List Of Candidates To Replace Senator Inhofe Grows, TW Shannon Expected To Run

Another well-known Oklahoman, T.W. Shannon, is joining the race for Jim Inhofe's U.S. senate seat.

Shannon is expected to make his announcement around 1 p.m. Thursday afternoon, making him the fourth in a growing list of candidates running to replace Senator Jim Inhofe.

Shannon was the first black speaker of the state House, he represented Oklahoma's 62nd congressional district from 2007 to 2015.

Most recently, he has worked as the CEO of Chickasaw Community Bank.

He also previously ran for Senate in 2014, but lost in the Republican Primary to current Senator James Lankford.

In the Senate race, Shannon now joins other Republicans including state Senator Nathan Dahm, US Congressman Markwayne Mullin and Luke Holland, who is Inhofe's former chief of staff.

Because Inhofe is resigning four years before the end of his term, this will be considered a special election.

However, just this week Enid attorney Stephen Jones filed a lawsuit against the state election board, claiming the election is unconstitutional because it doesn't meet true vacancy requirements.

“Resigning, or giving notice of it, a year before you actually intend to leave office is not a vacancy within the meaning of the 17th amendment,” Jones said.  

The special election for Inhofe's seat will be held during the general election on November 8th.

The primary and the voter registration deadline are both in June.