Mike Mazzei, with Trump’s backing, continues GOP dominance in Oklahoma governor win

OKLAHOMA CITY – Mike Mazzei will be Oklahoma’s next governor after a grueling race that saw the Republican contribute a record amount of his own money.

Mazzei, a Republican from Tulsa, defeated House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, and three independents on Tuesday.  

“It’s a tough night for Republicans across the country, but thank the Lord for Oklahoma,” Mazzei said, apparently referencing a series of high-profile GOP election losses in other parts of the U.S.

His supporters gathered at a watch party in Tulsa, which was briefly interrupted by a fire alarm. 

Mazzei, who once served as Gov. Kevin Stitt’s budget secretary, praised the legacy outgoing governor will leave. Stitt is in the final year of his second term and couldn’t run again due to term limits. 

“The sign of great leaders, everyone, is leaving things better off than you found it,” Mazzei said, adding that Stitt and his wife, Sarah, have done that.

Mazzei thanked his supporters and family.

“I want to applaud Representative Cyndi Munson,” Mazzei said. “She is a kind person and has worked incredibly hard and I thank her for serving our state as a legislator for the past 11 years.”

Mazzei was buoyed by an early endorsement by President Donald Trump and the record-setting $13 million Mazzei contributed. Mazzei previously told Oklahoma Voice that he did not know how he was going to repay the loans.

The new governor will earn $185,000 a year. 

Trump’s recent waning popularity in Oklahoma, where he won all 77 counties each of the three times he was on the ballot, didn’t appear to hurt Mazzei, despite complaints of high grocery and fuel prices. 

Trump in October campaigned for Mazzei and other Republicans at a rally in Durant.

Mazzei defeated Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond by a little more than 2,000 votes in the Aug. 25 Republican primary runoff.

Oklahoma and Tulsa counties, which are the state’s two most populous, both supported Munson, but Mazzei performed better in other areas of the state.

Mazzei is a former state senator and works as a financial adviser. 

In the Senate, Mazzei chaired the Finance Committee and championed elimination of ineffective tax preferences. 

His Senate service was hampered by a car accident in 2008, causing him to miss a significant number of votes. He broke his back and sustained nerve damage.

“I am definitely a walking miracle,” Mazzei said, adding that his story is one of triumph over tragedy.

Mazzei campaigned on elimination of the income tax, increasing student literacy, and lowering property taxes for seniors and veterans.

Munson had hoped to turn Trump’s declining popularity into votes in a state where Republicans outnumber Democrats 2-1 with nearly 500,000 independents.

She campaigned on affordability issues, healthcare and education. She supports abortion rights.

Her supporters gathered at a watch party in Oklahoma City.

“Unfortunately, tonight things did not go our way,” Munson said.

She said her campaign has a lot to be proud of and a lot to celebrate.

Munson previously worked at nonprofits and went to college on Oklahoma’s Promise, a scholarship program that provides lower-income students with free tuition.

Munson was raised by a single-father while Mazzei came from a military family.

Mazzei will be sworn into office in January as the state’s 29th governor.