A current state lawmaker known for his criticism of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and a former Tulsa Public Schools board member are among four new candidates for statewide office in the 2026 election cycle.
State Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, officially has joined what’s now a four-person field in the GOP primary for lieutenant governor, while Jerry Griffin, of Tulsa, will make his first official attempt to run for state schools superintendent, a job now held by Republican firebrand Ryan Walters, who widely is expected to run for governor in 2026.
Humphrey filed his candidate committee registration with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission on Wednesday, Aug. 7.
Since 2017, Humphrey has represented Choctaw and Pushmataha counties and parts of Atoka and Bryan counties in southeastern Oklahoma. He has a background in law enforcement, business administration and ranching. Humphrey now serves as vice chair of the House Public Safety and Tourism committees and is a member of the Judiciary and Public Safety Oversight committee and the Appropriations and Budget Judiciary Subcommittee.
In previous years, he's served as chair of the House Criminal Justice and Corrections and the Public Safety committees. He’s been a vocal critic of the Corrections Department and its director, Steven Harpe, and has called for the agency’s complete overhaul. He and agency officials have been at loggerheads on issues ranging from deaths inside Oklahoma prisons, low pay for corrections employees and a $90,000 pay raise awarded to Harpe.
In May, Humphrey sued the agency, its leaders and House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, alleging “ongoing violations” of the Oklahoma Open Records Act, which the agency has denied.
Another new candidate for lieutenant governor is Kelly Forbes, of Oklahoma City, the first Democrat to enter the race. Forbes’ campaign website is not yet active, but he filed candidate paperwork with the Ethics Commission on Tuesday, Aug. 5.
Forbes is only the second Democrat to file for one of the nine open statewide offices, joining state Rep. Cyndi Munson, who is running for governor.
Three GOP candidates who previously announced their campaigns for lieutenant governor are current state Auditor Cindy Byrd; state Sen. Darrell Weaver, of Moore, and businessman Victor Flores, of Edmond. A fourth Republican, Chris White, of Broken Bow, has terminated his campaign.
New candidates also file for state superintendent, insurance commissioner posts
Griffin is the fourth Republican seeking to become state superintendent, a seat now held by Walters. Griffin filed his candidate paperwork with the Ethics Commission on Tuesday, Aug. 5.
He served on the Tulsa school board from June 2020 through January 2024. Midway through that time, he ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Tulsa City Council. Also in 2022, he formed an exploratory committee to run for state superintendent but did not file campaign paperwork.
In March, when he first announced his campaign, Griffin said in a news release that, “I am running against no one but I am running for bold leadership for all Oklahoma children. It’s time to put education back in the hands of educators, strengthen our schools, and prepare students for a future of success."
Griffin joins three other active Republican candidates for state superintendent — retired Bixby Public Schools Superintendent Rob Miller, Peggs Public School Superintendent John Cox and Ana Landsaw, of Tahlequah, who works as the assistant director of the Alternative Certification for Educators (ACE) Institute at Northeastern State University, which provides training for career professionals transitioning into a teaching career.
There’s also now a second Republican candidate for insurance commissioner — former state Sen. Marty Quinn, of Claremore. Quinn served two terms in the Oklahoma House before spending two terms in the Senate, ending in 2022. He unsuccessfully ran for a seat in Congress vacated in 2022 by current U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin.
Quinn, who now lists an Oklahoma City address, has spent nearly 40 years working in the insurance industry. He'll face Chris Merideth, of Edmond, another insurance veteran with 25 years in the field. They both want to succeed Glen Mulready, who’s term-limited.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Humphrey, Quinn, 2 others join races for Oklahoma statewide office
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