Kevin Hern launches Senate bid for Markwayne Mullin’s Oklahoma seat
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One member of the House GOP leadership is likely Sen. Sen., R-Okla., after being chosen to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). He is entering the open race for the Senate seat to be vacated by Markwayne Mullin.
House GOP Policy Committee Chairman Kevin Hern, R-Okla., officially launches his Senate campaign Wednesday with the support of at least four Republicans in the upper chamber.
“The American dream is threatened by the radical left and RINO Republicans who oppose President Trump’s America First agenda and want to turn the United States into a third world country,” he says in the first video of his campaign.
“That’s why I’m running for the U.S. Senate—to make sure President Trump has a staunch ally, a leader who stands by him when the RINOs turn their backs on him, who will fight the madness of the Democrats, keep the southern border safe, deport dangerous illegal immigrants, stand up for law enforcement, and ensure economic affordability.”
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House GOP Policy Committee Chairman Kevin Hern is running for the Senate seat that will likely open in November after Sen. Markwayne Mullin takes over to lead DHS. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images; Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
Hern, who grew up in poverty without indoor plumbing until his teenage years, amassed a considerable fortune as a McDonald’s franchisee before coming to Congress in 2018.
He is the first major Republican candidate to announce his intention to run for Mullin’s seat in November and will likely be the favorite to win no matter who wins the GOP primary in the deep-red Midwestern state.
Mullin is expected to leave the Senate after President Donald Trump appointed him to head DHS following the firing of Kristi Noem. He faces a confirmation hearing later this month.
Traditionally, Senate vacancies are filled by the state’s governor to serve out the remainder of the previous senator’s term. This person is also often the favorite to win the seat in the next election cycle.
But in Oklahoma, the governor’s appointee must sign an affidavit stating that he will not run in the next election; In this case, this election will be held in November and Mullin’s term will end at the end of 2026.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem makes remarks during a working luncheon at the “Shield of the Americas” Summit at Trump National Doral in Miami on March 7, 2026. (Rebecca Blackwell/AFP via Getty Images)
It’s not yet clear how crowded the GOP primary will be for Mullin’s open seat. Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla., has previously said she is considering her own campaign but has not made a final decision.
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Meanwhile, Hern is already filling his team with Trump operatives.
He hired pollster Tony Fabrizio, who has worked closely with the president, as a senior adviser to his campaign.
In a statement, Fabrizio said Hern was “in a strong position” to win the seat, citing his “support for President Trump’s agenda, the trust he has built with Oklahoma voters, and his experience in public service and business.”
Meanwhile, the immediate goal of Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R.S.D., is to quickly fill Mullin’s seat. He is set to meet with Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt this week, a common practice when an appointment must be made, a source familiar told Fox News Digital.
It is common practice for a governor to meet with the Senate leader to appoint his replacement, as was the case with Mullin, who begins the confirmation process in the upper chamber next week.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt briefs the media on the deadly tornado that ripped through Barnsdall in northeastern Oklahoma on May 7, 2024. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Going further, Thune has no preference on who will replace Mullin, who is currently a member of the leadership team.
“You know, frankly, what we want is, in the near term, we’re going to have to fill that seat for Markwayne by the end of the month, and then the long-term issue will be decided by Oklahoma voters,” Thune said. “So whoever they decide to send us, we will be happy to accept.”
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Still, Hern is a candidate for support from other voters, including Sens. Jim Banks, R-Ind., Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., Rick Scott, R-Fla. and won the endorsement of a handful of senators, including Ron Johnson, R-Wis.
Trump has set a March 31 deadline for Mullin to take over and Noem to be removed from office, and she is expected to easily pass the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Whether Mullin will face obstacles during a full confirmation vote remains an open question.
