The race to take Garry Mize’s seat has been simplified.
Either Collin Duel or Karmin Grider will become Oklahoma’s House District 31 representative.
Polls closed at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Duel received 44.22% of the vote, and Grider received 34.79%. Because no candidate received over 50%, the race will go to a runoff between those two.
Logan Trainer received 20.99% of the vote.
No candidate from another party opposed the Republican, so the race will not require a general election.
Trainer and Duel were first-time candidates. Grider was previously defeated by Mize in the 2020 election. Mize did not choose to seek re-election.
Duel and Grider spoke to the Guthrie News Leader earlier this month to detail why they are running for office.
“As a lifelong Oklahoman and resident of House District 31, I genuinely care about our state’s direction,” Duel said. “I want to look my children in the eye and tell them that I did everything in my power to represent and preserve the traditional Oklahoma values that were instilled in me growing up in this very community”
“Right now we are fighting for the heart and soul of this nation and that fight starts in our own backyard,” Grider said. “It’s the elite establishment vs. we the people. Our very way of life is at stake, our children are being indoctrinated, and the vulnerable are being financially strangled all because those in positions of leadership care more about their agenda than our rights and our families. We need someone who is for us and will not compromise. Everything I’ve done is to show that person is me.”
Duel and Grider also told the Guthrie News Leader the first thing they would do if elected.
If elected, I would immediately partner with fellow constitutional conservatives at the capitol to ensure that our traditional values are protected,” Duel said.
“If the ERIC system is still funded at the time, I will author a bill to defund it. Our poll books need to be kept on paper and in the dark until after the election. It’s been proven that online databases are hackable and this information should be kept secure to ensure election integrity,” Grider said.
The runoff election is on Aug. 23.