Oklahoma voters tap Trump-backed candidate to serve as next lieutenant governor

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma voters on Tuesday chose President Donald Trump’s pick to become the state’s next lieutenant governor.

T.W. Shannon defeated Democrat Kelly Forbes. 

Shannon, 48, who has long been a Trump supporter, won an early endorsement from the president. Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who has held the role for the past eight years, cannot run again due to term limits.

Shannon was elected to the state House in 2006, and in 2013 became the first Chickasaw and Black legislators to serve as Oklahoma’s House speaker. 

He’s previously launched two unsuccessful bids for U.S. Senate, losing to both U.S. Sen. James Lankford and former U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin.

A former community bank CEO, Shannon’s campaign website says he is a senior adviser in Trump’s administration. He’s pledged to prioritize “growing Oklahoma’s economy and creating opportunity.”

In addition to breaking ties in the state Senate, the lieutenant governor serves on several key committees including the Board of Equalization, which determines how much money the Legislature has to spend, and the Commissioners of Land, which manages state lands and mineral interests, and distributes about $100 million each year to public education.