Oklahoma’s Republican Governor Kevin Stitt announced Tuesday his selection of energy industry leader Alan Armstrong to complete the U.S. Senate term left vacant by Markwayne Mullin, who was recently confirmed as the nation’s new homeland security secretary.
Stitt’s decision to tap Armstrong fulfills his earlier promise to choose a “conservative voice” for the position. Armstrong currently serves as chairman and previously led Williams Companies as CEO, a Tulsa-based pipeline operation that ranks among the nation’s major natural gas transportation firms.
“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 would have faced reelection this November. Instead, Armstrong will complete the final nine months of the term under Oklahoma state requirements that prohibit him from seeking the full Senate position this fall. Republican Representative Kevin Hart has already declared his intention to run for the seat and secured President Donald Trump’s endorsement.
Armstrong brings decades of private sector experience but no background in elected positions to the role. His entire professional career has been with Williams Companies, which maintains a workforce of approximately 5,800 employees focused on natural gas collection, storage, and transportation services. He assumed the president and CEO roles in 2011 before moving to executive chairman last year.
Campaign finance records show Armstrong has been a consistent Stitt supporter, contributing the maximum allowable $8,500 to the governor’s campaigns since 2018.
The appointment comes as Stitt prepares to leave the governor’s office in January while serving as head of the National Governors Association. The selection follows recent tensions between Stitt and Trump over disagreements regarding attendance at the association’s annual gathering.
Former Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett Jr. praised Armstrong as an “even-tempered individual” who prioritizes building agreement over pursuing ideological positions. Bartlett, whose father represented Oklahoma in the Senate during the 1970s, believes Armstrong’s energy sector expertise makes him particularly valuable 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 heads an oil and gas enterprise.
During recent confirmation proceedings, Mullin positioned himself as someone who could provide stable leadership for the homeland security department following the dismissal of Kristi Noem, who faced mounting criticism over immigration enforcement policies and mass deportation initiatives.
