All articles tagged with #kevin hern
Oklahoma voters cast ballots on Nov. 3, 2026, for governor, U.S. Senate, and five House seats. Key issues include SQ 845 on judicial nominations and SQ 847 on property tax caps. Some Oklahoma County polling places faced machine delays, though officials assured votes would be counted.
N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas, a 31-year-old nurse and self-described democratic socialist, has won the Democratic primary runoff for the U.S. Senate in Oklahoma. She defeated attorney Jim Priest despite a massive financial disadvantage, securing the nomination to face Republican Rep. Kevin Hern in November. The victory marks another high-profile win for the party's progressive wing in a deeply red state, though Thomas faces an uphill battle in the general election against a heavily funded incumbent.
N'Kiyla Jasmine Thomas, a nurse with no prior political experience, won the Oklahoma Democratic Senate runoff against Jim Priest. She pledged to impeach President Trump within her first 100 days if elected. The winner will face Republican Rep. Kevin Hern in November, a race with a massive financial disparity.
Speaker Mike Johnson has presented a plan for foreign aid, including bills for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and other national security priorities, during a closed-door House GOP conference meeting. The plan involves moving the four bills under one procedural rule to allow for an amendment process, with the fourth bill including provisions such as a TikTok ban and assistance for Ukraine using seized Russian assets. However, the current plan does not include border provisions, which may face opposition from hard-line conservatives.
Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., has dropped out of the race for speaker and instead endorsed Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La. Hern cited the need for unity and a focus on America's greatness as his reason for stepping aside. This leaves a five-person race for the position, with Johnson emerging as an early leader. The previous nominee, Rep. Tom Emmer, withdrew his bid after facing opposition from allies of former President Donald Trump and supporters of Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan. The Republican Party continues its search for a new speaker designate, with this being the fourth attempt since former Speaker Kevin McCarthy was removed from the position.
After the GOP removed Rep. Jim Jordan as their nominee for House speaker, nearly a dozen House Republicans have entered the race for the speakership. Among the frontrunners are House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who faces criticism from the far-right wing of the party, and Reps. Byron Donalds, Kevin Hern, and Austin Scott. The infighting within the GOP has brought Congress to a halt, and a temporary expansion of the authority of Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry has been proposed to allow the House to vote on funding measures.
Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) has announced that he will not run for Speaker of the House, citing the need for party unity. Hern's decision leaves the Speaker race between Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.). Hern did not endorse a candidate, stating that he wants the two men to face off and earn the support of the caucus. Republicans are expected to select a Speaker candidate at a closed-door meeting on Tuesday. Former President Trump was briefly considered as a candidate but decided to back Jordan.