Oklahoma Governor’s Reported Replacement For Sen Mullen Is A Virtual Unknown Who Gave Money To Trump Foe
Republican Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is reportedly set to temporarily fill the anticipated vacancy of Sen. Markywane Mullin’s seat with a virtually unknown oil boss who once gave significant money to an anti-Trump congressman.
The governor, who is known to have a strained relationship with President Donald Trump, reportedly selected oil and gas executive Alan Armstrong to succeed Mullin, the junior Republican senator of the Sooner State the president nominated to replace Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, pending Senate confirmation. NOTUS first reported the news late Saturday, citing three anonymous sources. Oklahoma state law stipulates Stitt’s pick can only serve until the end of Mullin’s term in January 2027, after which the winner of the state’s November Senate election — in which Trump-endorsed Republican Rep. Kevin Hern is the heavy favorite — will take office.
KOTV-DT, an Oklahoma-based CBS affiliate, joined NOTUS on Sunday morning in reporting the expectation of Stitt to pick Armstrong, also citing multiple anonymous sources.
Armstrong made two donations totaling $5,800 to former Republican Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger on March 22, 2021, just two months after the lawmaker voted to impeach Trump over his purported role in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol, according to media reports citing Federal Election Commission (FEC) records. Kinzinger has since emerged as a prominent detractor of the president, despite remaining a registered Republican. He also spoke at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in support of failed presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
Stitt’s office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
Stitt and Amstrong were expected to meet with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence Sunday. There is, however, potential the governor may ultimately decide to appoint someone else after the meeting, NOTUS reported, citing anonymous sources.
The reported appointee has a scant online presence, with neither a Wikipedia page nor a dedicated personal website prior to news of his impending selection.
Armstrong is based in Tulsa, Okla. and currently serves as the Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Williams, an oil and gas company, according to his LinkedIn profile.
“Alan Armstrong began his career at Williams as an engineer more than 30 years ago. Today, as president and chief executive officer, Alan leads a dedicated team of nearly 5,000 employees that handle 30% of the natural gas in the United States used every day to heat our homes, cook our food and generate our electricity,” his bio reads as of Sunday afternoon.
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