The Oklahoma gubernatorial race is heating up following President Donald Trump’s recent endorsement of Mike Mazzei. A poll by JMC Analytics and Polling suggests Trump’s endorsement may have boosted Mazzei’s support among likely Republican primary voters, with 12 days remaining before voting begins. Previously, Mazzei had seldom been a frontrunner in various surveys conducted by different pollsters this year.
The new poll indicates Mazzei securing 24 percent of the hypothetical vote, compared to Attorney General Gentner Drummond’s 20 percent. Former State Senator Jake Merrick received 12 percent, ex-Secretary of Public Safety Chip Keating got 10 percent, and former Speaker of the House Charles McCall garnered 7 percent. A few candidates received less than 3 percent, and 25 percent remain undecided.
“We earned Donald Trump’s endorsement because our conservative policy goals are aligned with his,” Mazzei stated. “President Trump and I share the mission to lower taxes, eliminate fraud, and build a robust economy for all.” Mazzei expressed optimism about increasing support after gaining Trump’s backing.
In related developments, Newsweek sought comments from Drummond’s campaign. The survey showed that among undecided voters, 11 percent lean toward Mazzei, 6 percent toward Keating, 5 percent toward Drummond, and 3 percent toward Merrick or McCall. Notably, 68 percent remain undecided.
The poll, conducted on June 2 and June 3 among 550 likely Republican primary voters, has a margin of error of 4.18 percent. In recent primaries, candidates favored by Trump have often succeeded in competitive races. However, some candidates like Republican Senator Bill Cassidy and Congressman Thomas Massie have lost despite Trump’s backing. This week, Trump’s supported candidate, Representative Randy Feenstra, conceded in Iowa’s governor race.
When asked about the country’s most pressing issues, 30 percent cited inflation and living costs, while 23 percent emphasized border security and illegal immigration. Trump’s previous endorsement of Mazzei highlighted Mike’s alignment with ‘America First’ policies, aimed at job creation, tax reduction, and American energy dominance.
Rival polls provide varying views. A survey by NonDoc from May 21 to May 25 showed Mazzei with 22.1 percent, Drummond with 21.66 percent, and Keating with 21.44 percent. McCall attained double digits with 18.38 percent among 457 Oklahoma Republicans, having a 4.6 percent margin of error. Meanwhile, a poll by Cole Hargrave Snodgrass & Associates showed Drummond leading with 36 percent, compared to McCall’s 14 percent and both Keating and Mazzei at 13 percent. This poll, held from January 26 to January 30, included 600 Republican primary voters and had a 4.3 percent margin of error.
Earlier, co/efficient research in October placed McCall at 31 percent, with Drummond at 20 percent, Keating at 5 percent, Merrick at 3 percent, Mazzei at 1 percent, and 3 percent supporting other candidates, leaving 38 percent undecided.