OKLAHOMA CITY aEUR” In Oklahoma, incumbent Republican Gov. According to The Associated Press, Kevin Stitt won the Republican primary for Governor and Joy Hofmeister won the Democratic primary as State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Hofmeister changed her party affiliation last fall from Republican to Democrat, claiming that Stitt had taken over her old party. She criticised Stitt’s handling the pandemic, referring to his leadership as divisive.
Former President Donald Trump endorsed the governor. He has mostly stuck to his party line on guns, abortion, and other issues.
Hofmeister will be challenging Stitt in the general election, even though he is from a ruby state with more than half the registered Republicans and only a third of registered Democrats.
Stitt also stated that he would sign any bill opposing abortion that comes to his desk. He’s certainly done that. He signed into law, in May, the most restrictive abortion bill, effectively banning all abortions starting at fertilization.
However, Stitt’s administration has been under fire for misusing pandemic relief funds and improper pressure on the state’s parole and pardon board. Also, a scandal involving a local barbecue restaurant that operated restaurants in state parks.
Stitt is an enrolled Cherokee Nation citizen, but his tension with Oklahoma tribes after the McGirt-v. Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling has drawn the ire many, even those within his party. One lawmaker described Stitt’s treatment of tribes during a legislative battle with the governor as “racist” and “hateful” last month.
