Oklahoma Governor Names Energy Executive to Fill Senate Seat

Oklahoma's governor has selected energy industry leader Alan Armstrong to complete the remaining months of Markwayne Mullin's Senate term. Armstrong, former CEO of Williams Companies, will serve through the end of the year after Mullin was confirmed as homeland security secretary.

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt announced Tuesday his selection of energy industry veteran Alan Armstrong to complete the remaining portion of Markwayne Mullin’s U.S. Senate term following Mullin’s confirmation as the new homeland security secretary.

Stitt, a Republican who promised to choose a “conservative voice” for the position, selected Armstrong, who serves as chairman and previously led Williams Companies as CEO. The Tulsa-based firm operates major pipeline infrastructure across the country.

“He’s a strong business leader who understands the power of free markets and limited government,” Stitt said.

Mullin received Senate confirmation Monday to head the Department of Homeland Security and was scheduled to face voters again in November.

Armstrong will now serve the final nine months of that term, though Oklahoma state law requires him to pledge not to seek the full term in this fall’s election. Republican Congressman Kevin Hart has already launched his campaign for the seat and received an endorsement from President Donald Trump.

The appointee brings no prior electoral experience but has built his entire professional career at Williams Companies, which maintains a workforce of approximately 5,800 employees focused on natural gas collection, storage and transport operations. Armstrong assumed the president and CEO role in 2011 before moving to executive chairman last year.

Campaign finance records show Armstrong has been a consistent Stitt supporter, contributing $8,500 total since 2018, which represents the maximum permitted under state campaign finance regulations.

The governor, who will step down in January and currently chairs the National Governors Association, made this appointment following recent public criticism from Trump over disagreements about the governors’ group annual meeting attendance policies.

Former Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett Jr. characterized Armstrong as an “even-tempered individual” who prioritizes building consensus over pursuing ideological positions.

Bartlett, whose father represented Oklahoma in the Senate during the 1970s, believes Armstrong’s energy sector expertise and market understanding make him particularly well-suited for the role, especially given current global oil market disruptions caused by the Iran conflict.

“I think that certainly is a great approach, finding consensus for making a decision,” said Bartlett, who leads an oil and gas company.

During his recent confirmation process, Mullin positioned himself as someone who could provide stable leadership for the agency after Kristi Noem’s dismissal, which followed mounting criticism regarding immigration enforcement policies and mass deportation operations conducted during her tenure.