Kevin Stitt
Kevin Stitt (Republican Party) is the Governor of Oklahoma. He assumed office on January 14, 2019. His current term ends on January 11, 2027.
Stitt (Republican Party) ran for re-election for Governor of Oklahoma. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Stitt was born in Florida and moved to Oklahoma when he was five.[1] According to his official biography, Stitt is a fourth generation Oklahoman.[2] Stitt is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and the second Native American to be elected as governor in the United States.[1]
Stitt graduated from Oklahoma State University with a bachelor's degree in accounting.[2] Before running for governor, Stitt founded and was the CEO of Gateway Mortgage. In 2018, the company operated in 41 states.[1] According to a profile by The Oklahoman, Stitt became interested in politics after attending the National Prayer Breakfast in 2017.[1]
Stitt first ran for office when he ran for and won election for governor of Oklahoma in 2018. In the campaign, Stitt focused on his business experience and said: "My priority will be to deliver reform that makes our state government accountable and transparent to Oklahomans."[3][4] Incumbent Gov. Mary Fallin (R) was term limited and endorsed Stitt, but he refused to accept her endorsement.[5] A spokesperson for his campaign said, "We did not seek (Fallin's endorsement), and Kevin Stitt has run on a campaign message that he will do things a lot differently."[5] Several national conservative figures endorsed Stitt in the race, including President Donald Trump (R), Senator Ted Cruz (R), and former Senator Rick Santorum (R).[6][7][8] Stitt won re-election in 2022.
In his 2024 State of the State address, Stitt focused on issues including increased school choice, decreasing business regulation and cutting taxes, establishing a "system of courts specifically designed to address business disputes," and relations with tribal governments.[9]
Relationships with Oklahoma's Native American tribes, specifically around questions of tribal jurisdiction and gaming compacts, were a central issue during Stitt's time as governor.[10][11][12][13][14] In 2020, Oklahoma was a plaintiff in McGirt v. Oklahoma, a landmark case before the United States Supreme Court. In a 5-4 decision issued on July 9, 2020, the court overturned a decision by the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals (OCCA) and held that the state of Oklahoma could not legally try a Creek citizen for criminal conduct in state court. Stitt has been critical of the Supreme Court's decision, saying in 2024: “We can’t be a state that operates with two different sets of rules."[15] During the 2022 election, the Five Tribes of Oklahoma—the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee, and Seminole nations recognized by the Dawes Act (1887)—opposed Stitt's re-election and endorsed his opponent, Joy Hofmeister (D). In an interview before the election, Chuck Hoskin Jr., Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, said, "so far as tribal nations are concerned, the current governor, Kevin Stitt, is the most anti-Indian governor in the history of the state."[16]
On May 25, 2022, Stitt signed HB4327 into law, which banned abortions after fertilization with exceptions for medical emergencies or cases of rape or incest reported to law enforcement. He said, "We don’t believe in abortion in Oklahoma. We don’t want it in our state."[17]
Biography
Stitt was born on December 28, 1972, in Milton, Florida. He graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in accounting. He founded and was president of Gateway Mortgage, a nationwide mortgage company.[18][19][20]
Political career
Governor of Oklahoma (2019-present)
Stitt assumed office as governor of Oklahoma on January 14, 2019.
Elections
2022
See also: Oklahoma gubernatorial election, 2022
General election
General election for Governor of Oklahoma
Incumbent Kevin Stitt defeated Joy Hofmeister, Natalie Bruno, and Ervin Yen in the general election for Governor of Oklahoma on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Kevin Stitt (R) | 55.4 | 639,484 | |
Joy Hofmeister (D) | 41.8 | 481,904 | ||
Natalie Bruno (L) | 1.4 | 16,243 | ||
Ervin Yen (Independent) | 1.4 | 15,653 |
Total votes: 1,153,284 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Paul Tay (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Oklahoma
Joy Hofmeister defeated Constance Johnson in the Democratic primary for Governor of Oklahoma on June 28, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Joy Hofmeister | 60.7 | 101,913 | |
Constance Johnson | 39.3 | 65,894 |
Total votes: 167,807 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Oklahoma
Incumbent Kevin Stitt defeated Joel Kintsel, Mark Sherwood, and Moira McCabe in the Republican primary for Governor of Oklahoma on June 28, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Kevin Stitt | 69.1 | 248,525 | |
Joel Kintsel | 14.3 | 51,587 | ||
Mark Sherwood | 13.3 | 47,713 | ||
Moira McCabe | 3.3 | 12,046 |
Total votes: 359,871 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Ervin Yen (R)
Libertarian primary election
The Libertarian primary election was canceled. Natalie Bruno advanced from the Libertarian primary for Governor of Oklahoma.
2018
General election
General election for Governor of Oklahoma
Kevin Stitt defeated Drew Edmondson and Chris Powell in the general election for Governor of Oklahoma on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Kevin Stitt (R) | 54.3 | 644,579 | |
Drew Edmondson (D) | 42.2 | 500,973 | ||
Chris Powell (L) | 3.4 | 40,833 |
Total votes: 1,186,385 (100.00% precincts reporting) | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary runoff election
Republican primary runoff for Governor of Oklahoma
Kevin Stitt defeated Mick Cornett in the Republican primary runoff for Governor of Oklahoma on August 28, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Kevin Stitt | 54.6 | 164,892 | |
Mick Cornett | 45.4 | 137,316 |
Total votes: 302,208 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Libertarian primary runoff election
Libertarian primary runoff for Governor of Oklahoma
Chris Powell defeated Rex Lawhorn in the Libertarian primary runoff for Governor of Oklahoma on August 28, 2018.
Candidate | ||
Rex Lawhorn | ||
✔ | Chris Powell |
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Oklahoma
Drew Edmondson defeated Constance Johnson in the Democratic primary for Governor of Oklahoma on June 26, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Drew Edmondson | 61.4 | 242,764 | |
Constance Johnson | 38.6 | 152,730 |
Total votes: 395,494 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Oklahoma
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Oklahoma on June 26, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Mick Cornett | 29.3 | 132,806 | |
✔ | Kevin Stitt | 24.4 | 110,479 | |
Todd Lamb | 23.9 | 107,985 | ||
Dan Fisher | 7.9 | 35,818 | ||
Gary Jones | 5.6 | 25,243 | ||
Gary Richardson | 4.0 | 18,185 | ||
Blake Cowboy Stephens | 2.7 | 12,211 | ||
Christopher Barnett | 1.2 | 5,240 | ||
Barry Gowdy | 0.5 | 2,347 | ||
Eric Foutch | 0.5 | 2,292 |
Total votes: 452,606 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Libertarian primary election
Libertarian primary for Governor of Oklahoma
Chris Powell and Rex Lawhorn advanced to a runoff. They defeated Joe Exotic in the Libertarian primary for Governor of Oklahoma on June 26, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
✔ | Chris Powell | 48.9 | 1,740 | |
✔ | Rex Lawhorn | 32.4 | 1,154 | |
Joe Exotic | 18.7 | 664 |
Total votes: 3,558 | ||||
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Kevin Stitt did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Kevin Stitt completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Stitt's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
As governor, I will prioritize government efficiency, education and economic growth. Oklahoma's turnaround as a state starts by establishing accountability and transparency within our state government. On day one of a Stitt Administration, I will ask the Legislature to give the governor authority to fire agency heads and appoint Oklahomans with real experience in their industries. I will audit all state agencies in order to root out waste, put Oklahoma's checkbook online, and apply performance metrics in order to let taxpayers know how their agencies are performing. You can read more at www.okturnaround.com I will also focus on putting our education system on the path to being Top Ten. Oklahoma has not invested in education like we need to. If we want to recruit great teachers, we have to pay competitive salaries. If we want to attract and retain great jobs, we've got to have great schools. My Oklahoma Turnaround Plan for Education focuses on recruiting and retaining education professionals in Oklahoma, streamlining state regulations, advancing the student through programs focused on a child's growth and developmental needs, and simplifying the funding formula in order to empower local leaders. The plan will raise teacher compensation to the highest in the region in the first year of a Stitt administration. I believe through efficiencies and accountability we can properly fund these plans. You can read more about my plan for Oklahoma education at www.stittforgovernor.com/oklaed/. In order to create a more stable financial future for our state, we must be proactive in diversifying our economy. We need to take advantage of our nation's current economic momentum and increase our recruitment efforts. President Trump's tax cuts are leveling the playing field for America to compete in the global marketplace. Oklahoma is prime to attract the business of companies that are returning to the U.S. and repatriating dollars, with the right kind of leadership. As the only job creator in the race for governor, I will know how to capitalize on this opportunity. I will also be on the front lines of recruiting new business to our state. As a successful CEO, I will know how to speak the language of job creators and ensure our state signs contracts that move us toward a stable future. On the first day of a Stitt Administration, the nation will know Oklahoma is open for business.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
I am interested in any state policy that is going to help grow and improve Oklahoma, whether it be around education, infrastructure, healthcare, etc. One policy area that has become an increasing passion of mine throughout this campaign is criminal justice reform. Oklahoma has the highest incarceration rates in the country. It is clear that we need to continue to pursue criminal justice reform. It's not just about changing our ranking though. It's about ensuring we are using our resources correctly to incarcerate those that prove a danger to our society and to deliver better outcomes for non-violent offenders. We need to free up prison beds for those who need to really be there and deliver better results for those that are early in their criminal career so we can stop the cycle and put them on the path to being a contributor in society. In order to accomplish this, I believe we must re-evaluate how we handle fines, fees, and court costs, ensure that consistent sentencing is taking place across all counties, and partnering with programs that focus on rehabilitation efforts.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
Oklahoma is ready for change, but I believe that this change will never come if we keep electing the same career politicians. I am a conservative businessman, proven leader, and political outsider. Through my business expertise - rooting out waste, balancing budgets, making tough decisions, and casting a vision - I will be able to lead our state with a fresh approach that focuses on government accountability and efficiency, not red tape and constant tax increases. Because I am not beholden to the political establishment, I will also have the independence to serve all 4 million Oklahomans, not the highest bidder. It's time for a governor who understands that this position is not about how they can further their political career, but how they can serve their state for four to eight years with no reservations. I am ready to be that governor.
What legacy would you like to leave?
I have a vision and a plan to lead Oklahoma to become a Top Ten state in government efficiency, education, infrastructure, economic growth, and health care. After I finish my time as governor, I hope I am able to claim without a doubt that we were able to turn our state around and accomplish this vision. I also want to leave the legacy that we were focused on making decisions for the betterment of the next generation and future of our state, not the next election.
What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?
The greatest challenge to tackle is creating accountability and transparency in state government. Currently, we have a system that functions with a mindset of waste and red tape, not efficiency and accountability. I have a vision to make Oklahoma a Top Ten state in education, economic growth, and infrastructure, but we cannot make substantive change in Oklahoma without first reforming the system. As governor, my priority will be to deliver reform that makes our state government accountable and transparent to Oklahomans. This will start when I ask the legislature to give the governor the ability to fire underperforming agency leaders and replace these positions with Oklahomans who are experts in their fields. I will also audit every agency, apply performance metrics, and put Oklahoma's checkbook online so that agencies are transparent and accountable for how they spend taxpayer's dollars. You can read more about my plan for Oklahoma's turnaround at www.OKTurnAround.com
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign website
Stitt's campaign website stated the following:
“ |
Prioritizing Government Efficiency
Reforming Our Education System
Expanding Economic Prosperity
Promoting Oklahoma's Agriculture
Advancing Pro-Life Priorities Protecting Second Amendment Rights Improving Our Infrastructure Fostering a Healthy Oklahoma
|
” |
—Stitt for Governor[22] |
Notable endorsements
This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Noteworthy events
On July 15, 2020, Stitt announced that he tested positive for coronavirus.[23]
Ballot measure activity
The following table details Stitt's ballot measure stances available on Ballotpedia:
Ballot measure support and opposition for Kevin Stitt | |||
---|---|---|---|
Ballot measure | Year | Position | Status |
Oklahoma State Question 820, Marijuana Legalization Initiative (March 2023) | 2023 | Opposed[24] | Defeated |
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Candidate Governor of Oklahoma |
Officeholder Governor of Oklahoma |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The Oklahoman, "Serious kid sets sights on serving as chief executive of Oklahoma," accessed July 12, 2019
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Oklahoma Governor J. Kevin Stitt, "Governor J. Kevin Stitt," accessed June 4, 2024
- ↑ Muskogee Phoenix, "Quick 5: GOP gubernatorial candidate stakes out positions," August 25, 2018
- ↑ Tulsa World, "Republican candidate for governor Kevin Stitt says Oklahoma could be a 'top 10 state'," October 9, 2017
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Oklahoman, "Stitt welcomes Cornett's endorsement but not Fallin's," October 11, 2018
- ↑ The Hill, "Trump endorses Kevin Stitt in Oklahoma governor’s race," August 30, 2018
- ↑ KTUL, "Senator Ted Cruz endorses Kevin Stitt for governor," August 22, 2018
- ↑ YouTube, "Rick Santorum Endorsement," August 6, 2018
- ↑ The Oklahoman, "Amid protests and skepticism, Gov. Kevin Stitt kicks off legislative session with State of the State address," February 5, 2024
- ↑ The Oklahoman, "Stitt calls for renegotiating Oklahoma tribal gaming compacts," July 10, 2019
- ↑ AP News, "Oklahoma governor signs gaming compacts with two more tribes," July 3, 2020
- ↑ OKC Fox 25, "State doesn't plan to appeal pro-tribe court ruling, Gov. Stitt says," October 23, 2020
- ↑ AP News, "Oklahoma governor’s feud with Native American tribes continues over revenue agreements," July 22, 2023
- ↑ ICT News, "Oklahoma governor seeks control of future tribal gaming compacts," March 26, 2024
- ↑ Cherokee Phoenix, "Stitt again decries McGirt in State of State," February 6, 2024
- ↑ YouTube, "WATCH: Cherokee Nation chief on why Oklahoma’s tribes see Gov. Kevin Stitt as ‘existential threat’," November 4, 2022
- ↑ The Oklamoman, May 25, 2022
- ↑ Governor of Oklahoma, "About Governor Kevin Stitt," accessed May 26, 2021
- ↑ LinkedIn, "Kevin Stitt," accessed May 26, 2021
- ↑ National Governors Association, "Gov. Kevin Stitt," accessed May 26, 2021
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Stitt for Governor, "Issues," accessed September 19, 2018
- ↑ Axios, "Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt tests positive for coronavirus," July 14, 2020
- ↑ The Oklahoman, "Oklahoma’s next big election will ask voters to legalize recreational marijuana," November 27, 2022
Political offices | ||
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Preceded by Mary Fallin (R) |
Governor of Oklahoma 2019-Present |
Succeeded by - |
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State of Oklahoma Oklahoma City (capital) | |
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