By Devyn Lyon, FOX23.com News Staff
TULSA, Okla. — There are three remaining gubernatorial candidates for the State of Oklahoma this year and all of them spoke at a forum held in Tulsa on Saturday.
The three candidates spoke during the Gubernatorial Agriculture Forum at the 74th Annual Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) Convention and Trade Show.
“We are pleased that all three candidates will participate in the forum and appreciate their making time to discuss the issues affecting Oklahoma agriculture and rural communities,” said Michael Kelsey, OCA Executive Vice President.
Out of the three candidates remaining for the 2026 Oklahoma Governor’s Race, two republicans are headed toward an August runoff election. Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who won the majority of votes in the June primaries, relied on his agricultural background and his resume.
“Farmers and ranchers are the backbone of Oklahoma,” said Drummond. “I don’t just talk agriculture — I live it. As your governor, I will fight everyday for Oklahoma’s farmers, ranchers, and our rural community.”
Former State Senator Mike Mazzei spoke on his tax plan and flaunted his presidential endorsement.
“Now, I have a plan to make Oklahoma a no-income-tax-state, abolish property taxes for seniors and Veterans, and launch a massive statewide literacy program. This plan will create a wave of growth and opportunity for the next generation and it’s the reason President Donald Trump has endorsed me,” said Mazzei.
The winner of the runoff will face against Democratic nominee, State House Minority leader Cyndi Munson, in the November election.
Munson, as the standalone Democrat, said political parties aside, Oklahoma needs a governor who will do the hard work.
“Which is what I will do as governor, which is to go out to communities, listen to real people about the problems and real challenges they’re facing and use my ability and my power to find real solutions,” said Munson.
On Saturday afternoon in Tulsa, all three candidates spoke before the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association. They answered questions pertaining to farmers, ranchers, and rural Oklahoma.
A major focus for the OCA was what the candidates’ plans are when industry moves into farmland, referencing the growing number of data centers and the Inola smelter.
Mazzei is in support of it, Drummond is against it, and Munson simply urges caution.
“We have to protect farmland,” said Drummond. “With the smelter. I’m going to shut it down. I’m not going to let it be built. It will destroy the Inola hay industry, cattle industry — it’ll destroy it. With regard to data centers, we have to hold them accountable. They’re coming; they can buy land, they can build. They’re going to want power and water and that’s where we step in.”
“We protect farmland by letting those industries know that if you want to do business in Oklahoma, you’re not going to exploit our natural resources, specifically our water.,” said Munson. “You’re not going to pollute air, you’re not going to put those costs on everyday working Oklahomans, especially in rural Oklahoma, and its impact on agriculture.”
FOX23 was scheduled to interview Mike Mazzei on Sunday, and ask the same questions we asked Drummond and Munson. He had to reschedule after a family emergency but sent us these written responses to those questions:
What was your most important takeaway from today that you need Oklahomans to know?
My biggest takeaway is that the choice in this race could not be clearer. Gentner Drummond and Democrat Cindy Munson sounded remarkably similar on several key issues. They don’t want to cut income taxes. They don’t want to abolish property taxes on the homes of seniors. They want bigger government programs, and they push radical left environmental fearmongering. We shouldn’t be surprised, however, because Gentner Drummond donated to Joe Biden and 11 other liberal Democrats who ran against conservative Republican heroes Jim Inhofe and Tom Coburn.
There was debate on industry next to farmland, data centers, and the Inola Smelter. How do you plan to protect farmland when industry moves in next to Oklahoma farms and ranches?
I understand people’s concerns, and I want to reassure everyone that the Oklahoma Primary Aluminum plant uses 10th-generation safety technology. It’s going to be the cleanest aluminum plant in the world. It will not be approved until the EPA, the Oklahoma DEQ, and an independent third-party evaluation verifies that it meets the highest environmental standards for clean air, public health, and community safety, ensuring it will be safe for the people, safe for the cattle, and safe for the hay.
We have done extensive research on the plants located in both Norway and Dubai. The Norway plant is right next to thriving farmland, and the Dubai plant is in the heart of that amazing modern city. We have also launched an internal working group of agricultural, soils, and regenerative farming experts that will help us develop the policies and standards to oversee the success of this project. Oklahomans, with a rich heritage of oil and gas, know that economic success and environmental safety are not mutually exclusive—we can and will achieve both.
President Trump loves Oklahoma. I love Oklahoma and care about the people of Inola. We are going to do this the right way, and it’s going to be a great success.
