Oklahoma Dark Money Floods Republican Governor Runoff

Oklahoma Dark Money Floods Governor Runoff With Nearly $10 Million

Outside political groups have poured nearly $10 million into Oklahoma’s Republican governor runoff, putting Oklahoma dark money and outside political spending at the center of the race between Attorney General Gentner Drummond and former State Senator Mike Mazzei.

Since July 1, political action committees and other outside organizations have spent approximately $9.7 million, compared with roughly $4 million spent directly by the candidates’ campaigns. According to Oklahoma Watch, that means outside organizations have outspent the campaigns themselves by more than two-to-one heading into the August 25 Republican runoff.

Oklahoma dark money drives millions in outside spending

The flood of Oklahoma dark money and independent political spending has dramatically changed the final weeks of the governor's race.

Outside organizations are paying for television commercials, digital advertising and direct mail supporting or attacking the candidates, often leaving voters with little immediate information about who is ultimately financing the message.

Not every independent expenditure technically qualifies as dark money. Some political committees are required to disclose donors, while certain nonprofit organizations can participate in political advocacy without revealing all of the individuals or organizations providing their funding.

But the sheer amount of outside money has become impossible to ignore.

Recent campaign finance reporting from Oklahoma Voice also shows millions flowing into Oklahoma's major Republican runoff contests as candidates and outside organizations compete for voters' attention.

The result is an election environment where the organizations talking most loudly to voters may not be the candidates themselves.

Attack ads dominate the governor runoff

Much of that outside spending has gone toward negative political advertising, making both the source and accuracy of those messages increasingly important.

One of the most significant examples involves a Virginia-based super PAC that reportedly spent approximately $2.6 million on advertisements accusing Mazzei of supporting a $500 million tax increase.

The claim centered on a 2016 proposal involving a scheduled reduction in Oklahoma's individual income tax rate. The legislation would have delayed the planned tax cut rather than increased the existing income tax rate.

That is an important distinction — and one that can easily disappear in a 30-second political advertisement.

Outside groups can also be more aggressive because they operate independently from the campaigns. Candidates are prohibited from coordinating expenditures with independent organizations, meaning Drummond and Mazzei do not directly control advertisements produced by those groups.

The advertising blitz comes as Oklahoma Republicans decide which candidate will advance from Tuesday's runoff to the November general election.

Transparency becomes part of Oklahoma political debate

The extraordinary amount of outside spending is also renewing questions about who is paying to influence Oklahoma elections.

Dark money has already attracted attention at the Oklahoma Capitol, where lawmakers have examined campaign finance disclosure requirements and whether voters should receive more information about the people and organizations financing political advertising.

The distinction matters.

A political advertisement paid for directly by a candidate's campaign clearly identifies who is responsible for the message. An advertisement produced by an outside organization can involve donors voters have never heard of — and depending on how that organization is structured, those donors may not always be publicly disclosed.

Oklahoma voters can review campaign finance filings and political committee information through the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, which oversees state campaign finance reporting requirements.

For voters facing a barrage of political commercials, mailers and digital advertisements, the question is no longer simply what does the ad say?

It is also: Who paid for it?

With approximately $9.7 million in outside spending compared with $4 million spent by the campaigns, outside money isn't a footnote in the Republican governor's runoff.

It has become one of the defining forces in the race.

The Republican gubernatorial runoff between Gentner Drummond and Mike Mazzei is Tuesday, August 25.

🔴 MORE RADIO NEWS