After spending more than a year campaigning for lieutenant governor, term-limited state auditor and inspector Cindy Byrd shifted her focus in April and filed instead to run for state treasurer. The move raised questions among Oklahoma political observers about what prompted the change.
The switch came after President Donald Trump endorsed former Oklahoma House Speaker T.W. Shannon on March 24, in the crowded Republican lieutenant governor primary, which reshaped both races and highlighted Trump’s continued influence in Oklahoma politics.
Byrd launched her lieutenant governor campaign in January 2025 and remained in the race until the final day of candidate filing on April 3, when she instead filed to challenge incumbent State Treasurer Todd Russ.
Until her withdrawal, she was considered one of the leading candidates in the lieutenant governor primary. A January Sooner Survey conducted by Cole Hargrave Snodgrass & Associates found Byrd polling at 23%, trailing only Shannon at 39%.
Oklahoma Ethics Commission campaign finance reports filed Jan. 30 and amended March 17 show Byrd had raised nearly $267,000 and reported more than $167,000 cash on hand before switching races.
While Byrd has publicly framed the treasurer position as a better fit for her financial and auditing background, the move led political observers to question whether Trump’s endorsement of Shannon changed the direction of the race.
Byrd said it was not until the legislature established the Taxpayer Endowment Trust Fund, placing it within the state treasurer's office and funding it with $200 million to invest in Oklahoma businesses, that she began seriously considering the switch.
“Everything I wanted suddenly became in the treasurer's office,” Byrd said.
Many of the priorities Byrd spoke about during her lieutenant governor campaign aligned closely with the new responsibilities being placed within the treasurer’s office.
“My message for lieutenant governor has not changed,” Byrd said. “What changed is a law that put that taxpayer endowment trust fund for investing in Oklahoma in the treasurer's office, along with my wheelhouse and experience, and it was the right transition to make.”
In a campaign statement released after Trump’s endorsement, Shannon emphasized his alignment with the president’s political movement, saying, “Oklahoma is Trump country.”
Byrd said Trump called her shortly before the filing deadline and told her he had previously promised to endorse her opponent.
“It was a little heartbreaking to have been campaigning for 15 months for the lieutenant governor’s race and then get something like that, because President Trump has a pretty good track record,” Byrd said.
“He said, ‘I gave my word that I would endorse your opponent in his next race,’” Byrd said. “He said, ‘I’m a man of my word. I hope you can understand that.’” Byrd said she remained committed to the race after the call.
“I said, ‘President Trump, just like you, I won 77 counties twice. And just like you, I’m a fighter too,’” Byrd said.
Throughout her lieutenant governor campaign, Byrd emphasized her background as a certified public accountant and her tenure as state auditor, focusing on government accountability, state spending and financial oversight.
Byrd said she initially pursued the lieutenant governor’s office because she believed the role would give her another way to apply her financial experience to issues she had observed over years of auditing state government.
“It was very difficult to get people to understand that the lieutenant governor's role could be more than just marketing,” Byrd said.
Byrd said many supporters followed her from the lieutenant governor race into the treasurer race because of her record as state auditor, rather than the specific office she was running for.
“We don't care if you're running for dogcatcher,” Byrd recalled supporters telling her. “We are supporting you because we appreciate what you've done as the state auditor, and we want that kind of accountability in the state treasurer's office.”
Byrd said maximizing returns for Oklahomans and keeping politics out of investment decisions would be one of her top priorities as treasurer.
She pointed to the endorsement from former Republican Treasurer Ken Miller and former Democratic Treasurer Scott Meacham, saying both have expressed concerns about political influence in the office.
“Money is green. It is not red or blue, and the thought of investing for any reason other than getting the highest rate of return is unconscionable,” Byrd said.
Political strategist Pat McFerron said Trump's endorsements carry a level of influence in Oklahoma Republican politics that most other political endorsements do not.
“President Trump is in that class by himself,” McFerron said. “If you have the endorsement at the presidential level, that seems to be very, very important.”
Shannon entered the race with years of political experience and longstanding ties to Trump.
He previously served in the Trump administration as a senior advisor for rural prosperity at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and has leaned into “America First” conservative messaging throughout the race.
Shannon said voters are concerned about issues such as tax relief, education and economic growth rather than campaign messaging.
'Oklahomans aren't looking for more political drama—they want leadership, results, and a vision for where our state can go next,” Shannon said.
Trump commended Shannon’s loyalty in his endorsement announcement, saying he had been with the movement “from the beginning” and calling him an “America First Patriot.”
Shannon said receiving Trump’s endorsement was “one of the greatest honors” of his life and said he has supported the president since 2016.
“Oklahoma Republicans trust President Trump’s judgment, and his endorsement carries significant weight because voters know he backs proven conservatives who will fight for the values they believe in,” Shannon said.
The switch also set up a competitive Republican treasurer primary against Russ, who was elected in 2022, a move Byrd acknowledged is less common in statewide politics.
Jordan Harvey, a spokesperson for Russ’s campaign, said voters should consider candidates’ qualifications and experience when choosing the next state treasurer.
“Treasurer Todd Russ brought decades of executive, banking and business leadership experience to the office, along with a proven record of conservative financial management,” Harvey said.
A Libertarian candidate, Kiefer Perry, has also filed for the office.
“It's not common to run against an incumbent,” Byrd said. “When I looked at it, I thought, 'I believe I would be a better treasurer.' If he beats me, he beats me. If I win, I'm going to give it everything I have, just like I did as state auditor.”
Gaylord News is a reporting project of the University of Oklahoma Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. For more information go to GaylordNews.net
