OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Eleven-term Oklahoma U.S. Rep. Tom Cole won a five-way Republican primary outright on Tuesday and avoided an August runoff.
Cole faced a well-funded political newcomer in businessman Paul Bondar, who loaned more than $5 million of his own money to his campaign. The infusion of cash allowed Bondar to blanket television airwaves and social media with advertising touting his candidacy.
Cole, the chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, is seeking a 12th term as representative of Oklahoma’s 4th Congressional District, which stretches across south-central Oklahoma and includes Ada, Ardmore, Duncan, Lawton/Fort Sill, Moore and Norman. He will face a Democrat and an independent in November.
Campaign finance reports show Bondar spent nearly $4.9 million on the race, essentially all of it from his own pocket. Cole spent about $3.1 million but had about six times as much cash as Bondar on hand.
Bondar, who sold an insurance group he founded, has criticized Cole’s votes supporting foreign aid, but Cole shored up his conservative bona fides with an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
Bondar has faced questions about his residency. He most recently lived in Texas, even voting in that state’s Republican primary in March ― a focal point of Cole’s attacks against him.
Two other Oklahoma congressmen faced challengers.
In the sprawling 3rd Congressional District in western Oklahoma, Republican U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas, the longest-tenured incumbent in the House delegation, easily fended off two lesser-known challengers. Because no Democrats or independents filed for the seat, Lucas won reelection.
In the Tulsa-based 1st District, Republican U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern defeated Paul Royse. On the Democratic side, either Evelyn Rogers, who has sought this seat as an independent in the past two general elections, or former FBI agent Dennis Baker will face Hern in November. Baker has reported almost $91,000 raised to Rogers’ $1,300.