Primary Election Preview

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August 22, 2022

By News Director Jared Atha

Voters will be heading to their local prescient tomorrow to narrow down the candidate pool for several federal and state offices in Oklahoma.

Locally, voters in the Elk City School District will be voting on a transportation bond issue that, if passed, could bring the district up to 10 brand new buses, two of those being activity buses.

Major races taking the next step toward the general election in November include state superintendent of public instruction, state treasurer, U.S. Sentate and U.S. House.

Term-limited state representative Todd Russ of Cordell will face former State Tax Commission Chairman Clark Jolley in the Republican runoff.

Russ is currently serving his sixth term in the state House, representing District 55.

Jolley served 12 years as a state senator and as the State’s Secretary of Finance.

The winning candidate will face Democrat Charles De Coune and Libertarian Gregory Sadler in November.

Elsewhere, in the race to replace retiring U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe, Congressman Markwayne Mullin is facing former state House speaker T.W. Shannon. The two candidates outlasted a field of 13 in the primary election.

The eventual nominee will face former Democratic Congresswoman Kendra Horn, Libertarian candidate Robert Murphy and Independent candidate Ray Woods in the November general election.

In Oklahoma’s other Senate race, incumbent Senator James Lankford won his primary race in June.

Still needing to be decided is the Democratic challenger between Oklahoma City lawyer, and Merritt High School alum Jason Bollinger, and Stilwell-native Madison Horn. The winner of that runoff will appear on the ballot against Lankford, Libertarian Kenneth Blevins and Independent Michael Delaney in the November general election.

State Secretary of Education Ryan Walters will face Shawnee Public Schools Superintendent April Grace in the Republican runoff for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. The winner squares off against Democrat Jena Nelson in November.

Got a news tip? Send it in: Email news@kecofm.com

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