Oklahoma Republicans chose a new path for its state treasurer candidate and avoided a runoff in a six-way race for lieutenant governor.
State auditor Cindy Byrd upset incumbent Todd Russ by securing nearly 62% of the vote in Tuesday’s primary.
“Today was not just a win for our campaign — this is a win for every taxpayer in Oklahoma,” Byrd said in a statement. “Today marks a bold new beginning for the Treasurer’s office.”
Byrd, Oklahoma’s first female state auditor and inspector, earned a reputation for tough forensic investigative audits. Her work led to pending criminal charges against Epic Charter Schools leaders and criminal cases related to fraud and mismanagement in Tulsa Public Schools.
She undercovered more than $186 million in misspent or undocumented federal pandemic-era funds that threatened the state with massive penalties. She issued a compliance warning to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services for its 10.9% error rate in administering SNAP benefits that could lead to federal penalties up to $250 million.
“The voters have spoken and they have given us a mandate. That mandate is to implement an unparalleled level of transparency, oversight, and accountability for every tax dollar the state collects and for every tax dollar it spends,” her statement said. “I want every voter to know I will protect their money and never stop searching for fraud, waste, and abuse in Oklahoma state government.”
Byrd, a certified public accountant living in Coalgate, campaigned on promises to implement top-to-bottom reviews of state healthcare agencies, reduce government waste and inefficiency and support policies that help Oklahoman businesses grow and stay here.
She ended her election night statement by thanking Russ for “running a spirited and challenging campaign” and asking for his support in the November general election.
Russ, a banker from Cordell, was first elected as state treasurer in 2022 after terming out as an Oklahoma House member.
Byrd will face Libertarian Kiefer Perry in the Nov. 3 general election.
Ballot for lieutenant governor is set
Former lawmaker T.W. Shannon broke away from a crowded Republican field for lieutenant governor by getting nearly 54% of the vote, avoiding a runoff.
“The voters of Oklahoma made a statement tonight,” Shannon told his supporters after his victory.
The seat opened up after Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell termed out of the office. He announced in March that he was stepping away from politics and into a new role as president of Tulsa’s Oral Roberts University.
Shannon, who received an endorsement from President Donald Trump, returned to politics after a 12-year hiatus. He served in the Oklahoma House from 2006 to 2024. As a Chickasaw citizen, he was the fourth Indigenous lawmaker to hold the chamber’s top position.
He worked as the chief administrative officer for Chickasaw Nation Enterprises and CEO of the Chickasaw Community Bank in Oklahoma City.
Shannon entered races for U.S. Senate but lost to James Lankford in 2014 and again in 2022 to Markwayne Mullin.
A former chairman of Black Voices for Trump, Shannon made campaign promises of “stopping radical left policies that raise costs and expand bureaucracy, cutting red tape that kills jobs and opportunity, defending merit, work, and accountability in government and making sure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.”
“When we entered this campaign, we did it because we believe that Oklahoma’s best days are still in front of us,” Shannon said. “As we approach this general election, we’re taking this same energy, the same focus and the same message to people who may not have heard our message before.”
He will now face Democrat Kelly Forbes in the Nov. 3 general election.
