President Trump calls Gentner Drummond 'fake Republican' in Truth Social post over governor's race – KOCO
President Donald Trump called Gentner Drummond, who advanced to a gubernatorial runoff election with Mike Mazzei, a “fake Republican” over a controversial aluminum plant in a Truth Social post
President Donald Trump called Gentner Drummond, who advanced to a gubernatorial runoff election with Mike Mazzei, a “fake Republican” over a controversial aluminum plant in a Truth Social post
President Donald Trump called Gentner Drummond, who advanced to a gubernatorial runoff election with Mike Mazzei, a “fake Republican” over a controversial aluminum plant in a Truth Social post
President Donald Trump criticized Gentner Drummond in a lengthy Truth Social post on Thursday, calling the Republican candidate for governor a “fake Republican.”
Drummond, who is currently Oklahoma’s attorney general, advanced to a runoff election in the Republican primary alongside Trump-backed candidate Mike Mazzei. The president reiterated his endorsement for Mazzei in the Truth Social post, saying the former state lawmaker has Trump’s “COMPLETE and TOTAL Endorsement.”
Drummond’s campaign sent a statement to KOCO after the president’s post. While the statement didn’t name Trump, it did target Mazzei.
“Oklahomans know Gentner Drummond is his own man. He doesn’t answer to political consultants, Washington insiders, or special interests,” Matt Parker, the campaign chairman for Drummond, said. “Gentner Drummond has the courage to stand on principle. Mike Mazzei has spent his career changing positions whenever it’s politically convenient. That’s the choice in this runoff.”
Most of the president’s criticism of Drummond centered around a controversial aluminum smelter plant in Inola, Oklahoma. The project, which is backed by Trump, would be the largest facility of its kind in the U.S.
Drummond filed a lawsuit in Rogers County District Court to block the plant.
The Emirates Global Aluminum, which is a state-owned enterprise of the United Arab Emirates, holds a 60% controlling interest in the Oklahoma project, according to a news release from Drummond.
“The controlling hand behind the largest smelter ever proposed on American soil belongs not to Oklahomans, nor even to Americans, but to a foreign sovereign more than 7,000 miles away,” Drummond wrote in the petition.
>> Video Below: Drummond, Mazzei trade attacks as Oklahoma GOP governor runoff begins
A Delaware company, Century Aluminum, holds the remaining 40% interest in the facility, according to Drummond.
In the petition, Oklahoma’s attorney general also claimed that aluminum production is one of the most polluting heavy-industrial activities to exist, saying it would generate hazardous waste stream, and consume significant amounts of electricity and water, and threaten agriculture in the area.
However, Trump praised the plant in his Truth Social post, saying the project is a “magnificent, Job producing, desperately needed Aluminum Plant that will be one of the best projects ever conceived or built in the Great State of Oklahoma.”
Trump said there are very few aluminum plants in the U.S., and producing it is “all about National Security.” He said Oklahoma would lead the way if the project continues.
“Very Simply, Mike Mazzei is for this desperately needed Job Producer. Drummond, for his own reasons, is not,” Trump said on Truth Social.
While both Drummond and Mazzei received about 26% of the vote during the Republican primary for Oklahoma governor, Mazzei received about 1,000 fewer votes than Drummond on Election Day.
But with only two candidates in a runoff, it isn’t yet clear how the supporters of the Republican primary candidates who didn’t make it to the runoff will vote come Aug. 25.
But Trump continued his attack on Drummond, saying he “is not the right guy, he’s got a bad attitude, and he doesn’t stand for the Values of Oklahoma.”
>> Video Below: Drummond, Mazzei court rivals’ supporters ahead of Oklahoma GOP governor runoff
After advancing to the runoff election Drummond addressed his supporters saying the August race is “a choice between results and rhetoric, between conviction and convenience, between proven leadership and political ambition.”
“Oklahoma cannot afford another weak politician like Mike Mazzei. A politician who changes with the political winds,” Drummond said.
Mazzei touted his endorsement from the president during his own watch party while saying Drummond “should be running in the Democrat primary, not the Republican one.”
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