Yukon state senator Jake Merrick, 2 other Oklahoma GOP lawmakers lose primary elections

Three Republican state lawmakers lost their reelection bids Tuesday after school choice proponents poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into a handful of legislative races. 

Several other legislative races will be decided in GOP primary runoff elections on Aug. 23.

Sen. Jake Merrick, R-Yukon, lost to political newcomer Kristen Thompson, of Edmond. 

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The School Freedom Fund Oklahoma — an extension of the Washington-based Club for Growth — poured more than $200,000 into the race against Merrick and in support of Thompson. 

The school choice proponents likely got involved in the race because Merrick voted against a controversial school voucher bill the Club for Growth supported. 

Merrick was elected in a special election last year to fill U.S. Rep. Stephanie Bice's state Senate seat after she was elected to Congress. 

A local business owner, Thompson raised more campaign cash than the incumbent lawmaker and clinched a key endorsement from Gov. Kevin Stitt. 

She will face Democrat Blake Aguirre in the general election.

Republicans have an advantage in Senate District 22, which includes parts of northern Oklahoma and Canadian counties. 

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All eight of the legislative candidates Stitt endorsed won their primary elections. 

Stitt endorsed Chris Banning in a House race just south of the Tulsa metropolitan area. Banning ended up beating Rep. Logan Phillips, R-Mounds, whose district changed dramatically during last year's redistricting cycle.

Phillips, who has represented House District 24 since 2018, got just 29% of the GOP primary votes cast. 

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He also faced tens of thousands of dollars in opposition from the School Freedom Fund. 

Rep. Rhonda Baker, R-Yukon, nearly lost her reelection bid because of an onslaught of attacks ads and mailers from the School Freedom Fund and other pro-school voucher groups. 

Baker, chairwoman of the House Common Education Committee, won her primary by just 72 votes.

Reps. Mark McBride, R-Moore, and Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, easily won their primary contests despite facing significant opposition from some of the same groups. 

House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, said Republicans are on track to maintain their strong supermajority in the Oklahoma Legislature's lower chamber. 

"Oklahomans were not deceived by dishonest special interests running dirty D.C. campaigns with D.C. money in Oklahoma House districts," McCall said in a statement. "Oklahomans elected leaders to represent their interests, not special interests, and continue the historic progress House Republicans have made since attaining our House majority."

Rep. Wendi Stearman, R-Collinsville, lost her primary election to John B. Kane, of Bartlesville.

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A freshman lawmaker, Stearman is perhaps best known for authoring legislation that prior to the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade implemented in Oklahoma the nation's strictest anti-abortion law. 

A cattle rancher and business owner, Kane will be the next representative for House District 11 because no Democrat filed to run for the seat.

Candidates advance to primary runoffs

A handful of primary runoff elections will decide some legislative races. 

Sen. Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher, will face Republican Brady Butler in a runoff election as neither candidate clinched support from more than 50% of voters. 

The Senate Majority Fund, a political action committee controlled by Senate leadership, has already spent more than $57,000 in support of Jech this election cycle. 

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In Senate District 28, Republicans Jeff McCommas and Grant Green will face off in the runoff primary. 

The expansive district includes all of Lincoln and Seminole counties and parts of Oklahoma, Logan and Pottawatomie counties. Sen. Zack Taylor, R-Seminole, is stepping down, leaving the seat open. 

In Senate District 2, Republicans Jarrin Jackson and Ally Seifried will advance to a runoff. The winner will succeed Sen. Marty Quinn, R-Claremore, who is term limited out of office. 

In Oklahoma City's newly created House district, House District 36, John George and Anita Raglin will advance to a runoff election.

George recently retired as president of the local Fraternal Order of Police union. Raglin is a business owner in Harrah. 

Related:Two new Oklahoma City-area state legislative seats up for grabs in primary election

The House district that was moved through redistricting from eastern Oklahoma to the Oklahoma City metropolitan area due to local population gains includes the cities of Luther, Jones, Harrah and Choctaw.

OKC legislative races see some finality

Residents living in two Oklahoma City-area legislative districts elected new lawmakers Tuesday. 

Longtime Canadian County Commissioner Jack Stewart will represent Senate District 18, which largely envelopes the city of Yukon. Stewart defeated Republican Hunter Zearley in the district that also was relocated from eastern Oklahoma. 

Democrat Arturo Alonso, 23, will represent House District 89 — a seat that has remained empty since former Rep. José Cruz resigned after allegedly sexually assaulting a lobbyist at a New Year's Eve party. 

Alonso is a recent graduate of the University of Oklahoma who got interested in politics in high school after volunteering for state Sen. Michael Brooks campaign. 

House District 89 encompasses a heavily Hispanic area in south Oklahoma City. 

Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly listed the Republican primary runoff candidates in Senate District 28. The story has been updated.