Gov. Kevin Stitt picked up another Republican gubernatorial challenger Thursday.
Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs Director Joel Kintsel, 46, announced plans to run for governor as a Republican.
The announcement paves the way for a semi-crowded GOP gubernatorial primary on June 28. As the incumbent, Stitt is the odds-on favorite to win.
A lieutenant colonel in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, Kintsel, of Oklahoma City, has led the state's Department of Veterans Affairs since 2019. Before that, he served as the Oklahoma House parliamentarian for 14 years.
This appears to be his first campaign for public office.
In a news release announcing his campaign, Kintsel called himself a "Ronald Reagan conservative" and criticized Stitt.
Without citing specifics, Kintsel alleged the Stitt administration is rife with corruption, mismanagement and cronyism.
“Throughout my career, I have served the people of Oklahoma and I am honored today to announce my candidacy for Governor," Kintsel said in the news release. "Oklahoma is in desperate need of a governor who will obey the law, set high ethical standards and do things by the book."
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