Mike Mazzei, the head of a financial planning firm who is vying to be the Republican nominee for Oklahoma governor, has presented himself as a staunch supporter of President Trump, who endorsed him and carried Oklahoma with 66 percent of the vote in 2024.
A former state senator and budget secretary under Gov. Kevin Stitt, Mr. Mazzei is locked in a hard-fought Republican primary runoff against the state’s attorney general, Gentner Drummond.
Should he prevail, Mr. Mazzei, 61, would be the favorite in the general election against the Democratic nominee for governor, State Representative Cyndi Munson.
Here are five things to know about Mr. Mazzei:
1. Mr. Trump endorsed Mr. Mazzei before the June primary, a late surprise that Mr. Drummond said kept his rival’s campaign alive. The president has repeated the endorsement at least twice since: in a July video calling Mr. Mazzei a “MAGA warrior” and again last week, when he called Mr. Drummond a “fake Republican.”
2. Mr. Mazzei switched positions on a $4 billion aluminum smelter near Tulsa that was backed by investment from a company in the United Arab Emirates. Mr. Mazzei initially opposed the project, which was heralded by the Trump administration, before he reversed course. The same day Mr. Mazzei switched his position publicly on social media, Mr. Trump shared his endorsement.
3. Mr. Mazzei has promised to sharply cut taxes. He has proposed eliminating the state income tax over six years, and vowed to get rid of property taxes on homes owned by those who are 65 or older. Mr. Mazzei said the cuts would not force reductions in services because economic growth would make up the lost revenue.
4. His campaign has been largely self-financed, with Mr. Mazzei loaning his campaign more than $11 million, according to campaign filings in early August. By contrast, his campaign has raised around $1.4 million from individual contributors.
5. He supports using taxpayer funding for religious charter schools. The issue has been of interest in Oklahoma in recent years. Officials approved a Catholic charter school, only to have the school blocked by the state Supreme Court. A Jewish charter school is currently in court seeking to create the state’s first publicly funded religious school.
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