Four legislative races to be decided in primary runoff elections on Tuesday

Some Oklahoma voters head to the polls on Tuesday to vote on state legislative races – four of which will be decided in primary election runoffs.

Other races will require a November general election contest. If the election has no opponent from another party, it’s likely that Republican voters will decide who wins the seat. The runoff races are all Republican.

Elections decided on Tuesday

House District 32 – In a district northeast of Oklahoma City, incumbent Rep. Kevin Wallace, chair of the House Appropriations and Budget Committee fights to keep his seat against Jim Shaw, an owner of a software company in the oil and gas industry. The race has grown contentious with infighting over who is more conservative and each side calling the other a liar. State ethics filings show that spending in the race is unusually high — more than $600,000 between both candidates. Wallace earned 41.7% of the vote while Jim Shaw gathered 45.8%.

House District 50 – Southeast of Lawton, this district race between Stacy Jo Adams and Andrew Aldridge will fill the seat of incumbent Rep. Marcus McEntire, who announced he would not seek reelection. Adams is an insurance agent and Aldridge is the statewide director of Peer Resolution for Oklahoma Students. Adams received 42.5% of the vote while Aldridge gathered 31.9%.

House District 53 – In this south metro area near Moore and Norman, Jason Blair and Nick Pokorny are running to fill the shoes of Rep. Mark McBride, who is term limited. In an echo of McBride's tenure as a state official, public education remains top of mind. City leaders are looking forward to continuing a positive, longstanding relationship with the next representative and focusing on economy. Blair got 33.2% of the vote while Pokorny received 32.4%.

House District 60 – West of Oklahoma City, new candidates Mike Kelley and Ron Lynch will vie for the seat of Rep. Rhonda Baker, who decided not to seek reelection. Public education is a priority in this district as well as infrastructure and economy. Kelley received 41.7% of the votes while Lynch received 21.8%.

More: Supporters of a hotel tax increase in OKC say it would promote tourism. Will it be enough?

Elections decided in the November General Election

Senate District 3 – In a large area east of Tulsa, incumbent Sen. Blake Cowboy Stephens v. Julie McIntosh. Stephens serves on the Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget, while McIntosh is an experienced doctor in family medicine and worked as a medical director for Muskogee and Okmulgee counties’ health departments. Stephens received 38% of the vote while McIntosh received 37.4%. The winner will face Independent candidate Margaret Cook.

Senate District 15 – Covering a majority of Cleveland County, Lisa Standridge v. Robert C. Keyes. Standridge is running for the seat of her husband, Sen. Rob Standridge, who is term limited. Keyes is president and CEO of Associated Environmental Industries – an environmental drilling and construction company in Norman. Standridge received 34.3% of the votes while Keyes received 26.7%. The winner will face Democratic candidate Elizabeth Foreman.

Senate District 33 – East of Tulsa, Christi Gillespie and Shelley Gwartney are in the race for the seat of Sen. Nathan Dahm, who is term limited. Gillespie is vice mayor and a council member for Broken Arrow, while Gwartney is a creative advisor for small businesses in Broken Arrow and an education activist for Moms for Liberty , according to NonDoc. Gillespie won 44.3% of the vote while Gwartney won 24.9%. The winner will face Democratic candidate Bob Willis.

Senate District 47 – In the area covering most of Edmond, Kelly Hines and Jenny Schmitt are contending for Speaker Pro Tem Greg Treat’s seat. Candidates talked about their concerns on education, economy and taxes in Oklahoma. Hines gathered 37.5% of the vote and Schmitt gathered 31.3% of votes. The winner will face Democratic candidate Erin Brewer.

House District 20 -- South of Oklahoma City near Newcastle and Blanchard, this district features Mike Whaley (28.8%) v. Jonathan Wilk (28.4%) running for a seat held by Sherrie Conley, who is not running for reelection. The winner will face Democratic candidate Mitchell Jacob.

House District 98 – East of Tulsa near Broken Arrow, incumbent Rep. Dean Davis faces a reelection bid against newcomer Gabe Woolley. Davis was elected in 2018 and is a former teacher and coach. He was arrested in March 2023, accused of public intoxication, according to NonDoc . Woolley is a teacher at a charter school in Tulsa, and calls himself a “former member of the LGBTQ community,” according to NonDoc. Davis received 42.2% of the vote, while Woolley received 42.3%. The winner will face Democratic candidate Cathy Smythe.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Four legislative races to be decided in primary runoff elections on Tuesday