Oklahoma’s Party Switchers Shape Runoff | Oklahoma City News

Over 1,300 Democrats and nearly 2,000 independents in Oklahoma are switching to Republican just before the deadline — a massive shift fueled by the state’s closed primary system. With the GOP governor’s runoff heating up between moderate Attorney General Gentner Drummond and far-right challenger Mike Mazzei, these new voters could tip the balance. Drummond’s focus on education and healthcare resonates with many of them, while Mazzei’s tax-cutting stance and Trump endorsement attract his base. One voter, Chad McNaughton, switched parties solely to back Drummond — a trend analysts say may favor the moderate candidate. As the runoff narrows to a small group of voters, this episode exposes the tension between closed primaries and expanding participation — with the winner set to face off against Democratic and independent candidates in November. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/544b3fdc6fa90ac6