Oklahoma voters head to the polls Tuesday with all five of the state's U.S. House seats on the ballot, but only one lacks an incumbent. Rep. Kevin Hern, a Republican who has represented the Tulsa metropolitan area since 2018, is not seeking reelection to the House; he is instead running for the Senate. That decision has thrown open a ruby-red district that Republicans are expected to retain but that nonetheless drew a competitive primary field.
The remaining four House members are all running for another term. Oklahoma's delegation is entirely Republican, and none of the other districts are considered competitive in the general election. Still, the open-seat contest in Hern's district will be closely watched as a measure of GOP factional dynamics in a state where the party dominates.
What to watch in the Tulsa-based district
The 1st Congressional District, which includes Tulsa and its suburbs, is heavily Republican. Former President Donald Trump carried it by a wide margin in 2020, and Hern won reelection in 2022 with more than 60 percent of the vote. The primary to replace him has attracted several candidates, including state officials and business figures, all vying to prove their conservative credentials.
Because the district is so reliably red, the primary is likely to determine the next representative. That has focused attention on local issues such as energy policy, inflation, and border security, as well as on the candidates' ties to Trump and their willingness to challenge the party establishment.
Hern's Senate bid reshapes the map
Hern's decision to run for the Senate follows the retirement of Sen. James Lankford? Actually, Lankford is not retiring; the original article does not specify why Hern is running for Senate. We should avoid speculation. The seat he is vacating is the only open House seat in Oklahoma this cycle. His Senate campaign will be covered separately as part of the state's broader 2026 elections, which include a governor's race that is also expected to draw national attention.
Republicans hold every statewide office in Oklahoma and control both chambers of the legislature. The party's dominance means that the general election in November is unlikely to change the partisan balance of the delegation, but the primaries will reveal the direction of the state GOP.
Polls close at 8 p.m. EST
Polls in Oklahoma close at 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Results will begin to flow shortly after, and Decision Desk HQ will provide live updates. For a broader look at how House races are unfolding across the country, see our hour-by-hour election night guide. Other states with competitive primaries or special elections this cycle include Colorado, where several districts are in play.
While Oklahoma's House races are not expected to be competitive in the fall, the outcomes will shape the state's congressional influence in Washington. With Hern leaving the House, the delegation will lose a member who has been a prolific fundraiser and a member of the Ways and Means Committee. His successor will inherit a safe seat but will need to build seniority from scratch.
Voters in the Tulsa area will also decide on local ballot measures and school board races, but the congressional primary is the main event. Turnout is expected to be modest, as is typical for a midterm primary without a statewide gubernatorial contest at the top of the ticket. Still, the results will offer an early indication of which factions within the Republican Party are gaining strength ahead of the 2028 presidential cycle.
Follow Decision Desk HQ's live results below as they come in.
