In 2016, McCortney ran to succeed term limited
Democratic state senator
Susan Paddack in the 13th district. He faced Shawn Howard and Jet McCoy in the Republican primary. McCoy led in the primary and advanced to a runoff alongside McCortney. McCortney won the runoff with 52% of the vote. He defeated the Democratic candidate, Eric Hall, in the general election. In October 2021, McCortney was promoted to Majority Leader of the Oklahoma Senate because former Majority Leader
Kim David was term limited from the Senate in 2022 and retiring from the position. He was succeeded as Majority Leader by
Julie Daniels on November 12, 2024. In February 2023, it was reported McCortney accepted money from the
Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission, a pro-cockfighting political action committee. Later that year in June, McCortney spoke in favor of compacts with tribal nations in Oklahoma. In February 2024, he was elected by his colleagues as the
President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate designate for the following legislative secession, defeating senators
Casey Murdock and
David Bullard in the leadership election. That June he lost his primary election to
Jonathan Wingard. ==Electoral history==