俄克拉荷马州州长凯文·斯蒂特在接任全国州长协会主席期间，就政治分化、州权和联邦政策等问题表达了立场。[1]斯蒂特强调，美国应当维持50个州各自独立的制度设计，反对在选举等关键领域实行一刀切的联邦政策。[1]他表示："我不认为我们应该联邦化选举。我认为这是一个州的问题。各州应该控制自己的选举。"[1]
在2月的全国州长协会年会上，斯蒂特与特朗普就白宫商务会议的参会人选产生分歧，最终特朗普同意邀请包括两名民主党州长在内的全体州长参加。[1]特朗普曾批评斯蒂特为"RINO"（名义上的共和党人）并对其执政表现提出质疑。[1]斯蒂特强调自己在该事件中代表全国州长协会的立场对特朗普施加了影响。[1]
就州内选举管理而言，斯蒂特指出俄克拉荷马州实施了严格的缺席选票规范，包括所有缺席选票必须公证、必须在选举日前提交、投票所关闭后立即计数等措施。[1]此外，斯蒂特透露自己设定了任期限制，计划在完成州长工作后回到私营部门。[1]
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, who has recently assumed the chairmanship of the National Governors Association, addressed the escalating political temperature and pushed back against federal overreach on election administration.[1] Stitt emphasized that states should maintain control over their own electoral systems rather than having elections federalized, stating: "I don't think we should federalize elections. I think it's a state issue. States should control their own elections."[1] He pointed to Oklahoma's stringent election procedures—where all absentee ballots must be notarized, submitted before Election Day, and counted immediately after polls close—as an example of how individual states can implement their own standards.[1]
The governor's stance reflects deeper tensions within the Republican Party regarding federalism and centralized policymaking. Stitt contended that the existence of fifty different state systems represents the correct approach to governance, and he attributed growing political divisions in part to the federal government's one-size-fits-all policies.[1] He has also called for Republicans to return to fiscal conservatism as a core principle.[1] At the National Governors Association annual meeting in February, Stitt clashed with President Trump over the invitation of two Democratic governors to a White House commerce meeting; Stitt advocated for including all governors, and Trump ultimately agreed to expand the invitations.[1] Though Trump has previously criticized Stitt as a "RINO" (Republican in Name Only) and questioned his gubernatorial performance, Stitt indicated he has pushed the president to reconsider positions during their White House engagement on behalf of the governors association.[1] Looking ahead, Stitt signaled that his time in elected office is limited, expressing his intention to return to the private sector after completing his gubernatorial duties.[1]