Republican Kevin Hern, who represents Oklahoma's 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House, is running for U.S. Senate in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. Democrat N'Kiyla Thomas is also running for the seat.

The race is statewide. Norman-area voters will see it on their ballots, and the winner will vote on federal tax and spending legislation.

Candidate information

  • Party: Republican
  • Residence: Tulsa, according to his congressional biography
  • Family: Hern and his wife Tammy have three children and three grandchildren, according to his congressional biography
  • Born: Dec. 4, 1961, in Belton, Missouri, on an Air Force base, according to his congressional biography
  • Education: High school diploma, Dover High School, 1980; bachelor's degree in electromechanical engineering, Arkansas Tech University, 1986; master of business administration, University of Arkansas, Little Rock, 1999; architectural drafting certificate from a Career Technology school; enrolled in a doctoral program in astronautical engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology but did not complete it, according to Wikipedia

Experience and public service

Hern worked as an aerospace engineer at Rockwell International, according to BallotReady profile data. He held operations management roles at McDonald's from 1987 to 1997, according to his congressional biography. He chaired the franchise relations and systems economic teams on the company's national leadership team, according to his congressional biography.

He became a McDonald's franchise owner in 1999, according to BallotReady.

He co-owned Custom Seating and Interiors, according to his congressional biography. He served as CEO and managing partner of Firstrike Group from 2000 to 2018, according to BallotReady.

Hern has represented Oklahoma's 1st Congressional District since 2018, according to BallotReady. He serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, according to his congressional biography. He chaired the Republican Study Committee during the 118th Congress and chairs the House Republican Policy Committee in the 119th Congress.

On the issues

The following positions are Hern's own statements, provided through his campaign website and candidate questionnaire responses via BallotReady.

Border security and immigration: Hern said he believes there is "a crisis on our southern border" and said he voted to fund a border wall to protect national security and sovereignty.

Government spending and reform: Hern said the national debt threatens national security and children's futures. He said he supports a balanced budget and term limits. He said he wants Congress to return to "citizen-legislators, rather than lifetime politicians."

Second Amendment: Hern said he supports Second Amendment rights. He has received the endorsement of the Oklahoma 2nd Amendment Association.

Economy and small business: Hern said he is working on the Small Business committee to ensure businesses have capital access to start and grow companies for American workers.

Education: Hern said he is "a passionate advocate for school choice," saying every child deserves an education that equips them to pursue what he called "their own American dream."

Endorsements

The following endorsements are claimed by the endorsers or the candidate's campaign, according to the sources listed:

  • Donald Trump, according to Hern's campaign website
  • Make Oklahoma Healthy Again, according to BallotReady profile data
  • Oklahoma 2nd Amendment Association (OK2A), according to BallotReady profile data

Candidate positions and responses were gathered through BallotReady questionnaires and the candidate's campaign website. The Norman Chronicle presents this information to help voters make informed decisions.