Campaigns are built on momentum. Candidates spend months traveling the state, meeting voters, earning endorsements, and building coalitions. Every endorsement is another signal that respected voices believe a candidate is prepared to lead. While endorsements alone do not decide elections, they often provide a snapshot of where a campaign stands.
That dynamic was on full display this week in Oklahoma’s race for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. On August 4, Robert Franklin‘s campaign announced that nearly 200 current and former Oklahoma school superintendents had endorsed his candidacy. Whether one ultimately supports Franklin or not, that level of support represents significant momentum from those who have spent their careers working in Oklahoma’s schools. Franklin has also continued to receive endorsements from educators, education organizations, and community leaders across the state, suggesting that much of Oklahoma’s education community is rallying behind his campaign.
For any opposing campaign, that kind of momentum presents a challenge. When one candidate begins accumulating endorsements and grassroots support, campaigns naturally look for ways to change the conversation. Increasingly, that means turning to social media and national political influencers to amplify campaign messaging.
That appears to be happening in this race. James Taylor‘s campaign has received attention from national conservative influencers, including Libs of TikTok, an account that became closely associated with former State Superintendent Ryan Walters during his time in office. Walters frequently benefited from amplification by many of the same national figures as he pursued high-profile cultural and political battles that often extended far beyond Oklahoma’s classrooms.
One of the recurring themes of this campaign has been whether Taylor represents a continuation of Walters’s approach to leading Oklahoma’s education system. Throughout the race, many Oklahomans have described Taylor as “Ryan Walters 2.0” because of similarities in their messaging and priorities. Taylor has rejected that label, arguing that he is his own man and would lead the department differently.
However, when many of the same national influencers who helped elevate Walters are now amplifying attacks against Taylor’s opponent, it becomes more difficult for Taylor to separate himself from those comparisons. Even if those influencers are acting independently, their involvement reinforces the perception among many voters that Taylor’s campaign is following a political playbook similar to the one used by Walters.
This week also brought another unusual development when Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman Charity Lynch publicly endorsed Taylor during the Republican runoff. Party chairs have historically remained neutral during contested Republican primaries and runoffs before uniting behind the eventual nominee. Because of that tradition, the endorsement stood out as an uncommon step. It also makes it appear that the entirety of the Oklahoma Republican party is behind Taylor, when in reality they are not.
Taken together, these developments illustrate two very different campaign strategies. Franklin has focused on building support from actual Oklahomans, while Taylor has benefited from support and amplification from national conservative influencers and prominent Republican figures. Neither strategy guarantees victory, but each offers voters a different vision of leadership and political engagement.
Ultimately, Oklahoma voters—not social media influencers, party officials, or endorsement lists—will decide who becomes the state’s next superintendent. As Election Day approaches, the central question may not simply be which candidate has the better platform, but which campaign best reflects the kind of leadership Oklahomans want for their public schools. If Taylor hopes to convince voters that he would represent a break from the Ryan Walters era, he will likely have to do more than say he is his own man. Many voters will judge that claim by the campaign he runs, the voices that amplify it, and whether those choices truly represent a new direction or simply a familiar one.