President Trump escalated his involvement in Oklahoma's Republican gubernatorial runoff on Tuesday, branding Attorney General Gentner Drummond a "fake Republican" and doubling down on his endorsement of former state Senator Mike Mazzei ahead of the August 25 vote.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump repeated his backing for Mazzei, who finished a close second to Drummond in the June primary. The president's attack focused on Drummond's opposition to a proposed aluminum smelter in the state—a project Trump has championed as a major economic win. As attorney general, Drummond filed a lawsuit to block the facility, which would be the largest of its kind in the U.S. Critics of the project, including Drummond, argue it poses risks to local communities and land, and would grant excessive influence to Dubai-based Emirates Global Aluminum.
Trump also revived allegations that Drummond contributed to former President Joe Biden and the anti-Trump Lincoln Project. Drummond's campaign has reportedly said those donations were made in his wife's name, as reported by The Frontier. Trump further claimed Drummond had "no opinion" on his impeachment, which Trump called "BOGUS" and referenced himself as "a young and very handsome gentleman."
The runoff has become a bitter contest, with both candidates trading barbs. Drummond finished just under a percentage point ahead of Mazzei in the primary, despite Trump's last-minute endorsement of Mazzei. Each captured roughly a quarter of the vote, while more than half a dozen other contenders split the remainder.
Drummond has suggested that Mazzei would not have advanced without Trump's backing, a point he made in comments to the Oklahoma Voice. The winner of the runoff is heavily favored to win the general election in November, given Oklahoma's deep Republican leanings and Trump's strong performance in the state in both of his presidential campaigns.
The race is being watched as a test of Trump's endorsement power in the midterm cycle. According to Decision Desk HQ, four of the 12 Trump-endorsed candidates in open gubernatorial races have lost so far this cycle. This Oklahoma contest could further define that record.
Mazzei has faced questions about whether payments to Trump confidante Roger Stone influenced the president's endorsement. Mazzei's campaign paid Stone nearly $70,000 for consulting services, a fact Mazzei has defended. This week, Mazzei released a drug test result—negative, according to the Oklahoma Voice—after Drummond challenged him to do so. Drummond, who also took a test, accused Mazzei of misleading voters by only completing one type of test.
The runoff is one of several high-stakes gubernatorial contests this year, and the outcome could signal how Trump's influence holds in Republican primaries. As governors' races emerge as a key battleground, the Oklahoma race may offer a preview of the political dynamics heading into the next election cycle.
