The nation may still be reeling from the last election cycle but the gubernatorial race for the highest office in Oklahoma is already out of the gate. On Jan. 13, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced he’s running for the governorship. Although the first to gain prominence, Drummond is the second candidate to announce their bid, as Leisa Mitchell Haynes announced her own in July 2024. However, the race has only begun, and the Republican Party’s nomination is up in the air due to term limits that prevent current Governor Kevin Stitt from running for a third term. Thus, all eyes are on Nov. 3, 2026, when the next four years of Oklahoma leadership will be decided. Of course, a weakened Democratic platform in Oklahoma’s state government means that it will certainly be a Republican-dominated election. In the meantime, here is an early list of potential candidates for the 2026 gubernatorial election: Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, State Superintendent Ryan Walters, Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell, former Speaker of the House of Representatives Charles McCall, former Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat and self-described “Oklahoma’s next Republican Governor” Leisa Mitchell Haynes.
Gentner Drummond (R)
The first of many strong candidates is Attorney General Gentner Drummond. Confidently standing by his statement, “I want you to know I will always do the right thing,” and “I am running for governor to serve the people of Oklahoma, not the political elite.” At the same time, Drummond would appear to be such an elite, or at least a man of many hats. He comes from a well-established family in Tulsa, and his background includes serving in the U.S. Air Force, 30 years of law experience, including founding Drummond Law firm, serving as assistant district attorney in Pawnee and Osage counties, working as a rancher and owning several businesses, including Blue Sky Bank.
Elected to the office in 2022, Drummond’s focus as attorney general has been “focused on fighting crime, ensuring transparency and openness in government, improving tribal relations, and putting an end to a culture of corruption and scandal.” Furthermore, oklahoma.gov describes Drummond as “a steadfast opponent of federal overreach that routinely threatened state sovereignty under the Biden Administration.” During his announcement of his candidacy for governor, Drummond vocalized his support for President Trump to “secure the border, deport illegal immigrants, and stop the flow of drugs and crime into Oklahoma” which is at the forefront of his official website, Gentner Drummond Republican for Governor. Furthermore, he spoke of lowering taxes and cost of living while bringing in jobs “to make Oklahoma the most business-friendly state in the nation.” He wants to “support public education, empower parents and protect local control.” Already, the Oklahoma Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) has endorsed Drummond’s gubernatorial run. The president of the FOP said that Drummond will “protect public safety, defend our values, and uphold the rule of law,” and said his collaboration with law enforcement was having “stood shoulder to shoulder.”
Gentner often serves as a vocal opposition against Gov. Stitt, which culminated in Stitt filing a lawsuit over tribal gaming compacts against Drummond in 2024 that was brought before the Supreme Court of Oklahoma with both “claiming victory” in who has authority over the state’s legal disputes. Drummond’s intentions regarding the state of public education has already been seen in his opposition with Superintendent Walters and Gov. Stitt concerning the opening of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, filing St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School v. Drummond and Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond in opposition to violations of the Oklahoma Constitution. With the Supreme Court of Oklahoma siding with Drummond, the case has now moved on to the Supreme Court of the United States. If anything, Drummond will be an interesting candidate due to his support for President Trump while opposing certain other major Republican members of Oklahoma government.
Ryan Walters (R)
Of course, Oklahoma politics is never complete without State Superintendent Ryan Walters. Beginning as a social studies teacher in McAlester, Walters was appointed Secretary of Public Education by Gov. Stitt in 2020 and later won the election for State Superintendent in 2022. While Walters has not yet formally announced his run for the governorship, there is already a website, ryanwaltersforgovernor.com.
Walters is the recent face of Oklahoma, thanks to multiple headlines in the national news, and criticism has only served to fan the flames of his potential gubernatorial run. Amongst such controversies are two investigations by the Oklahoma Ethics Commission concerning alleged violations of his 2022 campaign for state superintendent and his usage of social media to support presidential candidates during an election. Furthermore, Walters’ handling of Oklahoma’s education has even reached the Supreme Court because of concerns that he has potentially violated state and federal law through the dismantling of the separation of the church and state (i.e., the Bible mandate, Ten Commandments in every classroom and the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School debacle). Among the most recent controversies is his vehement support for President Donald Trump’s anti-immigration policies and admitting on national news that he and the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) plan to mandatorily report the citizenship and immigration status of all Oklahoma students to the federal government and authorities while allowing entities such as ICE to enter Oklahoma schools.
With a focus on identity politics, Walters has been especially vocal against the “radical left,” critical race theory, LGBTQ+ rights and “woke teachers unions.” Furthermore, Walters’ push for educational reform by forcibly implementing religion in the classroom has faced controversy from all sides. From his proposal for $6 million dollars for Trump-endorsed Bibles to his desire to have the Bible taught by “every teacher, every classroom in the state,” Walters’ culture war has placed him at the forefront of Oklahoma’s far right. At the same time, the transition toward events like the Oklahoma Freedom Caucus’ establishment in 2024 may indicate that Walters will have greater support and popularity through his opposition against the left.
Matt Pinnell (R)
Another reasonable candidate for the 2026 governorship is Lieutenant Governor Matt Pinnell. Described on oklahoma.gov as “the chief marketer of Oklahoma,” he “champions small business growth” and has used his role to focus on economic development. Through his own social media and official website, Pinnell describes himself as “extremely pro-Oklahoma” with the slogan “Conservative leadership. Proven results.” Elected in 2018, Lt. Gov. Pinnell serves a variety of roles, including president of the Oklahoma State Senate and chairman of the Oklahoma Tourism Commission and Route 66 Centennial Commission. Previously, Pinnell was selected in 2019 by Gov. Stitt to be the first Oklahoma Secretary of Tourism and Branding, which he was until 2024.
Also opposing the “radical left,” he seeks to establish “real, lasting conservative solutions for Oklahoma’s communities, businesses and economy” through what he calls The Pinnell Plan. The five steps of such are 1) improving education, empowering students; 2) stronger local and small businesses; 3) expanding business recruitment and tourism; 4) increasing government accountability; 5) protecting our families, defending our values.
Charles McCall (R)
As the longest-serving Oklahoma House Speaker, Charles McCall appears to be one of the most likely candidates for the Oklahoma governorship. With a focus on education reform and tax cuts, McCall emphasizes “Oklahoma values,” which include “service, honor and kindness.” In his vision, he described “Government’s role — what it can do the most for the people of the state of Oklahoma — is to create the right environment for families to flourish and business to flourish.” As chairman and CEO of AmeriState Bank, McCall became a city councilman in Atoka before becoming mayor and entering the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 2012, representing District 22 in Southeastern Oklahoma. Gaining leadership in 2016, McCall led the 56th-59th Legislatures until 2024.
Upon his departure from the House of Representatives, McCall described to News 9 how his time of ”service” and “sacrifice” has been “an honor of a lifetime,” and said, “Now it’s time for the next chapter to begin.” Whether or not this next chapter will include a run for the highest office of the State of Oklahoma is yet to be determined.
Greg Treat (R)
Similarly, the timing may just be right for former member President Pro Tempore Greg Treat of the Oklahoma State Senate. Treat has served District 47, which represents north Oklahoma City, for 13 years, from 2011 to 2024, and has been in his leadership role for eight. Treat previously worked as a campaign director for several GOP campaigns throughout Oklahoma. While he’s the longest-serving leader of the Senate, some of the greater controversies during his tenure have been conflicts with former Speaker of the House McCall, in which they continuously would “throw jabs at each other’s education plans.”
Speaking with News 9, Treat said, “The whole reason I got involved in politics … is because I believe in the sanctity of life.” Treat’s legislative focus has been on the Second Amendment and taxes, including private school tax credits and eliminating the state grocery tax. However, he left his position in the Senate with the statement, “Whether or not I run for another office, that’s a decision that will be made further down the road. Right now, I’m just trying to take care of my family.” Yet on social media, Treat maintains that he “is a conservative champion at the Oklahoma Capitol.”
Leisa Mitchell Haynes (R)
According to the official Leisa Mitchell Haynes For Governor website, Haynes “embodies a vision of transformation and empowerment for Oklahoma.” Having previously served as assistant state director at the Oklahoma Department of Commerce from 1989 to 2001, Haynes also owned Gas-n-Snak in Choctaw. She has also worked as a city manager in Mangum, Tuttle and New Mexico, according to the McCurtain Gazette. While her website states that she “ensures the protection of vulnerable communities, including special needs adults and indigenous tribes,” the McCurtain Gazette noted that Haynes’ key issues are education reform that will see prayer and Bibles in every school and ensuring “no cross dressers, sex acts or witches would be tolerated.” Other policies include fighting government corruption, recruiting businesses to Oklahoma, and assisting Native American tribes.
Haynes does not see herself as part of the establishment. Placing her candidacy for the governorship early, her underdog role is complemented by her “embracing traditional values while pushing for progress,” which she ensures will lead to “a brighter, more resilient Oklahoma, where every citizen’s voice is heard, valued and empowered.”
Constant struggle
Thus, the strongest potential candidates for the governorship seemingly share the same characteristics: social conservatives, business owners and professional politicians who attempt to project down-to-earth Okie vibes. They speak of their faith, their virtues and their values. They speak of tax cuts, means of living and business incentives. Yet Oklahoma continuously ranking amongst the lowest in the nation shows another side that extends beyond identity politics and promises of growth. For many Okies, there is a lack of representation and support in the areas where it is needed the most. Nearly 100 years after we were put on the map thanks to John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, there is still an ever-growing struggle against instability, powerlessness and dehumanization that threatens everybody — not just the most marginalized. While the people of Oklahoma are cut from the same cloth of “how the West was won,” that pioneer spirit has made way for a willingness to submit to politicians who become more important than their constituents. Perhaps a change in leadership is just what the state needs in order to “Make Oklahoma Great Again,” but it seems more like the lyrics of The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again”: “Meet the new boss / Same as the old boss.”
This article appears in The OG Food Issue 2025.