Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK) has appointed Alan Armstrong, a fellow Republican and an energy executive, as the replacement for Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), who will officially be sworn in as the next homeland security secretary later Tuesday.
“Alan’s story reflects the very best of Oklahoma,” Stitt said, according to NOTUS.
The governor followed through on his promise to President Donald Trump to find someone quickly to fill Mullin’s Senate seat. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, and wanted to keep that after Mullin’s confirmation.
Armstrong’s employer also released a statement on the news.
“Governor Stitt’s appointment of Alan Armstrong to the U.S. Senate is a proud moment for Williams and a testament to Alan’s four decades of principled leadership,” Williams Companies CEO Chad Zamarin said. “We are grateful for his service to Oklahoma and to our nation. We know that Alan will bring incredible leadership to the Senate and will continue to champion American energy and prosperity.”
Armstrong currently leads the board of directors at Williams, an energy company based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The company’s specialty is natural gas processing and transportation. Williams accounts for about a third of the natural gas consumed in the United States each day.
The energy executive is expected to fill Mullin’s shoes until the end of the year, after he is sworn in later Tuesday.
MARKWAYNE MULLIN CONFIRMED AS DHS SECRETARY WITH SUPPORT FROM TWO DEMOCRATS
Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK) is running to serve the next term after Armstrong, who cannot seek election to a full term under an Oklahoma law. Trump has already endorsed Hern.
Mullin is set to be sworn in at the White House on Tuesday afternoon after he was confirmed by the Senate the night before.
The new Homeland Security chief is succeeding Kristi Noem, who was booted from office by Trump after she testified before Congress earlier this month. She will soon be leading the Shield of the Americas, an initiative to combat narco-terrorism, drug cartels, and similar threats to the Western Hemisphere.