Oklahoma lawmakers are already seeing warning signs that they’ll be facing stiff competition during the 2018 election.
As Oklahoma Watch reports, as of last month, 13 candidates had already announced their plans to challenge incumbent Oklahoma legislators.
That’s a big increase over the number who had announce 15 months before the 2016 elections. In addition, 46 candidates have formed campaign contribution committees, and that number doesn’t include incumbent candidates.
Seven months remain before the formal deadline to announce a candidacy, so the state will likely see more challengers throwing their hats into the ring. Experts attribute the rise in candidates to voter anger over the Legislature’s handling of the budget, as well as other matters like school funding and a general unease with the country’s direction after the election of Donald Trump.