What happens to Mullin’s Senate seat if confirmed as DHS head

Published March 5, 2026 4:20pm ET



If Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) is confirmed as President Donald Trump’s next head of homeland security, Oklahoma law would trigger a special election that will likely occur during the 2026 midterm elections to fill the remainder of his Senate term. 

Mullin, a Republican who was elected to the Senate in 2022 after serving in the House, is midway through a term that runs until January 2029. 

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