What we know about OK lieutenant governor, AG, treasurer, labor commissioner candidates

Oklahoma's races for the U.S. Senate, governor and state schools superintendent have captured significant attention leading up to the Nov. 8 general election.

But those aren't the only statewide elections on the ballot this fall.

Here's a look at some of the candidates for several other statewide seats. Public polling shows the Republican candidates in all four races lead their opponents by wide margins.

More:A look at the four Oklahoma Supreme Court justices on the retention ballot in November

Two challenge Pinnell in lieutenant governor's race

Republican Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell, who is seeking a second term in office, will face Democrat Melinda Alizadeh-Fard and Libertarian Chris Powell in the general election.

Pinnell, 43, serves as the state's secretary of tourism, wildlife and heritage. He is the president of the state Senate, although his role in the chamber is typically limited to breaking rare tie votes.

The lieutenant governor serves as acting governor when the governor is out of the state and serves on a handful of boards and commissions, including the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission.

A Tulsa resident, Pinnell has made a name for himself by leading the charge to create a new state brand. He also has been heavily involved in efforts to improve Oklahoma's state parks and welcome centers. He has helped promote the Oklahoma Fishing Trail and Route 66.

During the pandemic, Pinnell lobbied for GOP officials to bring the Republican National Convention to Oklahoma. Although the convention went elsewhere, Pinnell's lobbying efforts reportedly played a role in then-President Donald Trump deciding to hold a campaign rally in Tulsa in 2020 despite concerns about the spread of COVID-19.

Before running for office, Pinnell served as the chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party and worked for the Republican National Committee.

Alizadeh-Fard, 60, has criticized Pinnell for signing off on millions in payments to Swadley's Foggy Bottom Kitchen, which the Tourism and Recreation Department contracted with to operate restaurants in some state parks. The now-defunct deal has come under immense scrutiny and is the subject of a criminal probe.

After the Swadley's debacle, Pinnell asked state lawmakers to return oversight of the Tourism and Recreation Department to the Tourism Commission, as opposed to the agency's executive director. Lawmakers appear likely to grant his request to reverse a 2018 law during next year's legislative session.

An immigration attorney, Alizadeh-Fard, of Edmond, previously worked as an administrative law judge, general counsel for the Oklahoma Public Employees Association and a social worker for the Oklahoma State Department of Human Services, according to her LinkedIn page.

On her website, Alizadeh-Fard said she's running to "restore transparency and accountability" to state government. She vows to bring additional scrutiny of state government by asking tough questions of the state boards and commissions on which the lieutenant governor serves.

Powell, 51, is campaigning on the message that the lieutenant governor's office is unnecessary and should be eliminated. The Bethany City Council member argues that the lieutenant governor has few duties and gets paid to raise their public profile so they can one day run for governor.

Powell ran for governor four years ago and got 3.4% of the vote.

For more information, go to mattpinnell.com, melinda4ltgovernor.com and facebook.com/WeDontNeedaLtGov.

Meet Oklahoma's attorney general hopefuls

Oklahoma voters will decide between Republican Gentner Drummond, 59, and Libertarian Linda Steele, 31, to determine who will serve as the next chief law enforcement officer for the state.

There is no Democratic candidate in this race.

Drummond, a wealthy Tulsa attorney, Osage County rancher and former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, defeated appointed Attorney General John O'Connor in the June GOP primary.

In that race, Drummond said he would be an independent check on state government. He also said he would work with Oklahoma's tribes in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court's McGirt v. Oklahoma ruling, which led to roughly half the state being affirmed as tribal reservations.

On his website, he vows to protect Oklahomans' gun rights, fight "overreach" by the federal government and clear the state's backlog of rape kits.

Steele, of Warr Acres, served in the Oklahoma Army National Guard for 12 years. Although she is not an attorney, having a legal degree is not a requirement to be Oklahoma's attorney general.

She helped develop a phone application to make the legal process easier.

Find out more about Drummond at drummondok.com. For more information about Steele, go to steeleforag.com.

Three candidates vying for state treasurer

After facing a heated primary election, Republican Rep. Todd Russ will face Democrat Charles de Coune and Libertarian Gregory Sadler in the general election.

The term-limited state lawmaker touts more than 30 years of banking experience.

Russ, 61, previously served as the president and CEO of Washita State Bank in Burns Flat for five years after working his way up in the banking industry. He also consulted for various financial institutions.

A Cordell native,Russ defended his banking record after his runoff primary opponent aired commercials highlighting the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s previous criticism of Washita State Bank operations. Russ has said he is not to blame for what the FDIC in a report issued after he had left the bank called “unsafe and unsound banking practices." Russ aims to streamline the treasurer's Unclaimed Property Program that connects residents with their lost possessions and wealth. He has been critical of banks and financial institutions that boycott the fossil fuels industry.Oklahoma's treasurer is the state's chief elected financial officer and oversees banking, investment and cash management of billions in taxpayer dollars.

De Coune, 51, is a native of Belgium who moved to the U.S. as an exchange student. He is a certified public funds investment manager who has worked for 11 years as the lending manager at the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.

The Oklahoma City resident previously worked at MidFirst Bank after getting his undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Central Oklahoma.

De Coune wants to improve the checks and balances of state government by ensuring taxpayer funds only go to projects that are given the opportunity for public scrutiny. Citing the tourism department's deal with Swadley's, he said on his website he aims to prevent "backroom deals."

He said he plans to focus on long-term investments for state funds and wants to improve the state's Unclaimed Property program. De Coune also aims to cut costs at the treasurer's office by "re-engaging its workforce."

Sadler, 49, of Newalla, said he will inform the taxpayers of any wasteful or unethical spending.

"I believe in spending the absolute least amount of taxpayer money and being 100% transparent when we do," he said on his website.

For more information, go to toddrussforstatetreasurer.com, charles2022.com and gregsadler4ok.com.

Meet the candidates for state labor commissioner

Democrat Jack Henderson and Libertarian Will Daugherty are aiming to unseat Republican Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn.

Osborn, 59, defeated term-limited state Rep. Sean Roberts in the GOP runoff primary election.

The labor commissioner leads the Oklahoma State Department of Labor, which oversees workplace safety and worker welfare. The agency oversees the state's worker's compensation programs and ensures everything from elevators to amusement park rides get inspected.

Before winning statewide office, Osborn, of Mustang, served 10 years in the Oklahoma House, including a yearlong stint as the chairwoman of the chamber's powerful Appropriations and Budget Committee.

Henderson, 72, previously served on the Tulsa City Council for 14 years before he lost reelection in 2016. At the time, he was the city's longest-serving councilor and Black elected official.

He worked for AT&T for 35 years before retiring from the company. He has served as president of the Tulsa chapter of the NAACP, according to The Tulsa World.

Daugherty, 28, wants to offer tax breaks to businesses that pay their employees higher wages, although he'd likely have to advocate for the Legislature to take action to make that happen.

The Yukon resident also wants to work with the Oklahoma Legislature to reject federal identification requirements so an estimated 85,000 undocumented immigrants can find work legally in the state. Daugherty also told The Tulsa World he would push for occupational licensing fees to be eliminated for businesses until they start turning a profit.

For more information, go to electosborn.com, facebook.com/jack.henderson.3956 and facebook.com/Will4OK.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Meet the candidates for 4 Oklahoma statewide positions