作者：伊丽莎白·埃尔金德、亚历克斯·米勒 | 福克斯新闻
发布时间：2026年3月11日 美国东部时间下午1:00
众议院共和党领导层成员正在角逐俄克拉荷马州共和党参议员马克韦恩·穆林（R-Okla.）可能因被任命领导国土安全部（DHS）而空出的参议院席位。
俄克拉荷马州共和党众议员、众议院共和党政策委员会主席凯文·赫尔恩（Kevin Hern）将于周三正式启动参议院竞选活动，并获得至少四名共和党参议员的支持。
“美国梦正受到激进左派和反对特朗普总统’美国优先’议程的’共和党自由派’（RINO）的威胁，他们试图将美国变成一个第三世界国家，”他在竞选启动视频中表示。
“这就是我竞选美国参议院的原因——确保特朗普总统拥有一位忠诚的盟友，一位在’共和党自由派’背弃他时仍站在他身边的领袖，这位领袖将对抗民主党人的疯狂行径，确保南部边境安全，驱逐危险的非法移民，支持执法部门，并实现经济可负担性。”
40多名众议院共和党人支持马克韦恩·穆林领导国土安全部，称这是边境安全的”关键时刻”
凯文·赫尔恩在竞选活动中指出，他是首位宣布有意在11月角逐穆林席位的主要共和党候选人——而在深红的中西部州，赢得共和党初选的候选人很可能在后续选举中胜出。
穆林预计将在被唐纳德·特朗普总统任命领导国土安全部后（此前克里斯蒂·诺姆被解雇）离开参议院，他将于本月晚些时候面临确认听证会。
传统上，参议院空缺席位由该州州长任命填补，以完成前任议员的剩余任期。通常情况下，该任命者也是下一个选举周期中赢得该席位的热门人选。
但在俄克拉荷马州，州长任命者必须签署一份宣誓书，承诺在下次选举中不参选——而此次选举将于11月举行，穆林的任期将于2026年底结束。
克里斯蒂·诺姆将离开国土安全部后，马克韦恩·穆林面临确认听证会
目前尚不清楚穆林空出的席位将有多少人角逐共和党初选。俄克拉荷马州共和党众议员斯蒂芬妮·拜斯（Stephanie Bice）此前曾表示正在考虑自己的竞选活动，但尚未做出最终决定。
穆林承诺争取民主党选民支持，共和党同僚对其席位虎视眈眈
与此同时，赫尔恩已开始组建一支由特朗普核心团队成员组成的竞选团队。他招募了与总统关系密切的民调专家托尼·法布里齐奥（Tony Fabrizio）担任其竞选高级顾问。
法布里齐奥在一份声明中表示，赫尔恩”处于有利位置”赢得席位，理由是他”支持特朗普总统议程的记录、他在俄克拉荷马州选民中建立的信任，以及他在公共服务和商业领域的经验”。
参议院多数党领袖约翰·图恩（R-S.D.）的首要目标是迅速填补穆林的席位。一位知情人士告诉福克斯新闻数字频道，他计划本周与俄克拉荷马州州长凯文·斯蒂特（Kevin Stitt）会面，这是任命过程中的常规做法。
通常情况下，州长会与参议院领袖会面以推进任命，就像穆林的情况一样，他将于下周开始在参议院的确认程序。
至于谁将取代穆林，图恩没有偏好。”显然，我们需要在本月底前填补马克韦恩的这个席位，而长期问题将由俄克拉荷马州选民决定，”图恩表示，”无论他们派谁来，我们都会乐意接受。”
赫尔恩已经获得了少数几位参议员的支持，包括印第安纳州共和党参议员吉姆·班克斯（Jim Banks）、田纳西州共和党参议员比尔·哈格蒂（Bill Hagerty）、佛罗里达州共和党参议员里克·斯科特（Rick Scott）和威斯康星州共和党参议员罗恩·约翰逊（Ron Johnson）。
特朗普设定了3月31日的最后期限，要求穆林接管并让诺姆离职。预计穆林将顺利通过参议院国土安全和政府事务委员会的确认。他在完整的确认投票中是否会遇到障碍仍是未知数。
伊丽莎白·埃尔金德是福克斯新闻数字频道的政治记者，主要报道众议院。此前曾在《每日邮报》和哥伦比亚广播公司新闻工作。
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https://www.foxnews.com/video/6390544761112
House GOP leader launches Senate bid as Trump taps Markwayne Mullin for DHS
By Elizabeth Elkind, Alex Miller | Fox News
Published March 11, 2026 1:00pm EDT
A member of House GOP leadership is jumping into the open race for a Senate seat likely being vacated by Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., after he was tapped to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
House GOP Policy Committee Chairman Kevin Hern, R-Okla., is officially launching his campaign for the Senate on Wednesday with support from at least four Republicans in the upper chamber.
“The American dream is under threat by the radical left and RINO Republicans who oppose President Trump’s America First agenda and want to turn the United States into a third-world country,” he says in his campaign debut video.
“That’s why I’m running for U.S. Senate — to ensure President Trump has a loyal ally, a leader who stood by his side when RINOs turned their backs on him, who will fight against Democrat insanity, keep the southern border secure, deport dangerous illegal immigrants, stand with law enforcement, and deliver economic affordability.”
40+ HOUSE REPUBLICANS RALLY BEHIND MARKWAYNE MULLIN FOR DHS, CALL IT A ‘CRITICAL MOMENT’ FOR BORDER SECURITY
House GOP Policy Committee Chairman Kevin Hern is running for the Senate seat that will likely open up in November after Sen. Markwayne Mullin was tapped to lead DHS.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images; Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
Hern, who grew up in poverty without indoor plumbing until his teenage years, found considerable wealth as a McDonald’s franchisee before coming to Congress in 2018.
He’s the first major Republican candidate to declare his intent to run for Mullin’s seat in November — and whoever wins the GOP primary in the deep-red Midwestern state is the likely favorite to win.
Mullin is expected to leave the Senate after being tapped by President Donald Trump to lead DHS following Kristi Noem’s firing. He’s facing a confirmation hearing later this month.
Traditionally, Senate vacancies are filled by the state’s governor to serve out the remainder of the previous senator’s term. That person is also usually the favorite to win the seat in the subsequent election cycle.
But in Oklahoma, the governor’s appointee must sign an affidavit swearing they will not run in the next election — which in this case is coming in November, with Mullin’s term ending at the end of 2026.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem delivers remarks during a working lunch at the “Shield of the Americas” Summit at Trump National Doral in Miami, on March 7, 2026.(Rebecca Blackwell/AFP via Getty Images)
It’s not clear yet how crowded the GOP primary for Mullin’s open seat will get. Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla., has previously said she is considering her own campaign but has not made any final decisions.
MULLIN PROMISES TO EARN DEM VOTES AS GOP COLLEAGUES POUNCE ON HIS SEAT
Hern, meanwhile, is already stacking his team with Trump operatives.
He’s recruited pollster Tony Fabrizio, who is closely aligned with the president, as his campaign’s senior advisor.
Fabrizio said in a statement that Hern is in a “strong position” to win the seat, citing his “record of support for President Trump’s agenda, the trust he has built with Oklahoma voters, and his experience in public service and in business.”
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s, R-S.D., first goal is to get Mullin’s seat quickly filled. He is set to meet with Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, a common practice when an appointment needs to be made, this week, a source familiar told Fox News Digital.
It’s common practice for a governor to meet with the leader of the Senate to work on appointing a replacement, as is the case with Mullin, who is set to begin his confirmation process in the upper chamber next week.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt updates the media on a deadly tornado that ripped through Barnsdall, northeast Oklahoma, on May 7, 2024.(Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Further down the line, Thune has no preference as to who would replace Mullin, who is currently a member of his leadership team.
“You know, obviously we want — we’re going to have to fill that seat for Markwayne here by the end of the month in the near term, and then the long-term issue will be decided by the voters of Oklahoma,” Thune said. “So whoever they decide to send us, we’ll be happy to receive.”
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Still, Hern has already snatched up the endorsement of a handful of senators, including Sens. Jim Banks, R-Ind., Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Ron Johnson, R-Wis.
Trump has given a deadline of March 31 for Mullin to take over and for Noem to get out, and he is expected to easily pass through the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Whether Mullin hits hurdles during a full confirmation vote remains an open question.
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6390544761112
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