Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Republicans launch rescue mission in Oklahoma governor race
PoliticoDonald Trump won Oklahoma by over 30 points in 2020 — but Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is still getting last-minute help to close out his reelection bid.
Stitt has been deadlocked in a string of recent public polls in the state with Democrat Joy Hofmeister, the state superintendent of education, who switched parties at the end of last year to launch her gubernatorial bid. Some surveys released since the beginning of the month have even shown Hofmeister with a narrow lead over the incumbent governor.
Against that backdrop, the Republican Governors Association announced a “seven figure” ad buy in support of Stitt — the second time the committee has rushed money into the state this cycle, after a group affiliated with the RGA bought ad time boosting him during the primary.
Stitt has faced a surprisingly robust wave of television ads attacking him over the last two years, which his allies point to as the reason why he is locked in a close contest. According to data from AdImpact, an ad tracking firm, over $7 million in advertising has been booked by groups either attacking Stitt or boosting Hofmeister in the general election, with an additional $1 million from her campaign. That’s on top of the at least $6 million more that other organizations spent against Stitt in the GOP primary, which he ultimately won comfortably.
And in an unusual display of unity in the state, the leaders of Oklahoma’s five largest Native American tribes all endorsed Hofmeister earlier this month, calling this year’s gubernatorial contest “the most important in generations for all Oklahomans” in a joint statement.
Stitt has been deadlocked in a string of recent public polls in the state with Democrat Joy Hofmeister, the state superintendent of education, who switched parties at the end of last year to launch her gubernatorial bid. Some surveys released since the beginning of the month have even shown Hofmeister with a narrow lead over the incumbent governor.
Against that backdrop, the Republican Governors Association announced a “seven figure” ad buy in support of Stitt — the second time the committee has rushed money into the state this cycle, after a group affiliated with the RGA bought ad time boosting him during the primary.
Stitt has faced a surprisingly robust wave of television ads attacking him over the last two years, which his allies point to as the reason why he is locked in a close contest. According to data from AdImpact, an ad tracking firm, over $7 million in advertising has been booked by groups either attacking Stitt or boosting Hofmeister in the general election, with an additional $1 million from her campaign. That’s on top of the at least $6 million more that other organizations spent against Stitt in the GOP primary, which he ultimately won comfortably.
And in an unusual display of unity in the state, the leaders of Oklahoma’s five largest Native American tribes all endorsed Hofmeister earlier this month, calling this year’s gubernatorial contest “the most important in generations for all Oklahomans” in a joint statement.