2022 Oklahoma Attorney General election explained

Election Name:2022 Oklahoma Attorney General election
Country:Oklahoma
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2018 Oklahoma Attorney General election
Previous Year:2018
Next Election:2026 Oklahoma Attorney General election
Next Year:2026
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Image1:File:Gentner Drummond 2024 (cropped).jpg
Nominee1:Gentner Drummond
Popular Vote1:792,466
Percentage1:73.76%
Party2:Libertarian Party (United States)
Nominee2:Lynda Steele
Popular Vote2:281,923
Percentage2:26.24%
Attorney General
Before Election:John O'Connor
Before Party:Republican Party (US)
After Election:Gentner Drummond
After Party:Republican Party (US)

The 2022 Oklahoma Attorney General election took place on November 8, 2022, to elect the next attorney general of Oklahoma. The primary election was scheduled for Tuesday, June 28, 2022.[1] The candidate filing deadline was April 15, 2022.[2]

Appointed incumbent Republican Attorney General John O'Connor sought election to a full term, but lost his party's nomination to Gentner Drummond. No Democratic candidates filed to run for the position. Lynda Steele was the Libertarian nominee. Drummond won the November general election.[3]

Republican primary

John M. O'Connor was the incumbent attorney general after being appointed by Governor Kevin Stitt.[4] The seat had been vacated after Michael J. Hunter resigned due to an infidelity scandal.[5] Gentner Drummond, who had narrowly lost to Hunter in 2018, challenged O'Connor in the Republican primary. Drummond campaigned as being independent of Governor Stitt.[6] The aftermath of McGirt v. Oklahoma was a dominant issue in the campaign.[7] O'Connor argued that litigation to overturn or winnow the ruling in McGirt was warranted, whereas Drummond advocated compacting and negotiating with tribal nations. The candidates also differed in their opinions on whether Congress should disestablish certain reservations at issue, with Drummond opposing such action). During the June 16 Republican primary debate, O'Connor called Drummond a "Democrat in Republican clothing."[8] O'Connor ran ads attacking Drummond for a donation of $1,000 by Drummond to the Joe Biden Presidential campaign in 2020 as well as Drummond's history of giving to Democratic candidates. Drummond claimed that the donation to Biden's campaign was made by his wife and provided receipts showing the donation was later refunded. The Tulsa World reported that Drummond's last donation to a non-Republican candidate for federal office was to Matt Silverstein's 2014 United States Senate campaign.[9] In the final month of the primary, over $1 million in dark money was spent on ads opposing O'Connor's candidacy.[10] Drummond defeated O'Connor in the primary with 50.9% of the vote.[11]

Candidates

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Polling

Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size
Margin
of error
Gentner
Drummond
John M.
O'Connor
OtherUndecided
SoonerPollJune 13–21, 2022350 (LV)± 5.2%47%18%35%
Amber Integrated (R)June 6–9, 2022400 (LV)± 4.9%41%28%30%
SoonerPollApril 25 – May 11, 2022306 (LV)± 5.6%41%23%36%
Amber Integrated (R)March 24–27, 2022455 (LV)± 4.6%37%16%47%
Amber Integrated (R)December 15–19, 2021253 (RV)± 6.2%16%24%4%56%
Amber Integrated (R)September 29 – October 3, 2021253 (RV)± 6.2%16%33%8%43%

Results

General election

Candidates

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
Sabato's Crystal Ball[14] September 14, 2022
Elections Daily[15] November 1, 2022

Results

See also

Notes

Partisan clients

External links

Official campaign websites

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2022 Oklahoma Elections-Voter Information Calendar . oklahoma.gov . Oklahoma State Election Board . 18 July 2021.
  2. Web site: 2022 Statutory Election Dates and Deadlines . oklahoma.gov . Oklahoma State Election Board . 13 October 2021.
  3. News: Overall . Michael . Pinnell leads GOP wave on down-ballot races . 9 November 2022 . . 8 November 2022.
  4. News: Krehbiel . Randy . Tulsan John O'Connor named attorney general . 25 July 2021 . Tulsa World . 24 July 2021.
  5. News: Mike Hunter resigning as Oklahoma Attorney General . 2 June 2021 . Oklahoma Eagle . 29 May 2021.
  6. Web site: Gentner Drummond to face John O'Connor in Oklahoma Republican AG primary. Ben . Felder. The Oklahoman . April 17, 2022 . June 30, 2022.
  7. News: Beaudoin . D . Incumbent O'Connor faces challenger Drummond in Republican primary for Oklahoma attorney general . July 15, 2022 . Longview News-Journal . June 24, 2022 .
  8. News: Patterson . Matt . Oklahoma AG candidates brawl in heated debate . July 7, 2022 . Non Doc . June 17, 2022.
  9. News: Krehbiel . Randy . Oklahoma AG Candidates On Spotlight on Refunded Biden Donation Draws Ad Firing Back . July 6, 2022 . Tulsa World . May 14, 2022.
  10. News: Monies . Paul . Oklahoma Watch: In many Oklahoma races, outside groups are outspending candidates . July 20, 2022 . Talequah Daily Press . July 3, 2022.
  11. News: Savage . Tres . Gentner Drummond ousts John O'Connor in attorney general primary . 29 June 2022 . NonDoc . 28 June 2022.
  12. News: Schaefer . Ralph . Renaissance man: A Tulsa lawyer, entrepreneur recounts his varied career . 25 June 2022 . Tulsa World . 14 March 2013.
  13. Web site: Felder . Ben . Gentner Drummond returns to AG race to face John O'Connor in Oklahoma Republican primary . 2022-05-11 . The Oklahoman . en-US.
  14. Web site: The Attorneys General: A Dozen Races Dot the Competitive Landscape . Sabato's Crystal Ball . September 14, 2022 . September 15, 2022.
  15. Web site: Elections Daily Secretary of State Ratings . Solomon . Zack . Elections Daily . November 7, 2022 . November 29, 2022.