In Oklahoma, GOP mortgage executive will face former state attorney general in governor race


Kevin Stitt, a political newcomer and owner of a private mortgage company, won Oklahoma's Republican gubernatorial primary runoff on Tuesday, beating Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett. Stitt, 45, will face Democrat Drew Edmondson, a former state attorney general, in November. Gov. Mary Fallin (R) is stepping down due to term limits. Stitt ran on his record building up Gateway Mortgage Group into a large national lender, but he also faced negative ads highlighting the role his company played in the 2008 mortgage crisis. Polls show a competitive race.
In northeast Oklahoma, local McDonald's franchisee Kevin Hern will face Tulsa attorney Tim Gilpin for the U.S. House seat vacated by recently appointed NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. Republicans have held the seat for three decades.
Meanwhile, six incumbent Republican state House members were voted out on Tuesday, and all of them voted against a tax hike on fuel, cigarettes, and energy producers used to finance a pay raise for teachers, The Associated Press reports. Seven Republicans who voted against the tax are not seeking re-election, and two others were defeated in the first-round primary.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
July 13 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include new TSA rules, FEMA cuts, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy complimenting Donald Trump's new wardrobe
-
5 weather-beaten cartoons about the Texas floods
Cartoons Artists take on funding cuts, politicizing tragedy, and more
-
What has the Dalai Lama achieved?
The Explainer Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader has just turned 90, and he has been clarifying his reincarnation plans
-
Trump set to hit Canada with 35% tariffs
Speed Read The president accused Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney of failing to stop the cross-border flow of fentanyl
-
Mahmoud Khalil files $20M claim over ICE detention
Speed Read This is the 'first damages complaint' brought by an individual targeted by the Trump's administration's 'crackdown' on Gaza war protesters
-
Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariffs
Speed Read He accused Brazil's current president of leading a 'witch hunt' against far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro
-
AI scammer fakes Rubio messages to top officials
Speed Read The unknown individual mimicked Rubio in voice and text messages sent to multiple government officials
-
SCOTUS greenlights Trump's federal firings
speed read The Trump administration can conduct mass federal firings without Congress' permission, the Supreme Court ruled
-
New tariffs set on 14 trading partners
Speed Read A new slate of tariffs will begin August 1 on imports from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and more
-
Elon Musk launching 'America Party'
Speed Read The tech mogul promised to form a new political party if Trump's megabill passed Congress
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling