Mike Mazzei, a Tulsa Republican and former state senator, is running for Oklahoma governor in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He faces Democrat Cyndi Munson. Norman voters will choose between the two candidates on that ballot.
Mazzei, who served in the Oklahoma State Senate and later as the state's secretary of budget, says on his campaign website he wants to cut property taxes, shrink government spending and overhaul how state agencies justify their budgets.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Residence: Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Born: May 30, 1965
- Family: Married to Noel; five adult children
- Church: Asbury
- Education: Bachelor's in political science, George Mason University (1987); master's in financial planning, College for Financial Planning (2016); certificate in leadership management, University of Virginia (2022)
Experience and public service
Mazzei represented District 25 in the Oklahoma State Senate from 2004 to 2016 and chaired the Senate Finance Committee, according to his campaign website. Gov. Kevin Stitt appointed him secretary of budget, a post he held from Jan. 14, 2019, to Oct. 12, 2020, according to his Wikipedia page.
In that role, Mazzei said he helped grow Oklahoma's savings account to more than $1 billion, which he described as the largest in state history at the time.
Outside government, Mazzei has served as CEO of Trinity Strategic Wealth since 1993. He said the firm manages more than $1.5 billion in assets.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Mazzei's campaign website and responses he submitted through BallotReady, posted on his campaign policy page.
Taxes and budget: Mazzei said he would eliminate property taxes for seniors and veterans. He also said he would end special-interest property tax breaks for green energy and data centers, close loopholes that reduce payments to counties and eliminate what he called poor-return corporate welfare. He proposed requiring every state agency to prove it delivers value before receiving funding increases, with results made public. Programs would expire unless re-approved on merit, he said, and a dedicated unit would review every agency to identify waste and duplication.
Economy: Mazzei said he would promote lower income taxes and fewer regulations to attract investment. He said he would end blanket tax abatements that benefit global corporations while local communities absorb the cost and would sunset outdated regulations that hurt entrepreneurs.
Education: Mazzei said he would prioritize reading proficiency by third grade, expand career and technical education pathways and reinforce math, science and critical thinking skills. He said he would make Oklahoma teacher pay the highest in the region. He also said he would restore parental transparency in education decisions.
Pensions: Mazzei said he would replace defined-benefit pension systems with 401(k)-style plans. He said the change would save counties tens of millions of dollars over time.
Land and foreign ownership: Mazzei said he would prohibit foreign governments and foreign-controlled companies from owning Oklahoma land and would preserve agricultural land from over-development.
Endorsements
The following endorsements are listed on Mazzei's campaign endorsements page and BallotReady profile data:
- Donald J. Trump, president of the United States
- Sarah Huckabee Sanders, governor of Arkansas
- Josh Brecheen, U.S. congressman, Oklahoma
- John M. O'Connor, former attorney general of Oklahoma
- Sean Kouplen, chairman and CEO of Regent Bank and former Oklahoma secretary of commerce
- College Republicans of America
Candidate responses were drawn from Mazzei's campaign website and BallotReady questionnaire data reviewed by Norman Chronicle editors. The Norman Chronicle invites all candidates to participate in election coverage.
