Stitt retains governor seat in low turnout election

Incumbent Governor Kevin Stitt defeated democratic challenger Joy Hofmeister in last Tuesday’s midterm election.

Stitt tallied 639,484 votes compared to former Superintendent for Public Education Joy Hofmeister’s 481,904, according to the Oklahoma State Election Board’s most recent unofficial results. In total 1,153,284 Oklahomans voted in the gubernatorial election. Additionally, statewide turnout decreased 5.8% from 56.15% in the 2018 midterm election to 50.35% in 2022.

“Folks, the American dream is alive and well in the great state of Oklahoma,” Stitt remarked in his victory speech. “Oklahomans stated loud and clear today they are proud with how far we’ve come.”

Hofmeister asked Oklahomans to remember to make their voice heard in her concession speech last Tuesday night. 

“Even if the results were not in our favor tonight, never forget that your voice is necessary and important,” she said in her speech. “This hard-fought election has proven that Oklahomans займы онлайн круглосуточно with different political persuasions can carve a path for one another and work hand in hand to get things done.”  

Democratic candidates for United States Senator Kendra and Madison Horn faced dismal results, tallying only 35.24% and 32.10% against republicans Markwayne Mullin and James Lankford, respectively.

Republican Gentner F. Drummond won his bid for Attorney General in a landslide victory against libertarian Lynda Steele. Fellow Republicans Stephanie Bice, Tom Cole, Frank D. Lucas, Josh Brecheen, and Kevin Hern each won their district’s congressional seats.

Notably, Democrat Vicki Behenna won her bid for District Attorney of District 7 against Oklahoma County Commissioner Kevin Calvey. District 7 presides over Oklahoma County and most of Oklahoma City. The former Federal Prosecutor is Oklahoma County’s first female district attorney.

Republican Matt Pinnell won re-election for Oklahoma lieutenant governor and Republican Ryan Walters won re-election for Oklahoma’s superintendent of public instruction.

Voters passed a nearly $1 billion bond proposal for Oklahoma City Public Schools as well. The bond received 64% of the vote in Oklahoma’s district 7, which presides over Oklahoma county.

“This bond provides basic infrastructure to OKC’s kids—buildings, technology, buses,” Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt said in an email to The Vista. “Unfortunately, OKCPS has uniquely old buildings—over 70 years old on average—and has not been investing in them like other districts. So, this bond was critically important to ensuring that our kids have the same facilities as kids in the suburbs or in Tulsa.”

Mayor Holt said the city has learned that investing in itself pays dividends and that they want to keep doing so.

“When you see what we’ve passed in the last five years—public safety, streets, schools—you see where our priorities are. But there are other things that matter that I expect we’ll see come forward in the next few years, including opportunities to invest in our economic growth and transit.”