President Donald Trump’s plan to nominate Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma as Homeland Security secretary will create a Senate vacancy in the deep-red state, triggering a gubernatorial appointment and a competitive race for the open seat in November, the Associated Press reported Thursday.
Gov. Kevin Stitt said he will appoint Mullin’s replacement under a new state law granting the governor that authority. “I will look to appoint a strong, small government conservative voice to support President Trump,” Stitt said in a statement Thursday.
The vacancy is expected to set off a series of political developments in Oklahoma. Under the new state law, whoever Stitt appoints to fill the seat will not be permitted to run in the November election — a restriction lawmakers said was designed to prevent the appointee from capitalizing on the advantages of incumbency.
Mullin’s Senate service began in 2022, when he was elected to fill the unexpired term of the late Sen. Jim Inhofe, who stepped down before his term ended. Mullin has not completed a full six-year term.
Oklahoma’s three-day filing period for the Senate seat begins April 1. Among those expected to consider the race are U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern of Tulsa, U.S. Rep. Stephanie Bice of Oklahoma City, and former Oklahoma House Speaker T.W. Shannon, who lost to Mullin in a Republican primary runoff in 2022. Republicans are heavily favored to retain control of the seat.