Thomas and Priest advance to runoff in Oklahoma Democratic Senate primary

With no candidate securing a majority in Oklahoma's 2026 Democratic Senate primary, N'kiyla Jasmine Thomas and Jim Priest advanced to a runoff. The two will compete on August 25 for the Democratic nomination against Republican Kevin Hern.

Scraper SystemJune 17, 2026, 07:28 PM

Thomas and Priest advance to runoff in Oklahoma Democratic Senate primary

In Oklahoma's 2026 Democratic Senate primary, no candidate secured a majority of the vote, forcing the race into a runoff. N'kiyla Jasmine Thomas and Jim Priest will face off in the August 25 runoff election.

Thomas led the field with 45% of the vote. Jim Priest, a pastor and attorney, came in second with about 24% support.

Under Oklahoma law, if no candidate exceeds 50%, the top two finishers proceed to a runoff. Voters will return to the polls to determine the Democratic nominee.

The Democratic winner will face Republican Kevin Hern for the open Senate seat. Hern secured the Republican nomination outright after easily winning his primary without a runoff.

Hern has the backing of Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, underscoring the strong Republican footing in the race.

The seat was previously held by Alan Armstrong, who was appointed to replace Markwayne Mullin. Armstrong was unable to run for a full term due to state law.

Oklahoma is a deeply Republican state, where Trump won by nearly double digits in 2024. A Democrat has not won a Senate election in the state in over 35 years.

Given this landscape, national Democrats are reportedly not investing heavily in the race, with the party viewing the seat as unlikely to flip.

Priest previously ran unsuccessfully for Oklahoma attorney general in 2010, losing by 20 points. He also served as an executive at Goodwill Industries of Central Oklahoma and Sunbeam Family Services.

The financial disparity in the race is notable. Hern has a campaign war chest of $6.8 million, while Priest entered June with $117,000 and Thomas with just over $546 in cash on hand.

Online visibility for the two candidates has been limited. Priest's X account had only 20 followers as of Tuesday, while Thomas's campaign account had just over 160 followers.

Other candidates in the Democratic primary included businessman Troy Green and retired professor and attorney R. O. Cassity Jr., but Thomas and Priest emerged as the top two.

Thomas and Priest advance to runoff in Oklahoma Democratic Senate primary