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| Elections in Oklahoma |
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The 2014 United States Senate special election in Oklahoma took place on November 4, 2014, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Oklahoma, concurrently with the regularly-scheduled election to Oklahoma's other Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
This special election was held to fill the remaining two years of incumbent Republican Senator Tom Coburn's second term. Coburn, a strong supporter of term limits, had announced even before he was elected to the Senate in 2004 that he would only serve for two terms. After he was re-elected in 2010, he reaffirmed that he would not run for re-election in 2016.[1][2]
In January 2014, Coburn announced he would resign early at the end of the 113th United States Congress on January 3, 2015.[3][4] As pursuant to Oklahoma law, he submitted an "irrevocable letter of resignation" to take effect on that day. Thus, the special election was held while he was still in office.[5][6]
Unlike most states, except in very specific circumstances,[a] Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin did not have the power to appoint a replacement senator. Instead, state law required her to schedule the special election "as soon as practicable".[8]
Primary elections were held on June 24, 2014. The Republicans nominated U.S. Representative James Lankford; as no candidate in the Democratic primary received more than 50% of the vote, a primary runoff election was held on August 26 between State Senator Connie Johnson and perennial candidate Jim Rogers, which Johnson won. In the general election, Lankford defeated Johnson in a landslide (winning every county) and was sworn in on the day Coburn's resignation took effect. When Lankford won re-election in 2016 and 2022, he won every county both times.
- ^ "Tom Coburn cruises to a second and final term in the U.S. Senate". NewsOK. November 3, 2010. Archived from the original on August 9, 2014. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
- ^ Kasperowicz, Pete (August 16, 2011). "Coburn reaffirms term-limit pledge, won't run in 2016". thehill.com. Retrieved December 27, 2012.
- ^ Murphy, Sean (January 17, 2014). "Okla. Sen. Coburn to Retire After Current Session". ABC News. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
- ^ Edwards, A (January 17, 2014). "Oklahoma will hold special election to fill Coburn's U.S. Senate seat after retirement". kfor.com. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
- ^ Michael Bates (January 16, 2014). "Replacing Tom Coburn: Oklahoma's congressional special election laws". BatesLine. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
- ^ "Governor Mary Fallin Comments on Dr. Tom Coburn's Announced Retirement from the U.S. Senate". ok.gov. January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
- ^ "2006 Oklahoma Code - Title 26. — Elections". law.justia.com. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
- ^ "Oklahoma Sen. Coburn announces early retirement". PBS. January 17, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
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