Oklahoma’s 2026 Governor Race Heats Up with $1.6M Ad Push for Charles McCall

The race for Oklahoma’s governor in 2026 is already sizzling, with a hefty $1.6 million ad blitz kicking off for House Speaker Charles McCall. Starting July 9, the Oklahoma Conservative Coalition is rolling out an eight-week campaign across broadcast, cable, satellite, and streaming platforms, signaling a fierce early push for the self-proclaimed America First candidate. McCall, who’s been a fixture in Oklahoma politics, touts his track record of aligning with Governor Kevin Stitt and President Trump to champion conservative values.

With the Republican primary less than a year away, McCall’s camp is wasting no time flexing its financial muscle. Erinn Mahathey, spokesperson for the Coalition, told WTFNewsRoom, "Charles McCall’s conservative credentials are ironclad—he’s the only candidate with the experience and momentum to lead Oklahoma forward." In a state as reliably red as Oklahoma, the GOP primary winner is all but guaranteed to claim the governor’s mansion in November 2026.

But McCall isn’t running unopposed. Attorney General Gentner Drummond is throwing his hat in the ring, pitching himself as a conservative warrior who’s stood firm against what he calls the Biden Administration’s overreach. Drummond’s campaign leans heavily on his ties to Trump, but McCall’s team isn’t buying it. They’ve called out Drummond for donating to Oklahoma’s Democratic Party Chair and for delaying enforcement of a ban on transgender surgeries for minors, a move Drummond defends as a strategic pause to strengthen his legal case.

The drama doesn’t stop there. Oklahoma’s political scene is still reeling from a U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding a state ruling that blocked public funding for a religious charter school. This high-profile clash, which saw Governor Stitt and Drummond at odds, underscores the deep policy divides fueling this race. Stitt, term-limited and unable to run again, leaves a vacuum that both McCall and Drummond are eager to fill.

Other contenders, like House Rep. Cyndi Munson, Leisa Mitchell Haynes, and former State Senator Mike Mazzei, are also in the mix, but the spotlight remains on McCall and Drummond. With endorsements like the Conservative Political Action Conference backing McCall’s conservative chops—think tax cuts, school choice, and pro-life bills—the race is shaping up to be a battle of who can claim the America First mantle loudest.