Markwayne Mullin defeats Kendra Horn in Oklahoma US Senate race

Rep. Markwayne Mullin, a 10-year veteran of Congress and a close ally of former President Donald Trump, easily won the race on Tuesday to succeed Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe.

The Associated Press called the race just after the polls closed in Oklahoma. With nearly 90% of the vote counted, unofficial returns showed Mullin with 63% of the vote and leading in 76 of the 77 counties.

Mullin said, "Tonight's victory is the honor of my lifetime, and a great win for our country. Tonight, the American people rejected Joe Biden's extreme Socialist movement, and embraced a new conservative agenda to get America back on track. I am humbled to have the opportunity to serve the greatest state in the union in the U.S. Senate.""

Mullin defeated former Democratic congresswoman Kendra Horn, Libertarian Robert Murphy and independent Ray Woods. Horn led Mullin in Oklahoma County, her home county and the state's largest, according to unofficial results from about half of the county's precincts.

Mullin, 45, a plumbing company owner from rural eastern Oklahoma, has served in the U.S. House since 2013. He defeated a big field of GOP rivals in the primary and runoff and was heavily favored to win the special election race to replace Inhofe. Inhofe has four years left on his current term.

Mullin has said he hopes to land a seat on the Armed Services Committee, where Inhofe has served as chairman and as the top Republican and wielded his considerable influence to strengthen the major military installations in Oklahoma.

It was not clear Tuesday night whether Democrats would retain control of the Senate or if Republicans would reclaim the majority; that could determine Mullin’s committee assignments.

Mullin said in August he didn’t know whether he would support Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, the longtime leader of Senate Republicans, to continue in that role.

“I think most people say he doesn’t really represent us the way we want it to be,” he said then. “The Republican Party has moved on. But I don't know who else it would be.”

Trump and McConnell have become political foes, while Trump endorsed Mullin and was featured in some of his campaign ads.

Mullin this year authored legislation to expunge the impeachments of Trump, a move criticized by Horn, who voted in 2019 for two articles of impeachment.

Inhofe endorsed Mullin on Twitter but told the online publication The Frontier that he had problems with Mullin’s attempt to get money into Afghanistan to rescue an American woman and her children after U.S. troops evacuated in 2021.

The most recent campaign finance report filed by Mullin showed he had spent about $4.5 million since the beginning of the year and had $1.4 million in debts, including the $1 million he loaned his campaign. Horn, 46, spent more than $1.6 million.

More:Poll shows Mullin, Lankford with big leads in races for Oklahoma's US Senate seats

More:Markwayne Mullin vs. Kendra Horn: Where they stand

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Republican Markwayne Mullin wins race to replace Sen. Jim Inhofe