The Democratic Governors Association is spending $500,000 to help state Rep. Cyndi Munson win Oklahoma’s governor’s race, an aggressive bet in a state where Republicans have dominated statewide politics for years. Munson faces former state Sen. Mike Mazzei, who won the Republican runoff after President Donald Trump endorsed him over state Attorney General Gentner Drummond. Trump carried Oklahoma by 34 points in 2024, and the last Democrat to win the governor’s office was Brad Henry in 2006. A recent poll commissioned by Munson’s campaign found Mazzei ahead 49% to 45% among likely voters surveyed before they heard messaging about either candidate. The poll, conducted by Workbench Strategy from Oct. 8 to 13, surveyed 600 voters; the four-point gap was at the edge of the survey’s margin of error. The poll also found that half of the Republicans who voted for Drummond in the runoff said they planned to back Munson. That finding came from a subgroup of just 72 respondents, a small sample that makes the result less certain. The campaign’s poll showed Munson with positive favorability and Mazzei with a net rating of minus 12, despite $1.4 million in negative advertising against her. The DGA says the cash will help Munson reach voters through television and digital advertising. Spokesperson Kevin Donahoe called her a strong candidate with a grassroots campaign focused on issues important to Oklahomans, and said the group believes she is well-positioned to win. The investment follows a bitter Republican primary. Mazzei defeated Drummond by about 2,000 votes, and some Republicans worry that voters loyal to the attorney general may not unite behind the nominee. Trump’s endorsement brought added attention to the contest, in part because of a proposed aluminum smelter in Oklahoma that the president has promoted as a major domestic manufacturing project. Drummond sued to stop the smelter and later sought an injunction halting construction, citing environmental, agricultural and foreign-ownership concerns. Trump criticized Drummond and campaigned for Mazzei in October, praising the project and describing the primary as a tough contest. Mazzei’s campaign rejected suggestions that he is vulnerable. Spokesperson Jahan Wilcox said there was “no pathway for a liberal Democrat,” while Republican Governors Association spokesperson Kollin Crompton said Mazzei wants to lower taxes and protect families. Some Republicans familiar with the contest have nevertheless pointed to possible weaknesses for Mazzei: his long record in state government may reinforce an insider image, and his close association with Trump could be a liability among farmers unhappy with administration policies. One Republican predicted Mazzei would win but acknowledged the race could be uncomfortably close. The DGA’s Oklahoma move comes after it announced a broader $10 million investment in competitive governor’s races, including efforts to flip seats in Georgia, Iowa, Nevada and Ohio. For Oklahoma voters, the immediate question is whether Democrats can turn a small investment and lingering Republican divisions into a genuine challenge in a state where their party has not won the governorship in two decades.