Republican Kevin Hern has secured Oklahoma's open Senate seat, according to Decision Desk HQ projections. The victory was widely anticipated in the deeply conservative state, where Republicans hold every statewide office and dominate the congressional delegation.
Hern, who has represented Oklahoma's 1st Congressional District since 2018, entered the race after President Trump tapped then-Sen. Markwayne Mullin to lead the Department of Homeland Security in March. Mullin's departure created a vacancy that set off a competitive Republican primary, but Hern emerged as the establishment-backed front-runner and cruised to victory in the general election.
His opponent, Democrat N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas, a nurse and self-described democratic socialist, ran an underfunded campaign in a state that has not elected a Democrat to the Senate in decades. Despite her energetic grassroots effort, she faced an uphill battle against the state's deep Republican tilt.
Hern's campaign received a major boost from key Republican figures, including Gov. Kevin Stitt, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and Oklahoma's senior senator, James Lankford. Trump's endorsement, announced early in the primary, effectively cleared the field of serious challengers and solidified Hern's position as the party's standard-bearer.
In a related development, Stitt appointed Alan Armstrong to fill Mullin's seat temporarily. Under Oklahoma law, Armstrong is barred from running for the full term, which allowed Hern to compete for the seat without facing an incumbent appointed senator.
Hern's victory adds to the Republican wave in Oklahoma, where GOP nominee Kevin Mazzei won the governor's race with Trump's backing. The state also saw Republicans retain other key congressional seats, including the 1st District, which stayed in GOP hands with the win by Kevin Tedford.
During his time in the House, Hern served as chair of the House Republican Policy Committee and sat on the influential Ways and Means Committee, positions that gave him a prominent role in shaping tax and trade policy. His legislative record and fundraising prowess made him a formidable candidate for the Senate.
Before entering politics, Hern was a successful businessman, owning multiple McDonald's franchises across Oklahoma. His business background was a central theme of his campaign, as he emphasized his experience creating jobs and his commitment to conservative economic principles.
Hern's victory is part of a broader pattern in the 2026 midterms, where Republicans are defending a narrow Senate majority. The party has seen several incumbents win reelection, including Tennessee's Bill Hagerty and Colorado's John Hickenlooper, though the latter is a Democrat. The GOP's success in solidifying its base in red states like Oklahoma underscores the challenges Democrats face in expanding their map.
Hern will take office in January, filling the seat for a full six-year term. His arrival in the Senate is expected to bolster the conservative wing of the Republican conference, as he has consistently aligned with Trump's agenda and opposed Democratic initiatives.
