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United States Senate special election in Oklahoma, 2022
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On November 8, 2022, there was a special election to fill the rest of the six-year term that Jim Inhofe (R) was elected to in 2020. Primaries were scheduled for June 28, 2022, and primary runoffs were scheduled for August 23, 2022.[1][2] The filing deadline was April 15, 2022.[3]
The special election filled the vacancy left by Inhofe, who announced his plan to resign effective January 3, 2023, in order to spend time with family.[4][5]
The outcome of this race affected the partisan balance of the U.S. Senate in 2022. Democrats retained their majority and gained one net seat, with the Senate's post-election partisan balance at 51 Democrats and 49 Republicans.
Thirty-five of 100 seats were up for election, including one special election.[6] At the time of the election, Democrats had an effective majority, with the chamber split 50-50 and Vice President Kamala Harris (D) having the tie-breaking vote.[7] Of the seats up for election in 2022, Democrats held 14 and Republicans held 21.
| Oklahoma voter? Dates you need to know.[2][3][8] | |
|---|---|
| Candidate Filing Deadline | April 15, 2022 |
| Primary Election Registration Deadline | June 3, 2022 |
| Primary Absentee Application Deadline | June 13, 2022 |
| Primary Elections | June 28, 2022 |
| Primary Runoff Election | August 23, 2022 |
| General Election | November 8, 2022 |
| Voting information[8] | |
| Polling place hours | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
As of September 16, 2025, 17 special elections have been called during the 117th Congress. From the 113th Congress to the 116th Congress, 50 special elections were held. For more data on historical congressional special elections, click here.
This page focuses on Oklahoma's United States Senate special election. For more in-depth information on the state's special primaries and Republican primary runoff, see the following pages:
- United States Senate special election in Oklahoma, 2022 (August 23 Republican primary runoff)
- United States Senate special election in Oklahoma, 2022 (June 28 Democratic primary)
- United States Senate special election in Oklahoma, 2022 (June 28 Republican primary)
Candidates and election results
General election
Special general election for U.S. Senate Oklahoma
Markwayne Mullin defeated Kendra Horn, Robert Murphy, and Ray Woods in the special general election for U.S. Senate Oklahoma on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Markwayne Mullin (R) | 61.8 | 710,643 |
 | Kendra Horn (D) | 35.2 | 405,389 | |
 | Robert Murphy (L) | 1.5 | 17,386 | |
 | Ray Woods (Independent) | 1.5 | 17,063 | |
| Total votes: 1,150,481 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary runoff election
Special Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate Oklahoma
Markwayne Mullin defeated T. W. Shannon in the special Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate Oklahoma on August 23, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Markwayne Mullin | 65.1 | 183,118 |
 | T. W. Shannon | 34.9 | 98,246 | |
| Total votes: 281,364 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Kendra Horn advanced from the special Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Oklahoma.
Republican primary election
Special Republican primary for U.S. Senate Oklahoma
The following candidates ran in the special Republican primary for U.S. Senate Oklahoma on June 28, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Markwayne Mullin | 43.6 | 156,087 |
| ✔ | | T. W. Shannon | 17.5 | 62,746 |
 | Nathan Dahm | 11.9 | 42,673 | |
 | Luke Holland | 11.3 | 40,353 | |
 | Scott Pruitt | 5.0 | 18,052 | |
 | Randy Grellner | 4.4 | 15,794 | |
| Laura Moreno | 1.8 | 6,597 | ||
 | Jessica Garrison | 1.7 | 6,114 | |
 | Alex Gray | 0.9 | 3,063 | |
| John Tompkins | 0.7 | 2,332 | ||
 | Adam Holley | 0.5 | 1,873 | |
| Michael Coibion | 0.4 | 1,261 | ||
 | Paul Royse | 0.3 | 900 | |
| Total votes: 357,845 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Libertarian primary election
The Libertarian primary election was canceled. Robert Murphy advanced from the special Libertarian primary for U.S. Senate Oklahoma.
June 28 special Republican primary
Ballotpedia identified the June 28, 2022, special Republican primary as a battleground primary. For more on the special Republican primary, click here. For more on the special Democratic primary, click here.
Markwayne Mullin and T.W. Shannon advanced to an August 23, 2022, Republican primary runoff in the special U.S. Senate election in Oklahoma. Neither received the majority of the primary vote needed to win outright on June 28, 2022.
Ten candidates ran in the primary. The special election was scheduled to fill the rest of the six-year term left by Sen. Jim Inhofe (R), who was last elected in 2020. Inhofe announced he would resign January 3, 2023, to spend time with family.[9]
Mullin, Shannon, Nathan Dahm, Scott Pruitt, and Luke Holland led in polling, noteworthy endorsements, and media attention.
At the time of the election, Mullin had represented Oklahoma's 2nd Congressional District since 2013. He campaigned on making the country energy independent, lowering inflation, and defending the Second Amendment. Mullin said, "I entered the race for Senate because the people of Oklahoma deserve a Senator who will fight for their conservative values. I am a Christian, a family man and a proud supporter of President Trump and I will always fight for the America First policies that Oklahomans have been desperately missing during Joe Biden’s failed time in office."[10]
At the time of the election, Shannon was the CEO of Chickasaw Community Bank in Oklahoma City. He previously served as a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 2006 to 2014. Shannon campaigned on opposing taxpayer-funded abortion, protecting the U.S. Constitution, and lowering taxes to create jobs. Shannon said he was running to "push back against this woke agenda" because "what made this country great is our constitution, capitalism and Christianity, and all three of those are under attack."[11] Former Vice President and current U.S. House candidate Sarah Palin (R) endorsed Shannon.
At the time of the election, Dahm was a member of the Oklahoma State Senate, a position to which he was first elected in 2011. Dahm campaigned on election integrity, protecting the Second Amendment, and term limits for members of U.S. Congress. Dahm said, "I'm running for the United States Senate because, like you, I am tired of the spineless politicians who turned their backs on President Donald J. Trump. We need proven Republican fighters, and I've proven I'll never back down."[12] U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R) endorsed Dahm.[13]
Holland was Inhofe's chief of staff until he resigned in February 2022 to run for U.S. Senate.[14] He began working with Inhofe in 2009 as a staff assistant. Holland campaigned on standing up to China and stopping what he described as a rush to socialism.[15][16] Holland said, "As your next senator, I will continue the Inhofe legacy of defending our Christian values, fighting socialism, rebuilding our military and standing up to China."[17] Inhofe endorsed Holland.[18]
Pruitt served as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under former President Donald Trump (R) from 2017 to 2018. Prior to that, he served as the Oklahoma Attorney General from 2011 to 2017. He campaigned on energy independence, securing the border, fighting what he calls Big Tech, and stopping inflation. Pruitt said: "I think Oklahomans know that I'm going to fight for their values, I think they know that I exhibited courage in working with the president historically to get things done and I think they know that I've also engaged in leadership and civility. I believe very strongly that we'll have the resources that we need."[19] Former Secretary of Energy and former Governor of Texas Rick Perry (R) endorsed Pruitt.[20]
Alex Gray, Randy Grellner, Adam Holley, Laura Moreno, Paul Royse, and John Tompkins also ran in the election.
Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- Oklahoma State Senate (Assumed office: 2012)
Biography: Dahm's professional experience includes running his own app development company, managing his family's cleaning company, working for the Tulsa County Republican Party, and serving as president of the Tulsa Area Republican Assembly.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Oklahoma in 2022.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Biography: Holland earned a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Arkansas. His professional experience includes working for Sen. Jim Inhofe (R) in multiple capacities, including as staff assisstant and chief of staff.
Show sources
Sources: Luke Holland 2022 campaign website, "Homepage," accessed June 12, 2022; World, "Luke Holland ticks all the boxes," May 5, 2022; Luke Holland 2022 campaign website, "The Holland Story," accessed June 12, 2022; 2 News Oklahoma, "Bio: Inhofe's chief of staff Luke Holland," accessed June 12, 2022
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Oklahoma in 2022.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office: None
Submitted Biography: "I am a father, a husband, and a patriotic American willing to fight for our Republic Restoration."
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Oklahoma in 2022.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- U.S. House of Representatives (Assumed office: 2013)
Biography: Mullin earned a bachelor's degree in Applied Science in Construction Technology from Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology in 2010. His professional experience includes founding and running many businesses with his wife, Christie, including Mullin Plumbing, Mullin Environmental, Mullin Services, Mullin Properties, and Rowan's Steakhouse. He also runs Mullin Ranch, a cow-calf operation. Mullin was inducted into the Oklahoma Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016.
Show sources
Sources: Markwayne Mullin 2022 campaign website, "Issues," accessed Jun 12, 2022; Washington Examiner, "Rep. Markwayne Mullin wants to 'bring Oklahoma values to DC' in GOP Senate bid," May 16, 2022; Markwayne Mullin 2022 campaign website, "Meet Markwayne," accessed June 12, 2022; Markwayne Mullin U.S. House of Representatives website, "Biography," accessed June 12, 2022
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Oklahoma in 2022.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- Environmental Protection Agency Administrator (2017-2018)
- Attorney General of Oklahoma (2011-2017)
- Oklahoma State Senate (1999-2007)
Biography: Pruitt graduated in 1990 with degrees in political science and communications from Georgetown College and a J.D. in 1993 from the University of Tulsa College of Law. His professional experience includes working as an attorney and as the co-owner and manager of the Oklahoma City Redhawks.
Show sources
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Oklahoma in 2022.
Party: Republican Party
Incumbent: No
Political Office:
- Oklahoma House of Representatives (2006-2014)
Biography: Shannon earned a bachelor's degree in Arts in Communication from Cameron University and a J.D. degree from Oklahoma City University. His professional experience includes operating his own public relations consulting firm and serving as the Chief Administrative Officer for the Chickasaw Nations.
Show sources
Sources: T.W. Shannon 2022 campaign website, "On the Issues," accessed June 12, 2022; Harvard, "T.W. Shannon," accessed June 12, 2022
This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. Senate Oklahoma in 2022.
News and conflicts in this primary
This race was featured in The Heart of the Primaries, a newsletter capturing stories related to conflicts within each major party. Click here to read more about conflict in this and other 2022 Republican U.S. Senate primaries. Click here to subscribe to the newsletter.
Election analysis
Click the tabs below to view information about demographics, past elections, and partisan control of the state.
- Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the state.
- Statewide elections - Information about recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections in the state.
- State partisanship - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
- Demographics - Information about the state's demographics and how they compare to the country as a whole.
Presidential elections
Cook PVI by congressional district
| Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index for Oklahoma, 2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| District | Incumbent | Party | PVI |
| Oklahoma's 1st | Kevin Hern |  Republican |
R+14 |
| Oklahoma's 2nd | Open | Republican |
R+29 |
| Oklahoma's 3rd | Frank Lucas | Republican |
R+24 |
| Oklahoma's 4th | Tom Cole | Republican |
R+19 |
| Oklahoma's 5th | Stephanie Bice | Republican |
R+12 |
2020 presidential results by 2022 congressional district lines
| 2020 presidential results in congressional districts based on 2022 district lines, Oklahoma[21] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Joe Biden 
|
Donald Trump 
| ||
| Oklahoma's 1st | 38.0% | 59.4% | ||
| Oklahoma's 2nd | 22.4% | 75.8% | ||
| Oklahoma's 3rd | 26.5% | 71.2% | ||
| Oklahoma's 4th | 33.0% | 64.6% | ||
| Oklahoma's 5th | 40.3% | 57.1% | ||
2012-2020
How a state's counties vote in a presidential election and the size of those counties can provide additional insights into election outcomes at other levels of government including statewide and congressional races. Below, four categories are used to describe each county's voting pattern over the 2012, 2016, and 2020 presidential elections: Solid, Trending, Battleground, and New. Click [show] on the table below for examples:
| County-level voting pattern categories | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | |||||||
| Status | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | ||||
| Solid Democratic | D | D | D | ||||
| Trending Democratic | R | D | D | ||||
| Battleground Democratic | D | R | D | ||||
| New Democratic | R | R | D | ||||
| Republican | |||||||
| Status | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | ||||
| Solid Republican | R | R | R | ||||
| Trending Republican | D | R | R | ||||
| Battleground Republican | R | D | R | ||||
| New Republican | D | D | R | ||||
Following the 2020 presidential election, 100.0% of Oklahomans lived in one of the state's 77 Solid Republican counties, which voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election from 2012 to 2020. Overall, Oklahoma was Solid Republican, having voted for Mitt Romney (R) in 2012, Donald Trump (R) in 2016, and Donald Trump (R) in 2020. Use the table below to view the total number of each type of county in Oklahoma following the 2020 election as well as the overall percentage of the state population located in each county type.
| Oklahoma county-level statistics, 2020 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solid Republican | 77 | 100.0% | |||||
| Total voted Democratic | 0 | 0.0% | |||||
| Total voted Republican | 77 | 100.0% | |||||
Historical voting trends
Oklahoma presidential election results (1900-2020)
- 10 Democratic wins
- 19 Republican wins
| Year | 1900 | 1904 | 1908 | 1912 | 1916 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Party | N/A | N/A | D | D | D | R | D | R | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Statewide elections
This section details the results of the five most recent U.S. Senate and gubernatorial elections held in the state.
U.S. Senate elections
The table below details the vote in the five most recent U.S. Senate races in Oklahoma.
| U.S. Senate election results in Oklahoma | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race | Winner | Runner up |
| 2020 | 62.9% |
32.8%
|
| 2016 | 67.7% |
24.5%
|
| 2014 | 67.9% |
29.0%
|
| 2014 | 68.0% |
28.6%
|
| 2010 | 70.5% |
26.1%
|
| Average | 67.4 | 28.2 |
Gubernatorial elections
- See also: Governor of Oklahoma
The table below details the vote in the five most recent gubernatorial elections in Oklahoma.
| Gubernatorial election results in Oklahoma | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race | Winner | Runner up |
| 2018 | 54.3% |
42.2%
|
| 2014 | 55.8% |
41.0%
|
| 2010 | 60.5% |
39.5%
|
| 2006 | 66.5% |
33.5%
|
| 2002 | 43.3% |
42.6%
|
| Average | 56.1 | 39.8 |
State partisanship
Congressional delegation
The table below displays the partisan composition of Oklahoma's congressional delegation as of November 2022.
| Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Oklahoma, November 2022 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | U.S. Senate | U.S. House | Total |
| Democratic | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Republican | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vacancies | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 2 | 5 | 7 |
State executive
The table below displays the officeholders in Oklahoma's top four state executive offices as of November 2022.
| State executive officials in Oklahoma, November 2022 | |
|---|---|
| Office | Officeholder |
| Governor | Kevin Stitt
|
| Lieutenant Governor | Matt Pinnell
|
| Secretary of State | Brian Bingman
|
| Attorney General | John O'Connor
|
State legislature
The tables below highlight the partisan composition of the Oklahoma State Legislature as of November 2022.
Oklahoma State Senate
| Party | As of November 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 9 | |
| Republican Party | 39 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 48 | |
Oklahoma House of Representatives
| Party | As of November 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 18 | |
| Republican Party | 82 | |
| Vacancies | 1 | |
| Total | 101 | |
Trifecta control
As of November 2022, Oklahoma was a Republican trifecta, with majorities in both chambers of the state legislature and control of the governorship. The table below displays the historical trifecta status of the state.
Oklahoma Party Control: 1992-2022
Five years of Democratic trifectas • Twelve years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | S | S | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Demographics
The table below details demographic data in Oklahoma and compares it to the broader United States as of 2019.
| Demographic Data for Oklahoma | ||
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | United States | |
| Population | 3,751,351 | 308,745,538 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 68,596 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 72.3% | 72.5% |
| Black/African American | 7.3% | 12.7% |
| Asian | 2.2% | 5.5% |
| Native American | 7.6% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Other (single race) | 2.7% | 4.9% |
| Multiple | 7.7% | 3.3% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 10.6% | 18% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 88% | 88% |
| College graduation rate | 25.5% | 32.1% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $52,919 | $62,843 |
| Persons below poverty level | 15.7% | 13.4% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2010). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2014-2019). | ||
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
See also
- Special elections to the 117th United States Congress (2021-2022)
- United States Senate special election in Oklahoma, 2022 (June 28 Democratic primary)
- United States Senate special election in Oklahoma, 2022 (June 28 Republican primary)
- United States Senate election in Oklahoma, 2022
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ The Oklahoman, "Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt sets special election to replace Sen. Jim Inhofe," March 1, 2022
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Federal Election Commission, "Dates and deadlines," accessed March 4, 2022
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Oklahoma State Election Board, "2022 Statutory Election Dates and Deadlines," accessed March 4, 2022
- ↑ The Oklahoman, "Sen. Jim Inhofe to resign from Senate, backs top aide Luke Holland to succeed him," February 25, 2022
- ↑ kjrh.com, "U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe makes resignation announcement amid COVID-19 diagnosis," February 24, 2022
- ↑ The special Senate election in California was for the same seat up for regular election. There were, then, 36 total Senate elections for 35 total seats.
- ↑ Two independents who caucus with Democrats are included with Democrats in the 50-50 split count.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Oklahoma State Election Board, "2022 Oklahoma Elections," accessed March 4, 2022
- ↑ 2 News Oklahoma, "U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe makes resignation announcement amid COVID-19 diagnosis," February 24, 2022
- ↑ The McCarville Report," March 11, 2022
- ↑ Fox Business, "Oklahoma Senate candidate: Woke crowd has ‘declared war’ on conservatives," accessed June 13, 2022
- ↑ Nathan Dahm 2022 campaign website, "Homepage," accessed June 13, 2022
- ↑ Washington Examiner, "Rand Paul endorses anti-Fauci ally for Oklahoma Senate seat," March 3, 2022
- ↑ Fox 23 News, "Who is Luke Holland, 2022 U.S. Senate Candidate?", February 25, 2022
- ↑ Luke Holland 2022 campaign website, "Homepage," accessed June 13, 2022
- ↑ Non Doc, "Dahm, Holland and Pruitt attend U.S. Senate forum," May 11, 2022
- ↑ Examiner Enterprise, "Bartlesville native Luke Holland running to replace U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe," February 25, 2022
- ↑ Fox News, "Inhofe chief of staff launches Oklahoma Senate campaign to succeed his boss," February 25, 2022
- ↑ The Oklahoman, "Trump-era EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt joins race to replace Jim Inhofe in U.S. Senate," April 15, 2022
- ↑ PoliticoPro, "Rick Perry backs Scott Pruitt in Senate bid," June 9, 2022
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' presidential results by congressional district for 2020, 2016, and 2012," accessed September 9, 2022
[[Category: Marquee, completed election, 2022]
