How To Use This Guide

1. Pick the issues you care about. Rank the two or three that matter most to you, such as prices, health care, schools or immigration.
2. Find which office handles them. The U.S. House and U.S. Senate write federal law and set the federal budget, including Medicaid, Social Security and federal school funding, and the Senate also confirms federal judges and approves treaties. The two statewide questions would change the Oklahoma Constitution on how judicial candidates are screened and how fast property values can rise for tax purposes.
3. Compare the candidates. Read where each candidate stands on your top issues, then read the candidates’ own words and who funds each campaign.

The U.S. House Race

What This Office Does

U.S. House members serve two-year terms and vote on every federal law and the federal budget. All bills that raise taxes must start in the House. The 1st District is centered on Tulsa. The seat is open because Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK) is running for the U.S. Senate instead of a fifth House term, according to KOSU’s report on Hern’s announcement. Hern won the seat in 2024 with 60.4% of the vote to 34.5% for Democrat Dennis Baker. ​

The district uses the same lines as in 2022 and 2024, under the congressional map Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) signed on Monday, Nov. 22, 2021, according to Ballotpedia’s Oklahoma redistricting page. The Cook Political Report and Inside Elections rate the race Solid Republican, and Sabato’s Crystal Ball rates it Safe Republican, according to Ballotpedia’s race overview.

Candidates In Brief

Republican State Rep. Mark Tedford (R-Tulsa), 56, has worked in insurance since 1992 and is chief executive of Tedford Insurance, based in Jenks, according to NonDoc’s congressional roundup. Tedford graduated from Jenks High School and Missouri Southern State University and holds an MBA from the University of Tulsa and a master’s degree in Christian apologetics from Biola University, according to Tedford’s Ballotpedia profile. Tedford led the Tuesday, June 16 Republican primary with 32.2% of the vote to 25.9% for Tulsa pastor Jackson Lahmeyer. Lahmeyer withdrew the next day, and the Aug. 25 runoff was canceled, according to NonDoc’s report on Lahmeyer’s exit.

Democrat John Croisant, 49, was born in Tulsa and graduated from Jenks High School and the University of Tulsa, according to Croisant’s Ballotpedia profile. Croisant taught social studies at Edison Prep in Tulsa and coached girls soccer there from 2006 to 2018. Croisant also owns an Allstate insurance agency and serves on the Tulsa Public Schools board, according to NonDoc. Croisant ran for the Oklahoma House as a Republican in 2016 and lost the primary. This year, Croisant advanced to the general election without a primary vote after Erica Watkins withdrew from the Democratic primary.

Where They Stand

Prices and the economy. Tedford says “Families are paying more for groceries, energy, housing, and everyday necessities.” Tedford wants to reduce what Tedford calls inflationary federal spending, cut red tape for small businesses and lower energy costs. Tedford also wants to rebuild domestic manufacturing and “stop relying on foreign adversaries for pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and rare earth minerals.” Croisant says the costs of “healthcare, housing, childcare and other essentials are skyrocketing at a pace that working class Oklahomans cannot keep up with.” Croisant’s campaign issues page lists three cost proposals:

  • Expand the Child Tax Credit.
  • Keep the $35 monthly insulin cap for seniors.
  • Hold oil, gas and agriculture companies accountable for price hikes.

Health care and safety net programs. Tedford says “Programs like Medicaid and SNAP were created to help those in need, but lax standards, fraud, and abuse have expanded dependency and strained resources.” Tedford also says “Illegal immigrants should not receive taxpayer-funded benefits.” Croisant supports expanding access to Medicaid and Affordable Care Act subsidies “or a broader universal coverage model,” according to NonDoc.

Education. Croisant says “being 50th in education is not acceptable” and opposes shutting down the Department of Education. Croisant would send more federal school dollars to local districts. Croisant also supports a federal program to help teaching students “graduate debt-free” if they commit to five years in public schools. Tedford lists parental rights among Tedford’s priorities.

Immigration. Tedford’s campaign website calls for:

  • Strict enforcement of immigration laws.
  • An end to all benefits for people in the country illegally.
  • Deporting immigrants who commit crimes.

Croisant would shift Immigration and Customs Enforcement resources to immigration courts. Croisant would also create a path to citizenship for “long-term residents who pay taxes, contribute to their communities, and have built their lives here,” according to NonDoc.

Guns and abortion. Tedford pledges to “Protect the unborn” and “Defend the Second Amendment.” Croisant wants to stop illegal gun trafficking and supports “commonsense solutions that protect both public safety and individual rights.”

Ethics and term limits. Croisant would ban stock trading by government officials and says “I believe in term limits and will not serve more than 3 terms in the House of Representatives.” Croisant also wants to “End super PACs.” Tedford says “I believe government should answer to the people funding it and be held accountable for every dollar it spends.”

In Their Own Words

Mark Tedford, announcing the campaign on Wednesday, March 11:

“Washington doesn’t have a shortage of politicians. What it needs is leaders who understand how the real economy works and who are willing to stand up for the people who make this country run, just like President Trump.”

John Croisant, in a campaign statement on Thursday, Oct. 1:

“I’ll answer the tough questions. I’ll defend my positions, and I’ll listen when voters disagree with me.”

Questionnaires And Debates

Tedford and Croisant both completed Ballotpedia’s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Croisant first challenged Tedford to a debate in a Monday, Aug. 17 Facebook post and has kept pressing it, according to The Black Wall Street Times. Croisant said “You pick the venue. You pick the moderator. You pick the night. Just show up.” Tedford’s campaign did not respond to the outlet’s questions. Croisant’s campaign said no news organization or civic group had offered to host a debate as of Oct. 1.

Endorsements

After the primary, President Donald Trump switched an earlier endorsement of Lahmeyer to Tedford on Wednesday, June 17, calling Tedford an “America First Patriot,” according to NonDoc. Before the primary, the Tulsa County commissioners endorsed Tedford in a joint statement on Wednesday, May 27, according to Tedford’s campaign.

Tedford’s campaign also lists these endorsements, according to NonDoc:

  • Hern
  • Sen. James Lankford (R-OK)
  • The Tulsa police and firefighter lodges
  • Several suburban mayors
  • The U.S. and Oklahoma chambers of commerce

In Ballotpedia’s survey, Tedford also listed the Tulsa Firefighters PAC, the Southern Regional Council of Carpenters and the Independent Insurance Agents of Oklahoma.

Croisant’s endorsements include the following, according to NonDoc:

Indivisible Tulsa County also lists Croisant among its recommended candidates, according to Ballotpedia.

Who Is Funding Them

These figures come from Federal Election Commission (FEC) reports for the 2026 cycle through Wednesday, Oct. 14, as compiled by Ballotpedia:

  • Tedford reported raising $2,490,274 and spending $2,332,929, with $157,345 on hand. AllCiv’s Tedford candidate page also lists $1.2 million in campaign debt.
  • Croisant reported raising $217,469 and spending $179,180, with $38,289 on hand and no debt.

AllCiv’s Oklahoma 1st District race page shows $623,000 in outside spending in the race, including the primary. Donors who give more than $200 in a cycle are listed by name in FEC filings, while smaller gifts are reported only as a lump total.

The Incumbent’s Record

No incumbent is on the House ballot. Hern, who has held the seat since 2018, is running for the U.S. Senate, and Hern’s House record appears in the Senate section of this guide.

Challengers’ Records

Tedford has represented Oklahoma House District 69 since Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022, after winning the seat unopposed. The district includes parts of Bixby, Jenks and Tulsa. Tedford is vice chair of the Commerce and Economic Development Oversight Committee, according to Ballotpedia. Tedford’s campaign says Tedford helped pass “the largest tax cut in Oklahoma history” and a Homeowner Bill of Rights.

In 2025, Tedford presented Senate Bill 726 and confirmed on the House floor that it was a “State Farm request.” The bill would have exempted property insurance policies from a state law requiring 15% interest on claims paid as a result of lawsuits. It failed 18 to 72, according to NonDoc.

Croisant has represented District 5 on the Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education since Tuesday, July 7, 2020, and has served as the board’s vice president and finance committee chair. Croisant won the seat in 2020 with 52.4% of the vote and was reelected on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, with 77.7%. Croisant’s current term ends in 2028. Croisant says “I am proud to represent 34,000 students, 5,500 employees and Tulsans on the Tulsa School Board.”

The U.S. Senate Race

What This Office Does

U.S. senators serve six-year terms and vote on every federal law and the federal budget. The Senate also confirms presidential nominees, including federal judges and Cabinet members, and approves treaties.

This seat opened when former Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R) resigned in March to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Stitt appointed energy executive Sen. Alan Armstrong (R-OK) on Tuesday, March 24, and under state law Armstrong agreed not to run, according to WTOP.

Armstrong’s office had argued that Armstrong should serve until Sunday, Jan. 3. On Thursday, Oct. 29, Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued an opinion that the winner may take office once the State Election Board certifies the results, according to NonDoc’s Senate race report. The Cook Political Report and Inside Elections rate the race Solid Republican, and Sabato’s Crystal Ball rates it Safe Republican, according to Ballotpedia’s Senate race overview.

Candidates In Brief

Republican Kevin Hern has represented the 1st District since 2018 and announced the Senate campaign on Wednesday, March 11. Hern built a business owning McDonald’s restaurants starting in 1999, and chaired the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s finance committee from 2011 to 2015, according to Hern’s Ballotpedia profile. Hern won the June 16 Republican primary with 69.8% of the vote.

Democrat N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas is a Chickasaw citizen raised in Ardmore. Thomas is a registered nurse and has been an active-duty military spouse for more than 12 years, according to KSWO’s Senate preview. Thomas led the June 16 Democratic primary with 45.2% and won the Tuesday, Aug. 25 runoff over Jim Priest with 58.7%. Thomas told NBC News that Thomas is a “self-proclaimed democratic socialist,” according to NonDoc.

Independent Curtis Stinnett grew up in Lindsay and has worked as a community pharmacist for 15 years. Independent Ron Meinhardt, 47, of Nowata County, is a registered nurse, documentary filmmaker and chief financial officer of a small business. Libertarian Sevier White advanced after the Libertarian primary was canceled and has no campaign website, according to NonDoc.

Where They Stand

Health care and costs. Hern says “Healthcare has become unaffordable for everyone.” In December 2025, Hern voted for the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, which has not passed the Senate. Hern blames former President Joe Biden for higher prices, saying Biden “tripled the cost of everything.” Thomas and Stinnett support Medicare for All, and Thomas says the country “would actually save $4.5 billion a year” under it. White says “Medical care is so expensive because it is one of the most government-controlled industries we have” and wants providers to post their prices online.

Data centers and the Inola smelter. Thomas says Thomas’ top priority would be a moratorium on artificial intelligence data centers, and wants to put “a stop to the data centers for the time being,” according to KSWO. Meinhardt opposes a proposed aluminum smelter in Inola and says “If elected to the United States Senate, I will do all in my lawful power to stop this project.” Meinhardt believes local support should be required for any major industrial project, according to Oklahoma Voice’s Senate voter guide.

Taxes and spending. Hern supports extending tax cuts, cutting regulations and a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, according to News 9. Stinnett wants solar panels on “all federal buildings” to cut the government’s utility bills.

Education. Hern defends the administration’s shift of Department of Education programs to other agencies, saying “We are not out to destroy education.” Stinnett says “You have to use the word dismantling” to describe the changes. Thomas says the changes “took away the rights of every student.”

Money in politics. Stinnett wants to overturn the Citizens United ruling and remove “corporate money, dark money” from elections. Meinhardt says “I believe we should totally ban congressional stock trading.”

Abortion and other priorities. Hern supports border barriers, school choice and pro-life legislation, according to News 9. Thomas supports reproductive rights, tribal sovereignty, paid family leave and a higher minimum wage. Stinnett supports abortion rights and reparations. Meinhardt opposes abortion and prioritizes religious liberty, according to Oklahoma Voice.

In Their Own Words

Kevin Hern, to NonDoc:

“The Senate cannot move. So I want to take decent ideologies, these working processes over to the Senate and see if we cannot get something moved.”

N’Kiyla Jasmine Thomas, on data centers, to KSWO:

“We need to know how this is affecting our Oklahomans.”

Curtis Stinnett, to NonDoc:

“I am the one that usually has to see people wrestle with that decision, which is one of the reasons I support us moving towards a Medicare for all system.”

Ron Meinhardt, to KSWO:

“If we’re not asking the community, ‘Do you want this here,’ I think we are doing a disservice to them.”

Sevier White, in a press release:

“Every time we add a new regulation or subsidy to help people, we add another layer of distance between doctors and nurses and their patients.”

Questionnaires And Debates

Thomas, Stinnett and Meinhardt completed Ballotpedia’s 2026 Candidate Connection survey. Hern’s campaign did not respond to KSWO’s calls and emails. White’s campaign agreed to follow up with KSWO but did not. Hern, Thomas and Stinnett gave interviews to NonDoc, while Meinhardt and White did not. On Thursday, Oct. 29, Thomas appeared on streamer Hasan Piker’s channel, where viewers donated $32,000 to Thomas’ campaign.

Endorsements

Before the primary, Trump endorsed Hern shortly after Mullin’s appointment, according to Oklahoma Voice. Also before the primary, the Club for Growth PAC endorsed Hern on Friday, March 13. The group’s president called Hern “the ideal candidate to represent Oklahomans in the Senate,” according to the group’s announcement. The National Women’s Political Caucus lists Thomas among its endorsed candidates.

Who Is Funding Them

These figures are FEC totals for the 2026 cycle, as shown on AllCiv’s Oklahoma U.S. Senate race page as of Wednesday, Oct. 14:

  • Hern reported raising $10.9 million and spending $8.1 million, with $2.8 million on hand. About $5 million of Hern’s total came from a personal loan, according to NonDoc.
  • Thomas reported raising $116,000 and spending $93,000, with $24,000 on hand.
  • Meinhardt reported raising $16,000 and spending $14,000, with $2,000 on hand.

Stinnett and White do not appear in FEC campaign finance records. AllCiv’s race page shows $2.4 million in outside spending in the race.

The Incumbent’s Record

Armstrong, the appointed incumbent, is not on the ballot. Armstrong spent a career at Williams Companies, a Tulsa pipeline operator, serving as its president and chief executive from 2011 before becoming executive chairman. Armstrong had never held elected office before the appointment, according to WTOP.

Challengers’ Records

Hern serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and its Health and Tax subcommittees, according to Ballotpedia. This Congress, Hern has voted in 629 of 645 roll call votes and voted against most Republicans 3 times out of 592, according to AllCiv’s vote data. Hern has cosponsored 104 bills, and the 18 bills Hern sponsored drew 292 cosponsors.

Hern’s PROTECT Our Kids Act would bar federal funds from elementary and secondary schools that partner with Chinese government-funded language and culture programs. The House passed it 247 to 164 on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025, according to the House clerk’s roll call. Hern’s American Franchise Act would set a narrower federal standard for when franchise companies count as joint employers of their franchisees’ workers. The House Education and Workforce Committee approved it 18 to 15 on Tuesday, July 21, according to Asian Hospitality. Thomas, Stinnett, Meinhardt and White have not held public office.

Scorecards Readers Can Check

Hern is the only candidate on either ballot who has served in Congress. All three of these groups grade Hern:

The Lugar Center’s Bipartisan Index ranks House members by how often they work across party lines. Each group picks different measures, so their ratings measure different things.

Also On Your Ballot

Every Oklahoma voter will see two proposed constitutional amendments that the Legislature sent to the ballot. Voters will also choose a governor to succeed Stitt from Republican Mike Mazzei, Democrat Cyndi Munson and three independents, according to AllCiv’s governor race page, along with other statewide and local offices. Sample ballots are on the OK Voter Portal.

State Question 845: Judicial Nominating Commission. The 15-member commission screens applicants for the state’s appellate courts and some judgeships. It sends three names to the governor, who makes the pick. A Yes vote does four things, according to Oklahoma Watch’s SQ 845 explainer:

  • It removes the limits on how many governor-appointed and at-large members can belong to one party.
  • It allows lawyers and their relatives to fill those seats.
  • It lets members serve consecutive terms, up to 12 years.
  • It bases the Bar Association’s seats on today’s congressional districts instead of the 1967 lines.

A No vote keeps the current rules. The SQ 845 ballot title says the measure “will not have a fiscal impact.” State Sen. Todd Gollihare (R-Sapulpa) says the courts have influence “that’s not really equitable to the majority party.” Senate Minority Leader Julia Kirt (D-Oklahoma City) says “Allowing for complete domination by one party is concerning.”

State Question 847: Property assessment limits. SQ 847 does not change tax rates. Starting in the 2027 tax year, a Yes vote lowers the yearly cap on increases in a property’s taxable value, according to Oklahoma Watch’s SQ 847 explainer:

  • For homes and farmland, the cap drops from 3% to 1.75%.
  • For other property, it drops from 5% to 4%.
  • Homeowners 65 or older whose income is above the limit for the existing senior freeze get lower caps, from 0.35% to 1.75%.

A No vote keeps the current caps. The SQ 847 ballot title says the exact fiscal impact is unknown. An analysis by University of Central Oklahoma professor Ryan Kiggins estimated local governments would lose $42 million in the first year and $241 million by the fifth.

House Speaker Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow) and Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton (R-Tuttle) sponsored the measure through Senate Joint Resolution 39, and the Oklahoma Farm Bureau supports it. State Rep. Andy Fugate (D-Del City) says “This bill strangles our counties, it strangles our jails, it strangles our schools.” The Oklahoma Policy Instituteurges a No vote.

Before You Go

Still Ahead

  • Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., according to the State Election Board’s next election page. Find your polling place on the OK Voter Portal with your name and date of birth.
  • Mail ballots sent by U.S. mail or a private delivery service must reach your county election board by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Standard absentee affidavits must be notarized, according to the State Election Board’s absentee voting page.
  • ID: Bring a photo ID issued by the U.S. government, the State of Oklahoma or a federally recognized tribal government, or the free voter identification card your county election board mailed you. Without ID, you can vote a provisional ballot by signing a sworn affidavit, according to the State Election Board’s proof of identity page.
  • In the booth: You may bring notes or a marked sample ballot, but keep them out of view until you are in the booth. Campaigning is barred within 300 feet of a polling place entrance, according to the State Election Board’s Voting 101 guide.
  • Questions: Call the State Election Board at (405) 521-2391, or call or text the nonpartisan Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).

Deadlines That Have Passed

  • Registration closed Friday, Oct. 9. Oklahoma does not allow registration in the 24 days before an election.
  • Mail ballot requests were due at 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19.
  • Early voting ran from Wednesday, Oct. 28, through Saturday, Oct. 31.
  • Hand-delivered absentee ballots were due at your county election board by the close of business Monday, Nov. 2.

Sources

AllCiv Profiles and Race Pages

Official Records

Candidate Statements and Questionnaires

News

Ballot Measures

Endorsements

Scorecards

Voting Information

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