Trump-backed Mike Mazzei wins the GOP nomination in the Oklahoma governor’s race

Former state Sen. Mike Mazzei has secured the Republican nomination for governor in Oklahoma, NBC News projects, a victory for President Donald Trump’s preferred candidate.

Mazzei narrowly defeated state Attorney General Gentner Drummond by about 2,000 votes in the GOP primary runoff.

The initial June primary was also tight. Drummond finished in first place by just more than 1,000 votes over Mazzei. Since no candidate in the crowded field secured a majority, the race went to a runoff.

In the weeks leading up to the runoff, Drummond outraised and outspent Mazzei, with his campaign reporting last week that he brought in $2.3 million between the mid-June primary and Tuesday’s runoff. Mazzei, in the same time period, raised $816,000.

Both candidates have also loaned their campaigns significant sums: $11 million for Mazzei and $3 million for Drummond.

Trump first endorsed Mazzei in May in the race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt and continued to reiterate his support for the former state lawmaker.

In a post on Truth Social last week, Trump praised Mazzei and criticized Drummond, writing, “Drummond is not the right guy. He’s got a bad attitude, and he doesn’t stand for the Values of Oklahoma, which must VOTE FOR ‘MIKE MAZZEI FOR GOVERNOR,’ on Tuesday, August 25th.”

Drummond also drew the president’s ire for suing to block the construction of the largest aluminum smelter in the country in Inola, Oklahoma, citing environmental and public health concerns.

“He wants to dethrone a magnificent, Job producing, desperately needed, and brand new, Aluminum Plant that will be one of the best projects ever conceived or built, not only in the Great State of Oklahoma, but in the United States, itself,” Trump wrote in the Truth Social post earlier this month.

Mazzei, on the other hand, supports construction of the plant.

This week, Drummond also broke with the president on his decision last week to waive tariffs on some beef imports in an attempt to lower beef prices in the U.S.

“I think Oklahoma and I are supportive of President Trump and many of his policies. I do think the majority of Oklahomans would agree that the tariffs are too far, that importing cheap beef only injures Oklahoma’s cattlemen, ranchers and farmers,” Drummond told NewsNation, echoing the concerns of GOP lawmakers in the House and Senate from states with large cattle-ranching communities.

While Trump’s endorsement remains the most coveted in GOP politics, he has had some stumbles, particularly in governor’s races. Five gubernatorial candidates he has backed this year failed to win their primaries.

With his victory Tuesday, Mazzei is the heavy favorite to win November’s general election, given the state’s deeply Republican voter base. He’ll face Democratic state Rep. Cyndi Munson in the general election.