5 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Fiscal conservatism and a pro-business economic approach.
Medicaid work requirements.
Addressing health care costs beyond Affordable Care Act subsidies.
His rural upbringing and business experience as qualification for the seat.
Support for President Trump's agenda.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
U.S. Representative for Oklahoma's 1st district since November 2018; four terms.
Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee.
Owned 18 McDonald's franchises around Tulsa over roughly 35 years; liquidated the holdings by 2021. Reported net worth of at least $110 million.
Joined bipartisan bills the 21st least often of all representatives during the 118th Congress, per GovTrack.
Supported Medicaid work requirements on the House Ways and Means Committee.
Won the June 16 2026 Republican primary with 69.8%, about 267,222 votes.
Endorsed by President Trump and by multiple U.S. senators.
Announced he would not seek another House term when he entered this race.
Arguments in favor
His rural upbringing and decades building a business from nothing are real-world experience that makes him the right choice to represent Oklahomans, rather than a career in politics.
— Rep. Kevin Hern, launching his campaign
He already holds a House Republican leadership post as Policy Committee chairman and carries the endorsement of President Trump and several sitting senators.
— President Donald Trump and Republican senators who endorsed him, as reported by Roll Call
He argues the real problem in health care lies beyond Affordable Care Act subsidies, and has pressed for structural changes rather than extending existing programmes.
— Rep. Kevin Hern, in an interview with News 9
Arguments against
His push for Medicaid work requirements drew accusations of racism from Democratic colleagues on the House Ways and Means Committee — a characterisation he has publicly complained about.
— Democratic members of the House Ways and Means Committee, as recounted by Hern himself to The Hill
He is among the Oklahoma delegation members who grew wealthy in office or on the way to it, with a net worth of at least $110 million built on fast food franchises.
— Oklahoma Watch investigation into the congressional delegation's finances
He joined bipartisan bills the 21st least often of any member of the House in the 118th Congress — a record of partisanship rather than legislating.
— GovTrack.us congressional report card
What we couldn’t verify
His position on abortion could not be established from sources located.
His position on tariffs and their effect on Oklahoma agriculture and energy.
No attack material from his Democratic opponent or from Oklahoma Democrats could be located, so arguments against him come from reporting and from his own account of criticism.
Funding rural hospitals and putting nurses and doctors back into them.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Works as a nurse; from Ardmore, Oklahoma.
Member of the Chickasaw Nation; aged 31.
Won the August 25 2026 Democratic runoff with 61.2%, about 79,201 votes, over attorney and minister Jim Priest, despite being drastically outspent.
Ran a campaign conducted largely through social media.
The first Senate nominee in Oklahoma to openly identify as a democratic socialist.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No criticism of her by name, from anyone opposing her, could be located — she won the runoff only days before this research and neither her opponent's campaign nor national Republicans appear to have engaged her yet. Because arguments against her could not be sourced, arguments for her are also left empty so the two columns stay comparable; her platform is recorded above instead. This is worth revisiting closer to the election.
Her positions on energy, agriculture, immigration and foreign policy.
Whether she has a campaign website of her own; only third-party candidate profiles could be located.
Her campaign fundraising, and whether national Democratic committees are supporting her.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
Open seat, and it became open mid-cycle. Republican incumbent Markwayne Mullin resigned from the Senate on March 23 2026, immediately after the Senate confirmed him 54-45 as Secretary of Homeland Security. Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed Alan S. Armstrong — chairman and former CEO of the Tulsa pipeline company Williams Companies — to the seat on March 24, and under the terms of that appointment Armstrong is not seeking the full term. This is still the regularly scheduled election for the Class 2 seat, not a special.
Roster established from NBC News, Ballotpedia, Oklahoma Voice, KOSU and NonDoc, cross-checked. U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern won the June 16 2026 Republican primary with 69.8% over country singer Ty England and three others. No Democrat won a majority in the primary, and nurse N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas won the August 25 runoff with 61.2% over attorney Jim Priest. Sevier White is the Libertarian nominee; Ron Meinhardt and Curtis Stinnett are running as independents, Meinhardt having withdrawn from the Republican primary to do so. Democrats have not won a Senate election in Oklahoma since 1990.
Note on balance: no criticism of N'Kiyla Thomas by name, from anyone opposing her, could be located — her runoff win was very recent and Republicans had not engaged her. Rather than manufacture one, both argument columns are left empty for her and her platform is recorded under what she stands for.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A Oklahoma ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at Oklahoma State Election Board.