OKLAHOMA CITY (KSWO) – The Oklahoma House Republican Party has elected a new speaker designate for the 60th Oklahoma Legislature.

Speaker Pro Tempore Kyle Hilbert was elected by the House to be the next Speaker of the House for the Oklahoma legislature. Hilbert has served as Speaker Pro Tempore of the House since 2022.

“I appreciate my colleagues’ trust and confidence as we take the first step to prepare for the 60th Legislature,” Hilbert said. “The speaker serves at the pleasure of the members, and I’m fortunate to be surrounded by people who want to tackle the hard problems. We have no shortage of challenges facing our state, and by working collaboratively with members from rural, suburban and urban Oklahoma, we can craft policies that make a lasting difference for our constituents.”

Hilbert, 29, if successfully obtains the position when the House convenes next year, would be the youngest House speaker in Oklahoma state history.

“Fresh ideas, courage, and vigor are what Oklahomans deserve from their leadership. People are frustrated with unresponsive politicians in Washington,” Hilbert said. “If we want to see Oklahoma continue to grow and flourish, I encourage more young, emerging leaders to engage in their communities and in their state. Oklahoma is the best place to raise a family, and I embrace this opportunity to fight for Oklahomans and their families.”

Current House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, congratulated Hilbert on the nomination. McCall is the longest-serving speaker in Oklahoma’s history. McCall cannot run for reelection due to being term-limited.

House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, also released a statement congratulating the new Speaker-Designate.

“Congratulations to Speaker-Designate Rep. Kyle Hilbert on this well-deserved honor and responsibility to serve our state. I look forward to working with him on bettering the lives of Oklahomans in this new capacity,” Munson said. “Over the last several years, Rep. Hilbert and I have collaborated on issues important to all Oklahomans, most recently, addressing deferred maintenance on our RUSO and rural higher education institution campuses.”

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