Two House Republicans from Oklahoma are weighing a run for the Senate after President Donald Trump announced Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) is his pick to helm the Department of Homeland Security.
A source familiar confirmed to the Washington Examiner that Rep. Stephanie Bice (R-OK) is considering a run for the Senate. Bice is not considering seeking an appointment to finish out Mullin’s term. Mullin was up for reelection in 2026.
Under Oklahoma state law, whoever is appointed by Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK) would have to sign an affidavit asserting that they would not run for the full-term Senate seat, which is why Bice would likely pass on seeking the appointment as her current term ends in January 2027.
Bice sits on the powerful House Appropriations Committee and House Administration Committee. She’s also on the executive board of the Main Street Caucus, a faction of moderate Republicans within the GOP conference.
Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK) is also considering a run for the Senate, per NOTUS. Hern would loan $5 million to his campaign on top of having $2.4 million cash on hand, the outlet reported. The Washington Examiner reached out to Hern for comment.
Hern has sought higher office in the past. He was one of the nine Republicans who ran for speaker in 2023 after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s ousting. He is the current Republican Policy Committee chairman and previously served as Republican Study Committee chairman. He sits on the powerful tax-writing Ways and Means Committee.
Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) told reporters that Hern is “very sharp, knows his stuff,” but “I’m not endorsing anyone yet.”
“There’ll be a gaggle of folks, I’m sure, that will jump in for a exceptionally fast race that’s about to happen,” Lankford said. “I’m not talking about anybody right now. I don’t know how many people are going to jump in on it, so I have no way to get a good guess.”
Possible Oklahomans that could seek the appointment are Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, former Attorney General John O’Connor, and longtime Stitt adviser Donelle Harder, per NOTUS. Stitt said in a statement he will be looking to appoint a “strong, small government conservative voice” to the Senate to serve out the remainder of Mullin’s term.
Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) threw his support behind Hern, calling him a “strong, pro-Trump conservative who will make a great US Senator.”
Trump announced Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s firing on Thursday, effective at the end of the month. It is unclear how fast the Senate will move to confirm Mullin. The Oklahoma Republican has at least one Democratic supporter so far, however.
“I’m not sure how many fellow Democrats will vote to support our colleague @SenMullin as the next DHS Secretary, but I am AYE,” Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) wrote on X.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) dodged questions on whether he thought Mullin would be an “upgrade” from Noem.
TRUMP OUSTS KRISTI NOEM AS DHS CHIEF AND TAPS MARKWAYNE MULLIN TO TAKE HER PLACE
“I don’t have any comment right now on what’s to come,” Jeffries said at a press conference. “Let’s focus on what’s taking place right now. Kristi Noem is gone. Good riddance.”
Jeffries later said in a statement that a “change in personnel is not sufficient” and Democrats will continue to demand “bold, meaningful and transformational changes” to immigration enforcement agencies.
David Sivak contributed to this report.