Longtime GOP Senator Is Calling It Quits Triggering a Special Election That Could Get Intense

Matt Vespa | February 24, 2022 3:45 PM

Last year, he made his retirement plans known. By the end of his current term, he was going to step away from public life. That was slated to be 2027 for this Republican senator. Well, plans change. We all see those retirement commercials. Sen. Jim Inhofe, who has been representing Oklahoma since 1994, intends to announce that he's stepping down at the end of the year. This triggers a special election to select someone to serve the remaining four years of his term.

Here’s who to watch: @LtGovPinnell, former RNC member and eager to move @TWShannon, former state house speaker. ran and lost to Lankford for the other Senate seat in 2014
Every member of the House delegation except the fella who could be House Approps chair before long
— Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) February 24, 2022

MORE on Inhofe: Per Okla Repubs, he’s planning to announce decision to resign Monday but WILL remain in seat thru end of this Congress. Decision will trigger a special held in conjunction w November general.
— Jonathan Martin (@jmartNYT) February 24, 2022

FWIW, Oklahoma updated its procedure in the case of a US Senate vacancy last year https://t.co/GTX4T25A5K https://t.co/DM23gHR9HX
— Dillon Richards (@KOCODillon) February 24, 2022

Confirming @jmartNYT's scoop -- 87-year-old @JimInhofe will announce Monday he'll step down at the end of the year, triggering an #OKSen special election for the final 4 yrs of Inhofe's term until 2026.
— Jessica Taylor (@JessicaTaylor) February 24, 2022

This is per a source close to Inhofe. Likely candidates include Rep. Markwayne Mullin & Kevin Hern, AG candidate Gentner Drummond -- who'd have plenty of money to self-fund -- and frmr OK speaker TW Shannon who lost in the 2014 primary to Lankford
— Jessica Taylor (@JessicaTaylor) February 24, 2022

The Oklahoma Republican does plan to serve until the end of the year, but this will reportedly ignite quite a bonfire among Oklahoma Republicans vying to clinch a senate seat. The good news is that Democrats are not going to get this seat. The bad news is that we have a special election that could get nasty and divert resources from other elections and policy battles.

Inhofe is 87 years old.