Oklahoma aluminum smelter divides governor race
Analysis based on 7 articles · First reported Aug 07, 2026 · Last updated Aug 07, 2026
The dispute creates uncertainty for the proposed $4 billion aluminum smelter, potentially delaying or blocking a major investment in U.S. aluminum production. Aluminum prices and related equities may see modest volatility as investors weigh the project's fate and broader implications for domestic smelting capacity.
President Donald Trump's push to build the Western Hemisphere's largest aluminum smelter in rural United States — Oklahoma City has become a central issue in the state's Republican gubernatorial runoff. The $4 billion project, planned for United States — Inola, would produce 750,000 metric tons of aluminum annually and is backed by a $500 million U.S. Energy Department grant. Attorney General Gentner Drummond, a candidate for governor, opposes the smelter on environmental and farmland-protection grounds and has filed a lawsuit to block Emirates Global Aluminium and Century Aluminum from building it. His opponent, Mike Mazzei, supports the project after receiving Trump's endorsement. The dispute forced an August 25 runoff after neither candidate won a majority in the primary. Local residents and the United States — Inola city council have raised concerns about pollution and livestock, imposing a permit moratorium. Governor Kevin Stitt supports the project as part of a critical minerals expansion. The outcome could affect the project's future and the state's political landscape.
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