In the weeks leading up to the runoff, Drummond outraised and outspent Mazzei<\/a>, with his campaign reporting last week that he brought in $2.3 million between the mid-June primary and Tuesday\u2019s runoff. Mazzei, in the same time period, raised $816,000. <\/p>\n Both candidates have also loaned their campaigns significant sums: $11 million for Mazzei and $3 million for Drummond.<\/p>\n Trump first endorsed Mazzei in May<\/a> in the race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Kevin Stitt and continued to reiterate his support for the former state lawmaker. <\/p>\n In a post on Truth Social last week<\/a>, Trump praised Mazzei and criticized Drummond, writing, \u201cDrummond is not the right guy. He\u2019s got a bad attitude, and he doesn\u2019t stand for the Values of Oklahoma, which must VOTE FOR \u2018MIKE MAZZEI FOR GOVERNOR,\u2019 on Tuesday, August 25th.\u201d <\/p>\n Drummond also drew the president\u2019s ire for suing to block the construction<\/a> of the largest aluminum smelter in the country in Inola, Oklahoma, citing environmental and public health concerns. <\/p>\n \u201cHe wants to dethrone a magnificent, Job producing, desperately needed, and brand new, Aluminum Plant that will be one of the best projects ever conceived or built, not only in the Great State of Oklahoma, but in the United States, itself,\u201d Trump wrote in the Truth Social post earlier this month.<\/p>\n Mazzei, on the other hand, supports construction of the plant<\/a>.<\/p>\n This week, Drummond also broke with the president on his decision last week to waive tariffs on some beef imports in an attempt to lower beef prices in the U.S.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Oklahoma and I are supportive of President Trump and many of his policies. I do think the majority of Oklahomans would agree that the tariffs are too far, that importing cheap beef only injures Oklahoma\u2019s cattlemen, ranchers and farmers,\u201d Drummond told NewsNation<\/a>, echoing the concerns of GOP lawmakers<\/a> in the House and Senate from states with large cattle-ranching communities. <\/p>\n![\"Mike](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/260820-mike-mazzei-ch-1430-488b23.jpg\")
Mike Mazzei in Oklahoma City on April 8, 2026.Bryan Terry \/ USA Today Network via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n