Staff Reports
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond set off a fresh round of fireworks when he told a Tulsa forum that some “extreme” Republicans are “fascist.” The comment happened at a Tulsa Press Club event where his GOP runoff rival, former state Senator Mike Mazzei, did not show up. In a tight Oklahoma governor runoff, that kind of language matters — and not in a good way.
The forum remark — plain and shocking
At the University of Tulsa forum, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said, “I aspire to be the governor of all. That sometimes draws me in sharp contrast with the extreme members of the Republican Party. But I don’t think they are real Republicans. I consider them more fascist.” The words were caught on video and replayed around the state. If you were hoping for careful candidate debate, you got a headline instead.
Runoff politics and the reaction
This comes as Drummond and Mike Mazzei head toward the Aug. 25 Oklahoma governor runoff. Mr. Mazzei skipped the forum and his campaign quickly attacked Drummond’s record and donations — including an often-cited $1,000 contribution listed for Biden in 2020. President Donald Trump has also weighed in, backing Mazzei and calling Drummond a “fake Republican.” Meanwhile Mazzei has poured roughly $10.8–11 million of his own money into the race. In short: lots of cash, lots of tweets, and now lots of name-calling.
Beyond the sound bite: policy fights that split the GOP
This spat isn’t just about words. Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond has picked fights that anger parts of the GOP base. He has led suits against big insurers like Allstate and State Farm, pushed litigation tied to poultry-waste pollution, and moved to block the Inola aluminum smelter project. Those are real issues that affect business, jobs, and rural communities — and they explain why some conservatives see him as a problematic nominee.
Why Republicans should care — and how voters should judge
Calling fellow Republicans “fascist” is both reckless and self-defeating. It hands Democrats free ammo and deepens GOP divides right before a runoff. That said, skipping a forum and buying a primary with millions of personal loans isn’t a virtue either. Voters should judge on records and results, not on who yells louder or who can spend more. If Drummond aspires to “be the governor of all,” name-calling is a poor first step. If Mazzei wants to prove he’s a leader, he should show up and debate, not let million-dollar TV spots do his talking.
Final take
Oklahomans deserve a real choice, not theater. The fascist jab will get clicks. The campaign cash will buy ads. But when the ballots arrive, voters will remember policy and leadership more than sound bites. Republicans would do well to stop treating each other like enemies and start treating the job of governor like the serious business it is. The runoff is coming — and the state deserves better than insults and social-media warfare.
