevin Hern easily won reelection, beating out Democrat Dennis Baker — who campaigned with the endorsement of the Tulsa World — and independent Mark David Garcia Sanders.
Hern, 62, is a McDonald’s franchisee-turned-politician who raised $1.7 million while running for his fourth term as a U.S. representative. A potential 2026 candidate for governor, Hern sits on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee and is a member of more than a dozen caucus groups. He is also a strong supporter of Trump and twice voted against his impeachment. He also voted against certifying the 2020 election results on Jan. 6, 2021. Hern has been outspoken about his conservative values and has criticized border-security policies of both the Obama and Biden administrations.
In 2023, Hern was one of many House Republicans who campaigned to replace former GOP House Speaker Kevin McCarthy after he was ousted by hardline conservative members of his caucus. After winning reelection, Hern could challenge for the House GOP policy chairmanship or other leadership roles.
In a Facebook post Tuesday night, Hern thanked his voters.
“I am so proud to serve you in Congress and I look forward to returning to DC on your behalf in the 119th Congress,” Hern said.
Josh Brecheen reelected in CD 2
Voters in eastern Oklahoma overwhelmingly reelected Rep. Josh Brecheen to a second term, with 74 percent of the more than 319,000 votes cast going to the incumbent. He beat Democrat Brandon Wade, who earned 21 percent of the vote, and independent Ronnie Hopkins.
Brecheen, 45, is a former state senator from Coalgate. He emerged from a 14-candidate Republican primary in 2022 to win the congressional seat once held by his former boss, the late U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn. Since he has been in office, Brecheen has pushed to cut spending and address the national debt. He has also stated his support for decriminalizing cockfighting.
Highlighting his Trump endorsement on his website, Brecheen maintains that he is committed to serving a maximum of four terms, totaling eight years.
Tom Cole reelected in CD 4
Voters in southwestern and south-central Oklahoma reelected Rep. Tom Cole — who has represented Oklahoma’s 4th Congressional District since 2002 — with 65.14 percent support. Democratic challenger Mary Brannon received 28.31 percent of the vote, and independent James Stacy received 6.48 percent.
Cole is the chairman of the influential Appropriations Committee, the House committee key to the allocation of federal spending. According to Cole’s campaign website, he has voted for the lowest proposed budget every year he has been in Congress, and he advocates against “insane spending programs from the Biden administration.”
Cole is a fourth-generation Oklahoman and a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation. During his campaign, Cole noted he has been an advocate and “bold leader on issues dealing with Native Americans and tribal governments,” according to his website.
Cole, 75, served as chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party and as a member of the Oklahoma State Senate from 1988 to 1991. Cole also served as Gov. Frank Keating’s chief legislative strategist and liaison to the state’s federal delegation as Oklahoma’s secretary of state — a position he held from 1995 to 1999 — according to his website.
Stephanie Bice reelected to CD 5
Voters in central Oklahoma gave Rep. Stephanie Bice 60.69 percent of the 341,000 votes cast to reelect her to a third term. Democrat Madison Horn received 39.31 percent of the vote.
Bice, 50, was first elected to Oklahoma’s 5th Congressional District in 2020, retaking the seat as a Republican from Democrat Kendra Horn — who has no relation to this year’s candidate Madison Horn — by four percentage points.
During her campaign, Bice focused on platform points that boosted her 2020 campaign, which included continuing to protect Second Amendment rights, promoting the oil and gas industry, securing the southern border, and limiting reproductive choice for women in the wake of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision.
