T.W. Shannon says runoff all but certain in U.S. Senate race

If you ask one of the Republican frontrunners in the race to replace Tom Coburn in the Senate, he'll tell you a runoff after the June 24th primary is a forgone conclusion.

T.W. Shannon told KRMG Tuesday that his campaign has anticipated a runoff all along.

"We've always anticipated a runoff," he said. "With seven people in the race, it's just pretty difficult to avoid a runoff situation."

He predicted he would be one of the two candidates in August, and said he's pretty sure his opponent will be current U.S. Rep. James Lankford.

"He clearly is the 800-pound gorilla, having the support of the Washington, D.C. establishment," he said of Lankford.

Asked how he felt the campaign is going as it nears the stretch, he was upbeat.

"We're feeling extraordinarily blessed," he said. "I mean, to have started 37 points behind and to be in what all the public polls indicate is a dead heat, is pretty miraculous. It's in large part due to northeast Oklahoma. Northeast Oklahoma has responded to our message of limited government."

For his part, Lankford has said he feels like he can win the primary outright.

He'd have to get 50 percent plus one vote to do so.