Republicans took in far more money from political action committees than Democrats in Oklahoma’s legislative races this year, a review of campaign finance data finds.
An Oklahoma Watch analysis of the latest Oklahoma Ethics Commission data, which includes contributions through Oct. 27, shows that more than $4.1 million has been spent by PACs since the start of 2020 on the 126 legislative seats up for election this year.
Of that amount, nearly $3.5 million, or 83% of the total, went to Republican candidates.
RELATED
In Many Oklahoma Races, Outside Groups Are Outspending Candidates
In the last weeks of the Oklahoma primary elections, outside groups have spent close to $10 million to support or oppose candidates running for office. Some of that spending has far outpaced campaign spending by the candidates themselves.
The spending includes campaign contributions for the primary, runoff and general election.
More Republicans ran for legislative seats than Democrats this year as Republicans fielded at least one candidate in 95 of the 126 legislative races. Democrats, meanwhile, fielded at least one candidate in only 55 races.
But the campaign finance data still shows that Republicans were the biggest benefactors of the PAC money.
Almost all of the most active and most well-funded PACs in the state overwhelmingly were more likely to support Republicans.
Of the 20 PACs that spent the most money on legislative candidates this year, only one — the Oklahoma AFL-CIO, an organization that supports unions and labor groups — spent more on Democrats than Republicans.
The two most active PACs — organizations representing the Oklahoma Association of Realtors and Florida-based NextEra Energy — accounted for about 90% or more of the spending to Republicans.
Twenty-two legislative candidates, most of them incumbents, took in $50,000 or more from PACs. Jo Anna Dossett, who is running for the open Senate District 35 seat in Tulsa County, is the only Democrat in the group.
Senate President Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, Majority Floor Leader Rep. Jon Echols and Sen. Larry Boggs, R-Wilburton, raised the most from PACS in 2020. They all received more than $100,000.
MORE ELECTION COVERAGE
The Effort to Build a New Oklahoma County Jail is a Decade in the Making
While Oklahoma County commissioners have long considered building a new jail facility, this marks the first time the issue has advanced to the election ballot.
Long Story Short: Why a District Attorney Is Investigating Gov. Stitt’s TV Ad
Topics: A probe into Gov. Stitt’s campaign ad. The evolution of Oklahoma gun laws and gun-related deaths. How those denying 2020 presidential election results are affecting campaigns.
Stitt Campaign Ad With Attorney General Draws Further Scrutiny
Eight Republican and Democratic House members have asked Oklahoma County’s district attorney to investigate a 30-second ad the Stitt campaign began running last week.
Stitt’s ‘Oklahoma Turnaround’ Ads May Violate Ethics Rules
The latest campaign commercial for Gov. Kevin Stitt featuring attorney general John O’Connor may violate state Ethics Commission rules for electioneering, according to several Republicans and Democrats.