By Constitution Staff

With the August 26 Runoff Primary Elections completed, Republicans are assured of maintaining control of one chamber of the Legislature and are only a few seats away from control in the other chamber. Not only is continued Republican control almost certain, most observers expect the GOP to reinforce their numbers.

For seats that more than one Republican filed, or more than one Democrat filed, those candidates of the respective parties competed in the June 24 Primary Election. If there were two candidates for the party nomination, the winner became the nominee of the respective party. If there were three or more candidates in the party Primary Election, and no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, the top two candidates squared off in the Runoff Primary Election which was held on August 26. The final contest for the remaining races will be in the General Election which will be held November 4.

A number of legislators were not able to run for reelection as a result of term-limits. Legislators are limited to a total combined service in the House and/or Senate of 12 years. Term-limited Representatives include: Don Armes (R-Faxon), Gus Blackwell (R-Laverne), Dale DeWitt (R-Braman), Joe Dorman (D-Rush Springs), Rebecca Hamilton (D-Oklahoma City), Mike Reynolds (R-Oklahoma City), and John Trebilcock (R-Broken Arrow). Term-limited Senators are: Cliff Aldridge (R-Choctaw), Cliff Branan (R-Oklahoma City), Harry Coates (R-Seminole), and Jerry Ellis (D-Valliant).

Some of the term-limited legislators filed for other offices. Rep. Dorman is the Democrat candidate for Governor (no other Democrats filed). Sen. Branan ran in the Republican Primary for the open seat on the Corporation Commission which is being vacated by Patrice Douglas who ran for the open seat in the Fifth Congressional District being vacated by Congressman James Lankford who won the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Dr. Tom Coburn. Douglas lost her bid to succeed Lankford in the August 26 Runoff Election. Branan lost in the Primary Election to former House Speaker Todd Hiett who will be the Corporation Commissioner since they were the only candidates to file.

A number of other legislators decided simply not to run for reelection, including several in leadership positions. Rep. Mike Jackson (R-Enid) lost the race to replace Rep. T.W. Shannon as House Speaker and did not file for reelection to the House. Senator Sean Burrage (D-Claremore), the Senate Minority Leader, decided to call it quits, along with Senator Roger Ballenger (D-Okmulgee), the Assistant Minority Floor Leader. Senator Rob Johnson (R-Kingfisher), the Senate Majority Assistant Floor Leader also decided not to run again. Others choosing not to run include Rep. Larry Glenn (D-Miami), Rep. Arthur Hulbert (R-Fort Gibson), Rep. Steve Martin (R-Bartlesville), Rep. Skye McNiel (R-Bristow), and Rep. Colby Schwartz (R-Yukon).

Other legislators sought another office rather than run for reelection. Rep. Marty Quinn (R-Claremore) filed for the open Senate District 46 seat being vacated by Sen. Burrrage and won the seat without opposition. Rep. Fred Jordan (R-Jenks) ran for District Attorney in Tulsa County, but lost in the Runoff Primary. Sen. Tom Ivester (D-Sayre) is the Democrat nominee for District Attorney in District 2. Former Speaker of the House, Rep. T.W. Shannon (R-Lawton), ran for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Coburn, but lost in the Primary Election to Congressman Lankford. Sen. Constance Johnson (D-Oklahoma City) is also running for the Coburn seat. She finished first in the Democrat primary, and went on to defeat perennial candidate Jim Rogers in the Runoff Primary. Rep. Anastasia Pittman (D-Oklahoma City) won the Democrat nomination in the Primary Election for the seat being vacated by Sen. Constance Johnson. Rep. Mike Turner (R-Edmond) ran for the Fifth District seat being vacated by Congressman Lankford, but lost in the Republican Primary Election. Sen. Al McAffrey (D-Oklahoma City) is also running for the seat being vacated by Congressman Lankford, and won the Democrat nomination by defeating Tom Guild in the Runoff Primary. Rep. Kay Floyd (D-Oklahoma City) won the Democrat nomination in the Primary Election for the seat that Sen. McAffrey is vacating, and because no Republicans nor Independents filed, she will be the new senator for that district. Rep. Jason Smalley (R-Stroud ) won the Republican nomination in the Primary Election for the open seat being vacated by Sen. Coates. Rep. Curtis McDaniel (D-Smithville) is the Democrat nominee to fill the seat of Sen. Ellis.

It is mathematically impossible for Democrats to regain control of the state Senate. Republicans currently hold a 36-12 majority in the 48 member chamber. Senators serve four-year terms, with half of the seats up each election cycle. The odd numbered districts will not be on the ballot until 2016. The exception is Senate District 5 which is currently held by Sen. Jerry Ellis who cannot serve the remaining two years of his four-year term because of the 12-year legislative term limits. Ellis was first elected to the Senate seat in 2008 after serving six years in the House. The Special Election to fill the remaining two years of Ellis' term is being held on the same dates as the regularly scheduled elections. Republicans hold 19 of the odd numbered seats not on the ballot this year, with Democrats holding only 4.

The twenty-four even numbered districts are up for election this year. Seventeen of those are currently held by Republicans, and seven by Democrats. Fifteen incumbents filed for reelection, including 13 Republicans and just two Democrats. Including the Special Election for Sen. Ellis's seat, there are 25 seats to be filled this year. Seven Republicans were elected because they had no opposition. Two more Republicans, Sen. Brian Bingman (R-Sapulpa) and A.J. Griffin (R-Guthrie), won the Republican nomination in the Primary Elections and have been reelected because no Democrats nor Independents are running. A third seat was also filled by Republicans in the August Runoff Primary with Stephanie Bice of Edmond becoming the new Senator for the seat being vacated by Rob Johnson. When added to the 19 Republican seats not up for election this year, the GOP is guaranteed to have 29 seats.

Meanwhile, only two Democrats, Randy Bass (D-Lawton) and John Sparks (D-Norman), were elected without opposition. Senate Democrats held the seat being vacated by Sen. McAffrey since only Democrats filed and Rep. Kay Floyd won in the Primary Election. So, when added to the four seats held by Democrats which are not up this year, the Democrats go into the General Election guaranteed to have only seven seats. Even if Democrats won all of the 12 seats that they are running a candidate in the General Election, which is very unlikely, the GOP would still control the Senate with a 29-19 majority. Republicans are expected to win at least enough of the contested seats to maintain their current edge, and picking up several additional seats is considered likely.

It is much the same story for the House chamber, although it is mathematically possible for Democrats to receive a majority. All 101 House seats are up for election each two-year election cycle. Republicans hold a 72-29 majority in the House. Eighty incumbents filed for reelection to the House -- 58 Republicans and 22 Democrats. Because they drew no opponents, 50 members of the House have already been elected. Rep. Jeff Hickman (R-Fairview), the current Speaker of the House, is among the 35 Republicans. Rep. Scott Inman (D-Oklahoma City), who is the House Democrat (Minority) Leader, in among the 15 Democrats.

Twelve Republicans and three Democrats were elected in the Primary Elections, since they have no opposition in the General Election. Seven Republican incumbents won election in the June 24 Primary Election including Gary Banz of Midwest City, Josh Cockroft of Tecumseh, John Enns of Enid, Mark McBride of Moore, Jason Murphey of Guthrie, Weldon Watson of Tulsa, and Paul Wesselhoft of Moore. Former state Rep. Kevin Calvey of Oklahoma City returns to the Legislature having won the GOP nomination for the seat vacated by Rep. Turner. Michael Rogers of Broken Arrow won the GOP nomination and fills the seat being vacated by Rep. Trebilcock.

Republicans took three more seats in the August 26 Runoff Primary. John Pfeiffer of Mulhall won the Runoff Primary and will be the new representative replacing Rep. DeWitt. Casey Murdock (R-Felt) won the seat being vacated by Rep. Blackwell. And, Chuck Strohm of Jenks will replace Rep. Jordan.

One Democrat incumbent, Mike Shelton of Oklahoma City, was reelected in the Primary Election. And, Democrat Ben Loring of Miami won the nomination and the seat being vacated by Rep. Glenn. Democrats also kept the seat of Kay Floyd in the Runoff Primary with the election of Jason Dunnington of Oklahoma City.

Therefore, the GOP goes into the General Election guaranteed to have at least 47 seats, just four short of a majority, compared to just 18 for the Democrats. There are 36 seats at stake in the General Election, including one that only a Republican and an Independent are running. Democrats would have to win 33 of the 35 seats that they are fielding a candidate, again very unlikely, to retake control of the House. It is expected that Republicans will finish at least near their current level and could make further gains, especially if GOP candidates higher up on the ballot run strong in the fall election.

The following candidates were elected to the Senate because they had no opponents:

Randy Bass (D-Lawton)

Rick Brinkley (R-Owasso)

Bill Brown (R-Broken Arrow)

Marty Quinn (R-Claremore)

Eddie Fields (R-Wynona )

David Holt (R-Oklahoma City)

Mike Schulz (R-Altus)

John Sparks (D-Norman)

Anthony Sykes (R-Moore)

The following candidates were elected to the Senate in the June 24 Primary Election:

Brian Bingman (R-Sapulpa)

Kay Floyd (D-Oklahoma City)

A.J. Griffin (R-Guthrie)

The following candidate was elected to the Senate in the August 26 Runoff Primary Election:

Stephanie Bice (R-Edmond)

The following candidates were elected to the House because they had no opponents:

John Bennett (R-Sallisaw)

Scott Biggs (R-Chickasha)

Lisa Billy (R-Lindsay)

Mike Brown (D-Fort Gibson)

Ed Cannaday (D-Porum)

Donnie Conduit (D-McAlester)

Ann Coody (R-Lawton)

Marian Cooksey (R-Edmond)

Doug Cox (R-Grove)

Lee Denney (R-Cushing)

David Derby (R-Owasso)

Jon Echols (R-Oklahoma City)

Dan Fisher (R-El Reno)

Randy Grau (R-Edmond)

Katie Henke (R-Tulsa)

Jeff Hickman (R-Fairview)

Scott Inman (D-Oklahoma City)

Dennis Johnson (R-Duncan)

Sally Kern (R-Oklahoma City)

Dan Kirby (R-Tulsa)

Steve Kouplen (D-Beggs)

Mark Lepak (R-Claremore)

Kevin Matthews (D-Tulsa)

Charles McCall (R-Atoka)

Mark McCallough (R-Sapulpa)

Jeannie McDaniel (D-Tulsa)

Jerry McPeak (D-Warner)

Richard Morrissette (D-Oklahoma City)

Glen Mulready (R-Tulsa)

Jadine Nollan (R-Sand Springs)

Terry O'Donnell (R-Catoosa)

Charles Ortega (R-Altus)

Leslie Osborn (R-Mustang)

Pat Ownbey (R-Ardmore)

Pam Peterson (R-Tulsa)

Eric Proctor (D-Tulsa)

R.C. Pruett (D-Antlers)

Mike Ritze (R-Broken Arrow)

Dustin Roberts (R-Durant)

Todd Russ (R-Cordell)

Mike Sanders (R-Kingfisher)

Seneca Scott (D-Tulsa)

Earl Sears (R-Bartlesville)

Ben Sherrer (D-Chouteau)

Todd Thomsen (R-Ada)

Steve Vaughan (R-Ponca City)

Emily Virgin (D-Norman)

Ken Walker (D-Tulsa)

Cory Williams (D-Stillwater)

Harold Wright (R-Weatherford)

The following candidates were elected to the House in the June 24 Primary Election:

Gary Banz (R-Midwest City)

Kevin Calvey (R-Oklahoma City)

Josh Cockroft (R-Tecumseh)

John Enns (R-Enid)

Ben Loring (D-Miami)

Mark McBride (R-Moore)

Jason Murphey (R-Guthrie)

Michael Rogers (R-Broken Arrow)

Mike Shelton (D-Oklahoma City)

Weldon Watson (R-Tulsa)

Paul Wesselhoft (R-Moore)

The following candidates were elected to the House in the August 26 Runoff Primary Election:

Jason Dunnington (D-Oklahoma City)

Casey Murdock (R-Felt)

John Pfeiffer (R-Mulhall)