Previewing Oklahoma’s Lieutenant

Incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell will face two challengers in the Nov. 8 general election, one of whom argues the position is unnecessary and should be abolished.

The lieutenant governor serves as president of the Senate and is a member of 10 state boards and commissions. In the event of a gubernatorial vacancy, the lieutenant governor is first in the line of succession.

It’s not uncommon for the governor to appoint the lieutenant governor to lead a board or commission. For instance, Gov. Kevin Stitt tapped Pinnell to serve as Secretary of Tourism and Branding upon taking office in January 2019.

Oklahoma is one of 17 states where the lieutenant governor and governor run separately. Voters in 2018 rejected State Question 798, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment seeking to combine the tickets, by a nearly 10% margin.

Lieutenant governors often file to run for governor at the end of the term or shortly after leaving office. The last lieutenant governor not to seek a gubernatorial bid was Robert S. Kerr III, who served from 19871991.

Compiled through publicly accessible materials, here’s a brief breakdown of the candidates and issues they’re running on:

The Candidates:

Democrat Melinda Alizadeh-Fard, an Oklahoma City-based immigration attorney.

Incumbent Republican Matt Pinnell, elected to the position in 2018. Former chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party.

Libertarian Chris Powell, a Bethany city council member. Ran as the Libertarian party’s gubernatorial nominee in 2018.

What They’re Running On:

On her campaign website, Alizadeh-Fard says she is running to “restore transparency and accountability” in state government. She lists improving public education and expanding public health resources among her top priorities.

If re-elected, Pinnell says he will focus on attracting new businesses and out-ofstate tourists. Among his policy positions, he lists support for school voucher programs and cutting taxes and regulations for small businesses.

Powell argues the lieutenant governor position should be eliminated to save tax dollars, with the secretary of state assuming the role of governor if the position becomes vacant. If elected, he says he will refuse Oklahoma Highway Patrol detail and hire just one staff member.