In a statement released late Wednesday, Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman Charity Linch asserted her unwavering support for the Democrat Party in their decision to have only Democrats choose their candidate in Oklahoma primary elections.

“Republican voters in Oklahoma are grateful that our party protects the primary for Republican voters. With the Democrat Party’s recent decision, they created autonomy in their primary process, allowing only Democrats to pick the Democrat nominee, and the Republican Party will continue to defend [the same position] that only Republicans pick the Republican nominee,” Linch said.

Contrary to the City of Tulsa so-called “nonpartisan” municipal elections that allow wealthy elite to select the final candidates or the national examples of “jungle primaries” in other states, Linch said in Oklahoma, “The general election will have one member from every party on the ballot, chosen by the voters who have taken the time to affiliate with a party and that party’s values.”

This position, by both major parties usually opposing each other on every issue, declares the current SQ 836 petition is a complete farce – now officially rejected by both major political parties. Claiming to “open primary elections to all voters,” that petition would empower establishment candidates of wealth and influence to overwhelm average citizens in the selection of candidates.

SQ 836, which needs 173,000 signatures, is reported to be hiring locals to push out-of-state interest(s) to control Oklahoma politics.

Republican Chairman Linch added, “No one wants outside influence in the primary elections. We look forward to the 2026 primary, and this opportunity to choose candidates to go to the general election ballot in November.”