Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District Republican primary is headed for a runoff after no one in the crowded 14-candidate field surpassed 50 percent of the vote on June 28.
With more than 95 percent of the votes reported at 12:11 a.m. on June 29, former state representative Avery Frix received 14.7 percent of the vote and was projected to advance to the runoff.
His challenger in the runoff remained to be determined with roughly 600 votes separating Josh Breechen and John Bennett, in second and third place respectively.
Frix and his Republican opponent will meet in the August 23 runoff to determine who will face Democrat Naomi Andrews and independent Ben Robinson in November’s general election.
Oklahoma’s 2nd district includes most of eastern Oklahoma from Texas to Kansas. The House seat has been occupied since 2012 by Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), who stepped away from that role to run for Senate to replace retiring Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.)
Mullin also advanced to an August 23 runoff in a Republican primary that featured 10 candidates.
Quapaw Nation secretary-treasurer Guy Barker gave his campaign a $770,000 loan, the most money spent in the race.
John Bennett, a former Oklahoma state representative and former chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party, Cherokee Nation tribal councilor Wes Nofire, state representative Dustin Roberts, and Muskogee chief of police Johnny Teehee were also on the ballot.
Economy Pharmacy CEO Chris Schiller, former state representative David Derby, state Sen. Marty Quinn, retired Marine Clint Johnson, former Oklahoma state representative candidate Rhonda Hopkins, retired Army combat veteran Erick Wyatt, and former school superintendent and Marine Corp. contractor Pamela Gordon composed the remainder of the field.
All five of Oklahoma’s seats in the U.S. House are on the ballot this year.
In Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, incumbent Republican Rep. Kevin Hern was unopposed in the primary and will face Democrat Adam Martin and independent candidate Evelyn Rogers in November’s general election.
Hern, who sponsored the Defund Planned Parenthood Act, is endorsed by Trump.
Incumbent Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) won the 3rd Congressional District primary and will be opposed by Democrat Jeremiah Ross in November.
In the 4th Congressional District, incumbent Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), a member of the Chickasaw Nation who has held the seat since 2002, defeated Norman pastor James Taylor and Franke Blacke. He will face Democrat Mary Brannon in the general election.
Incumbent Republican Rep. Stephanie Bice, who twice voted against impeaching former President Donald Trump, prevailed in the 5th Congressional District primary. The former Oklahoma state senator will face Democrat Joshua Harris-Till and independent David Frosch in November.
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