Josh Brecheen

While Democrats have gained control of Congress amid national backlash over the war with Iran, affordability issues and data centers, they failed to flip any federal seats in Oklahoma where Republicans won out.

Incumbent U.S. Reps. Tom Cole (R-OK4), Josh Brecheen (R-OK2) and Frank Lucas (R-OK3) were reelected resoundingly. Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-OK5) narrowly won reelection, while state Rep. Mark Tedford (R-Tulsa) secured the 1st Congressional District by a little more than 10,000 votes. Current Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK1) will move across the Capitol complex into a Senate office after defeating Democrat N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas and other challengers.

All election results are unofficial until certified by the Oklahoma State Election Board.

A McDonald’s franchisee-turned member of Congress, Hern will fill the Senate seat vacated by Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin and temporarily filled by former Williams Companies CEO Alan Armstrong.

With 98 percent of precincts reporting, Hern secured 57.30 percent support (626,824 votes), while Thomas received 39.20 percent (428,791 votes). The remaining 3.51 percent was split among Libertarian Sevier White and independents Ron Meinhardt and Curtis Stinnett.

Hern made his way to the general election rather handily, securing nearly 70 percent of the vote in a five-way Republican primary.

“I am incredibly humbled by the overwhelming support we have received across the state and grateful to every Oklahoman who placed their trust in me to continue fighting for them,” Hern said in a statement posted on Facebook.

During his campaign, Hern and Armstrong’s disagreement over when the next-elected senator would take office prompted an opinion from Attorney General Gentner Drummond that cleared the way — barring litigation — for Hern to take office as soon as the election results are certified.

Hern has been a mainstay in the inner workings of the House Republican Caucus for years. In 2023, during a protracted intra-caucus battle for the House speakership, Hern was one of many members to make a run. Ultimately, he fell short, but his profile continued to grow as he later became chairman of the Republican Study Committee and later the House Republican Policy Committee, two bodies that influence the direction of the Republican Caucus.

Hern said in an interview ahead of the election that he hopes to help with the Senate’s recent inability to move legislation by bringing best practices from the House to the historically more mature chamber. However, he will enter the Senate in the minority party after Democrats dominated national electoral results.

Running to replace one of the more high-profile, high-influence members of the Oklahoma delegation as he moves to the U.S. Senate, Rep. Mark Tedford, a two-term member of the Oklahoma Legislature, defeated Democrat John Croisant with 52.32 percent (121,260 votes).

Croisant secured 47.68 percent support (110,521 votes). Tedford made his way to the CD 1 general election through a crowded primary field that prompted a runoff election against Tulsa pastor Jackson Lahmeyer. Tedford cruised through the runoff as Lahmeyer withdrew from the race amid revelations of an inappropriate relationship with a former Miss Oklahoma.

According to his campaign website, Tedford hopes to address affordability, illegal immigration, government “waste, fraud and abuse,” rebuilding the economy and defending “faith, family and freedom.” Tedford was elected to the Oklahoma House in 2022 when he ran unopposed. He is a career insurance agent.

Rep. Josh Brecheen cruised past two challengers Tuesday to secure his reelection for a third term. When he originally ran in 2022, Brecheen pledged to limit himself to a maximum of eight years — or four terms — in Congress.

On Tuesday, Brecheen secured 68 percent support (143,983 votes) to Democrat Brandon Wade’s 28.97 percent (61,378 votes) and independent Ronnie Hopkins’ 3.1 percent (6,513 votes).

Brecheen, who is a vocal member of the House Freedom Caucus and who helped launch the Oklahoma Freedom Caucus that operates at the State Capitol, is focused on many hardline conservative priorities. A fiscal hawk concerned about the nation’s deficit, Brecheen emphasizes a need to “drain the swamp,” supports President Donald Trump and stop the “government’s runaway spending,” according to his campaign website.

Rep. Frank Lucas breezed to his 17th term as a member of Congress. Lucas defeated Democrat Suzie Byrd with 63.97 percent support (122,138 votes). Byrd secured 36.03 percent (68,787 votes).

Lucas, a highly influential member especially in terms of agricultural policy, has become a “conservative voice of reason” among members of Congress during his tenure, according to his campaign website.

Rep. Tom Cole, chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, once again defeated his challengers with ease. Cole has occupied Oklahoma’s CD 4 seat since 2003, has routinely been challenged, but rarely has the challenge been much of a fight.

Cole secured 61.62 percent support (75,673 votes) Tuesday. Democrat Mitchell Jacob grabbed 35.70 percent (43,835 votes), and independent Rocco Bonacci secured 2.68 percent (3,295 votes).

As of the publication of this article, not all Cleveland County votes had been counted. Technical issues caused the delay, according to the State Election Board. (The technical issues have also delayed results in Comanche County, which falls within CD 4 as well.)

In addition to his high-profile appropriations role, Cole — a Chickasaw Nation citizen — has positioned himself as a “leader on issues dealing with Native Americans and tribal governments,” according to his campaign website.

Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-OK5) edged out a victory against Democrat Jena Nelson and two independents — Robert Henri and Austin Nieves.

National Democrats aimed to boost Nelson’s chances late with an influx of cash and staff, but the efforts ultimately fell short in a race that finished with a 1.27 percent margin. Nelson outpaced Bice in Oklahoma County, but she fell flat in Canadian, Logan, Lincoln, Seminole and Pottawatomie counties. CD 5 was redrawn following the 2020 U.S. census to exclude a portion of southwest Oklahoma City and add more traditionally Republican areas around Oklahoma County.

Bice secured 49.49 percent support (130,972 votes), and Nelson garnered 48.22 percent (127,608 votes). The two independents secured the remaining 2.29 percent (6,067 votes).

According to her campaign website, Bice is focused on a variety of mainstay Republican policies, such as defending the border, cutting federal spending and securing American energy as she heads into her fourth term.

Kevin Eagleson joined NonDoc's newsroom in August 2025 to cover education in Oklahoma. An Oklahoma City native, Eagleson graduated from the University of Oklahoma in May 2025 with degrees in journalism and political science.