Oklahoma Republican Rep. Stephanie Bice announced Friday that she will not seek the U.S. Senate seat expected to open after President Donald Trump tapped Sen. Markwayne Mullin to serve as Secretary of Homeland Security, a move that has stirred a wave of political maneuvering among Republicans in the deep-red state.
Bice confirmed her decision in a statement posted to the social platform X, saying she intends to remain focused on representing Oklahoma’s Fifth Congressional District rather than entering the quickly forming Senate race.
“After prayerful consideration, I remain committed to serving the Fifth Congressional District, a place that I proudly call home,” Bice wrote.
The congresswoman framed her decision as part of a broader effort to support the president’s agenda in Washington. She emphasized the importance of maintaining strong Republican allies in the House of Representatives as the administration pushes forward with its policy priorities.
“President Trump needs strong allies in the House and it is my honor to champion policies that better the lives of everyday Oklahomans,” she said. “In the next few weeks I will file for re-election, and I’m excited to continue traveling across the district to share our strong America first agenda.”
Bice’s announcement comes amid a sudden political scramble in Oklahoma following Trump’s decision to select Mullin to replace Kristi Noem at the Department of Homeland Security. Mullin’s move to the administration would leave his Senate seat open, triggering a race to fill the position and drawing interest from several prominent Republicans.
Speculation intensified soon after Trump’s announcement, with both Bice and fellow Oklahoma Republican Rep. Kevin Hern signaling they were weighing possible bids for the Senate seat. Bice had previously said she was “carefully considering” a run earlier this month.
Hern, a wealthy businessman who chairs the House Republican Policy Committee, has since moved ahead with his own campaign. He officially launched his Senate bid on Wednesday, positioning himself as a contender in what is shaping up to be a closely watched Republican primary.
For Bice, the decision to remain in the House may reflect both loyalty to her district and the importance many Republicans place on maintaining strength in the lower chamber. As debates in Washington continue over major domestic and foreign policy issues, House allies of the president often play a critical role in advancing the administration’s legislative goals.
The timeline for Oklahoma’s Senate race is already taking shape. The Republican primary election is scheduled for June 16, and candidates must officially file to run during a three-day filing period from April 1 through April 3.
In the meantime, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt will play a key role in managing the transition. Under state law, the governor has 30 days to appoint a temporary replacement from Mullin’s party once the senator leaves his seat. That appointee would serve until voters select a new senator in the November election.
However, there is an important condition attached to the temporary appointment. Whoever Stitt chooses must agree not to run for the seat in the upcoming election, ensuring that the special election remains open to other candidates.
Mullin himself was already preparing for another election cycle before Trump selected him for the Cabinet role. The senator, who was elected in a 2022 special election, had been up for reelection this November. In that earlier contest, he defeated his Democratic opponent by roughly 27 points while finishing out the remainder of former Sen. Jim Inhofe’s term.
Oklahoma remains one of the most reliably Republican states in the country. President Trump carried the state by more than 30 points in the 2024 election, underscoring the GOP’s dominant position there.
With Bice stepping aside and Hern entering the race, the coming months are likely to reveal just how crowded the Republican field becomes as candidates compete to fill the soon-to-be vacant Senate seat.
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