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"description": "Markum holds District 3 by 223 votes; Travis posts identical margin to his February win; Hall turns back LeMarr in Senate District 20",
"path": "/all-six-incumbents-survive-june-16-primary-results-for-payne-county-and-area-state-races/",
"publishedAt": "2026-06-17T03:52:05.000Z",
"site": "https://www.thestillwegian.news",
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"Don't Miss a Beat"
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"textContent": "_Results are unofficial and pending certification by the Payne County Election Board. All precincts are reporting in each race below._\n\nEvery incumbent on the June 16 primary ballot in Payne County and the surrounding area survived Tuesday night — but not all of them had an easy time of it.\n\nThe closest race of the night came in Payne County Commissioner District 3, where Rhonda Markum held off Clayton Estus by just 223 votes — 53% to 47% — in a rematch of sorts between a commissioner and the road foreman who worked for her before resigning in March to run against her. It was the tightest margin in any of the six local contests.\n\nAcross town, Zach Cavett won re-election in Commissioner District 1 more comfortably, taking 52% against two challengers. In the state races, Sen. Chuck Hall, Rep. Jim Shaw, Rep. Molly Jenkins and Rep. Dillon Travis all won their primaries. Travis won by the same 64.7% margin he posted against Democrat Luke Kruse in February's special election — a number that held almost exactly even with Wright challenging him a second time.\n\nADVERTISEMENT\n\n****Buying or refinancing in Stillwater?**** Brittney, Misty and Angelica at OCCU bring local expertise and competitive rates to every home loan. And unlike many lenders, your loan stays right here — never sold, always local.\n\n\n Apply Today\n \n\n* * *\n\n**Payne County Board of Commissioners, District 1**\n _Republican primary — 10 of 10 precincts reporting_\n\nCandidate| Votes| Pct.\n---|---|---\nZachary Cavett (R, inc.)| 1,402| 52.0%\nRay Harper (R)| 838| 31.1%\nJacob Presuhn (R)| 458| 17.0%\n**Total**| **2,698**|\n\nCavett, who has served as District 1 commissioner since 2012, wins a fourth term representing the eastern half of Payne County. No Democrat or independent filed; the primary result is the race.\n\n* * *\n\n**Payne County Board of Commissioners, District 3**\n _Republican primary — 11 of 11 precincts reporting_\n\nCandidate| Votes| Pct.\n---|---|---\nRhonda Markum (R, inc.)| 1,979| 53.0%\nClayton Estus (R)| 1,756| 47.0%\n**Total**| **3,735**|\n\nMarkum survives the closest race of the night. Estus, who started as a grader operator in District 3 in October 2024, was promoted to road foreman in May 2025, and resigned in March 2026 to file against Markum, closed to within 223 votes. No Democrat or independent filed; the primary result is the race.\n\n* * *\n\n**Oklahoma Senate, District 20**\n _Republican primary — 56 of 56 precincts reporting_\n\nCandidate| Votes| Pct.\n---|---|---\nChuck Hall (R, inc.)| 6,707| 56.4%\nMark LeMarr (R)| 5,180| 43.6%\n**Total**| **11,887**|\n\nHall, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, wins re-election. No Democrat or independent filed in Senate District 20, which covers Payne, Noble, Pawnee, Logan, and Kingfisher counties, so the primary decides the seat. Hall is seeking his third and final term under state term limits.\n\n* * *\n\n## Sign up for THE STILLWEGIAN\n\nStillwater Oklahoma's local independent online news. Stay informed with free weekly newsletters.\n\nSign Up\n\nEmail sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup.\n\nNo spam. Unsubscribe anytime.\n\n* * *\n\n**Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 32**\n _Republican primary — 21 of 21 precincts reporting_\n\nCandidate| Votes| Pct.\n---|---|---\nJim Shaw (R, inc.)| 4,024| 65.1%\nJack Vaughan (R)| 2,154| 34.9%\n**Total**| **6,178**|\n\nShaw, a Republican who has represented House District 32 since 2021, defeats Vaughan, a 54-year-old conservative challenger who made fiscal accountability a centerpiece of his campaign. Shaw will face independent Andy Brown in the November general election.\n\n* * *\n\n**Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 33**\n _Republican primary — 18 of 18 precincts reporting_\n\nCandidate| Votes| Pct.\n---|---|---\nMolly Jenkins (R, inc.)| 2,975| 56.3%\nB.J. Roberson (R)| 2,312| 43.7%\n**Total**| **5,287**|\n\nJenkins, who won the District 33 seat in 2024 by defeating then-incumbent John Talley, advances to face Democrat Dr. Max Burchett Jr. in the November general election. House District 33 covers portions of Logan and Payne counties.\n\n* * *\n\n**Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 35**\n _Republican primary — 26 of 26 precincts reporting_\n\nCandidate| Votes| Pct.\n---|---|---\nDillon Travis (R, inc.)| 3,328| 64.7%\nKevin Wright (R)| 1,813| 35.3%\n**Total**| **5,141**|\n\nTravis wins by the same 64.7% margin he posted against Democrat Luke Kruse in February's special election — a figure that held almost exactly even with Wright running against him a second time. Wright was also eliminated by Travis in the December 2025 special Republican primary. No Democrat or independent filed; the primary result is the race. House District 35 covers portions of Creek, Noble, Osage, Pawnee, and Payne counties.\n\n* * *\n\n_Results are unofficial and pending certification by the Payne County Election Board. The Stillwegian will update this post if results change._\n\nSee all Stillwegian election coverage →\n\n* * *\n\n**_A message from Visit Stillwater_**\n\nSummer in _America’s Friendliest College Town_ is full of live music, kids’ camps, livestock shows, art, and so much more. Explore everything happening this month in _The Original Home of Red Dirt Music!_\n\nDon't Miss a Beat\n\n* * *\n\n**Correction (June 17, 2026):** _An earlier version of this post stated that Sen. Chuck Hall advanced to the November general election in Senate District 20. Because no Democrat or independent filed in the race, Hall won the seat outright in the June 16 primary. The post has been corrected._",
"title": "All six incumbents survive: June 16 primary results for Payne County and area state races",
"updatedAt": "2026-06-18T00:10:03.578Z"
}