Chip Keating Enters Oklahoma Governor Race

Chip Keating, son of former Gov. Frank Keating, is a former Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper who served as Gov. Kevin Stitt’s secretary of public safety and later worked in the oil and gas sector and nonprofits; he officially launched his Republican campaign for Oklahoma governor in October. He is positioning himself as a political outsider who will “follow the Trump playbook,” prioritizing public safety, crime reduction, stronger border security against cartels, parental school choice, and economic growth under an America First agenda. Keating joins a crowded GOP field that includes Attorney General Gentner Drummond, former House Speaker Charles McCall, former state Sens. Mike Mazzei and Jake Merrick, Leisa Mitchell Haynes and Kenneth Sturgell; Democrat House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson is the only declared Democratic candidate so far. Campaign kickoff events are planned around the state and the candidate filing period is scheduled for April 1–3, 2026; the Republican primary is June 16, 2026 (with an Aug. 25 runoff if needed) and the general election is Nov. 3, 2026.