Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Race: Sullivan, Quinn Advance to Runoff

The race for the next Oklahoma insurance commissioner narrowed on Tuesday, as Bob Sullivan and Marty Quinn advanced out of the Republican primary to an Aug. 25 runoff.

Sullivan, a third-generation insurance professional, was the top vote-getter, receiving about 37% of the vote. Quinn, who previously served in the Oklahoma Legislature, garnered about 28% of the vote.

Greta Shuler and Chris Merideth each received about 17%.

The winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat Craig MacIntyre in the Nov. 3 general election to replace Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready, who is term limited.

Sullivan is running on a platform of lower insurance costs, bringing more competition to the market and holding insurance companies accountable. Sullivan, has served the last 16 years as an independent agent and currently works for Alera Group.

Quinn has campaigned on recruiting quality carriers back to Oklahoma and supporting tort reform measures like those passed in Florida. As a legislator, Quinn served as Chairman of the Oklahoma Senate Insurance Committee.

The insurance commissioner race comes as Oklahomans face some of the highest homeowner’s insurance costs in the nation.

The next insurance commissioner will have more authority over rate setting after lawmakers this spring passed legislation that will require insurers to submit proposed rate increases to the insurance department for review prior to taking effect. House Bill 3781 moves Oklahoma from a use-and-file system to a file-and-wait system.