Oklahoma City anesthesiologist Ervin Yen, MD, plans to run for governor of Oklahoma in 2022, according to local ABC outlet KOCO News 5.
Dr. Yen, a Republican and former state senator, filed paperwork Nov. 3 with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission to establish a candidate committee. The paperwork lists Dr. Yen as the committee's chairperson and treasurer.
Dr. Yen chose to run because he disapproves of how Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt has handled the state's pandemic response, according to Tulsa World. Unlike Mr. Stitt, Dr. Yen supports a statewide mask mandate.
Dr. Yen was elected to the Oklahoma legislature in 2014 and served as state senator until 2018, when he lost his senate seat in the primary election.