Oklahoma, a state with a storied political history, has consistently showcased its preference for the Republican Party in presidential elections. This trend has held strong for decades, reflecting the state's deeply ingrained conservative values. Let's explore the presidential elections of 2016, 2020, and the upcoming 2024 election in Oklahoma to understand this pattern.


The 2016 Presidential Election in Oklahoma


The 2016 United States presidential election in Oklahoma was a clear demonstration of the state's Republican leanings.



Oklahoma, with its seven electoral votes, has been a Republican-leaning state since 1952 and a Republican stronghold since 1980. This trend continued as Trump carried the state with a commanding 65.3% of the vote, while Clinton garnered only 28.9%. Oklahoma was considered a safe Republican state, having voted Republican in fifteen of the last sixteen elections. Remarkably, Oklahoma was one of only two states where Trump won every county, the other being West Virginia. This election marked the fourth consecutive time that a Republican candidate carried every county in the state.


Additionally, the 2016 election saw Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party candidate, achieving ballot access in Oklahoma, the first third-party candidate to do so since 2000. Johnson received 5.75% of the vote, the highest percentage for a third party in Oklahoma since Ross Perot's 1996 campaign.


The 2020 Presidential Election in Oklahoma


Fast forward to November 3, 2020, the presidential election in Oklahoma once again underscored the state's strong Republican inclination.



Trump won Oklahoma with a significant margin, securing 33.08% more votes than Biden, although this margin was slightly narrower than his 36.39-point lead in 2016. Trump maintained his streak of winning every county in Oklahoma, making it the fifth consecutive election in which the Republican candidate carried every county in the state, including those on Native American reservations. This election was historic for Trump as he became the first presidential candidate to receive over a million votes in Oklahoma.


Despite Trump's overall dominance, Biden made notable gains in urban areas. He came within 3,326 votes of winning Oklahoma's most populous county, Oklahoma County, and secured more than 40% of the vote in Tulsa County. The last time a Democratic presidential candidate won Oklahoma County was during Lyndon B. Johnson's 1964 landslide, and Tulsa County hasn't seen a Democratic victory since Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1936 landslide. However, Biden's gains in urban areas were offset by declining support in southeast Oklahoma, where he performed worse than Clinton did in 2016.


The Upcoming 2024 Presidential Election in Oklahoma


As always, Oklahoma voters will select electors for the Electoral College through a popular vote. The state, with its seven electoral votes, remains a key player in the election landscape, although its deeply red nature suggests a strong likelihood of a Republican victory.


Oklahoma has not supported a Democratic presidential candidate since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964. The state has only been closely contested during the nationwide victories of Southern governors Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton in 1976, 1992, and 1996, respectively. Since 2004, starting with George W. Bush, Republican presidential candidates have consistently won every county in Oklahoma. The 2020 election was an exception, with Oklahoma County being closely contested.


For the 2024 election, Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been approved by the Oklahoma State Election Board to appear on the ballot, adding an interesting dynamic to the race. However, given Oklahoma's long-standing Republican loyalty, the GOP is expected to carry the state once again.