GOP runoff set for county sheriff race
Current Oklahoma County Sheriff P. D. Taylor will face Norman police officer Tommie Johnson in a Republican runoff for county sheriff this August.
According to unofficial results from the Oklahoma Election Board, Taylor won 48% of the vote, and Johnson won 33% during the June 30 primary election. A third challenger, former Oklahoma County sheriff' s deputy Mike McCully, will not advance after receiving just under 19% of votes.
“I'm glad my supporters got out and voted,” Taylor said. “I feel good about it and really believe experience matters. I don't believe there is anyone else in this race that has the experience to be sheriff.”
Johnson is happy with a runoff, saying it shows the“Republican Party believes in me enough to do the job.”
“I had a lot of people invest their time and their vote in me today, and that is tremendous,” he said. “I love to compete, and competing against the best is something I enjoy doing.”
In November, the winner will be up against Oklahoma City police officer Wayland Cubit, a Democrat, who easily beat opponent Virgil Green by over 16,000 votes.
“In one word, I am grateful ,” Cub it said. “There are so many supporters and people who believe that law enforcement can change and can build a new culture with new leadership. I am excited…. I look forward to facing either one of them in the general election.”
The race for sheriff was a highlight of the June 30 primary election in
Oklahoma County with the backdrop of protests against police brutality and the possibility for voters to elect the county's first Black sheriff.
Also on the June 30 ballot was District 2 Oklahoma County Commissioner Brian Maughan, who handily won his Republican primary against challenger Jim Fisher.
Ma ugh an, who has been a commissioner since 2008, received 54% of the vote and will face Democrat Spencer Hicks in the Nov .3 general election.
“I am just very humbled by the support, and I'm grateful for all the volunteers who helped continue the campaign on while I was at the hospital with my son,” said Maughan, whose infant son died earlier this week. “I think the Republican voters were satisfied and renewed my contract tonight.”