Mary Fallin
| Mary Fallin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 27th Governor of Oklahoma | |
|
Assumed office January 10, 2011 | |
| Lieutenant | Todd Lamb |
| Preceded by | Brad Henry |
| Chairperson of the National Governors Association | |
|
In office August 4, 2013 – July 13, 2014 | |
| Preceded by | Jack Markell |
| Succeeded by | John Hickenlooper |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 5th district | |
|
In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Ernest Istook |
| Succeeded by | James Lankford |
| 14th Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma | |
|
In office January 9, 1995 – January 2, 2007 | |
| Governor |
Frank Keating Brad Henry |
| Preceded by | Jack Mildren |
| Succeeded by | Jari Askins |
| Member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the 85th district | |
|
In office 1990–1995 | |
| Preceded by | Michael James Hunter |
| Succeeded by | Odilia Dank |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Mary Copeland December 9, 1954 Warrensburg, Missouri, U.S. |
| Political party |
Democratic (Before 1975) Republican (1975–present) |
| Spouse(s) |
Joseph Fallin (1984–1998) Wade Christensen (2009–present) |
| Residence | Governor's Mansion |
| Alma mater |
Oklahoma Baptist University Oklahoma State University, Stillwater |
| Religion | Christian |
| Signature |
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| Website |
Government website Campaign website |
Mary Fallin (born December 9, 1954) is an American politician who is the 27th and current governor of Oklahoma. A member of the Republican Party, Fallin was elected governor in 2010.
Born in Warrensburg, Missouri, Fallin is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. Beginning her career working for a variety of multiple Oklahoma state government agencies for several years, in 1983 Fallin entered the private sector, becoming a regional hotel manager and a real estate broker.
Beginning a career in politics, Fallin was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 1990. She served two terms in the Oklahoma House, representing a district in Oklahoma City, from 1990 to 1995. In 1994, Fallin was elected to serve as the 14th Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma; being elected to a total of three terms, she served under two different governors from 1995 to 2007. After seven-term Republican incumbent Ernest Istook announced that he would retire from his seat to run for governor, Fallin declared her candidacy for Oklahoma's 5th congressional district, where she was elected to two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving from 2007 to 2011.
In September 2009, Fallin announced her intention to run for the Republican nomination for governor of Oklahoma. She defeated three other opponents with 54% of the vote in the Republican primary, and defeated the Democratic nominee, Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins, with 60% of the vote in the general election. She was sworn into office on January 10, 2011.
Fallin was the second woman elected to the United States Congress from Oklahoma; the first was Alice Mary Robertson, elected to Congress in 1921; she served for one term from 1921 to 1923. Fallin was the first Republican and first woman to serve as Oklahoma's lieutenant governor, as well as the first woman to be elected as governor in Oklahoma's state history.
Early life, education, and early career
Fallin was born Mary Copeland in Warrensburg, Missouri, the daughter of Mary Jo (née Duggan) and Joseph Newton Copeland.[1] It was a political family; her mother and father each served terms as mayor of Tecumseh, Oklahoma, where she was raised. They were both members of the Democratic Party of Oklahoma. She was a Democrat until she was 21. That year she switched to the Republican Party of Oklahoma and became active with the Young Republicans. She graduated from Tecumseh High School and attended Oklahoma Baptist University, in Shawnee. Fallin holds a bachelor of science degree in human and environmental sciences, and family relations and child development from Oklahoma State University (1977). At Oklahoma State she joined the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.[2]
After college, Fallin worked for the Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation, Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, and the Oklahoma Office of Personnel Management. In 1983, she went to the private sector as a hotel manager for Lexington Hotel and Suites. She has also worked as a commercial real estate broker.[3]
Oklahoma House of Representatives
Elections
Fallin decided to run for the 85th district of the Oklahoma House of Representatives after incumbent Mike Hunter announced his retirement in December 1989. She won the Republican primary in August and the general election in November. In 1992, she won re-election to a second term unopposed.[4]
Tenure
She represented Oklahoma City in the House. She authored 16 bills that became law. One notable bill was the Stalker Law for Oklahoma. Oklahoma was the second state, after California, to pass such legislation.
Fallin was active with the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), and was recognized by ALEC as Legislator of the Year in 1993. Also that year she was named Guardian of Small Business by the National Federation of Independent Business. According to The Almanac of American Politics, she "championed victims’ rights and health care reform."[5]
Lieutenant Governor (1995–2007)
Elections
After two terms in the House, Fallin decided to run for Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma. Ultimately she ran in three elections that year, all of which were against other women, and raised about $200,000. She faced two other candidates in the Republican primary. Terry Neese ranked first with 38% of the vote, but failed to reach the 50% threshold needed to win outright. Fallin ranked second with 36% of the vote, qualifying for the run-off election.[6] She defeated Neese in the run-off primary election 53%–47%.[7] She defeated Democrat Nance Diamond 50%–44%. She did well in the northwest region, the Oklahoma Pandhandle, and her home Oklahoma County. [8]
She won re-election to a second term in 1998, defeating Jack Morgan 68%–32%. She won all but nine counties, all of which were located in the far eastern part of the state.[9] She won re-election to a third term in 2002, defeating Democrat State Representative Laura Boyd 57%–39%, dominating the eastern part of the state.[10]
Tenure
In 1995, Fallin would make history by becoming the first woman and first Republican to be sworn in as lieutenant governor of Oklahoma, an office she would hold for 12 years. As lieutenant governor, Fallin served on 10 boards or commissions that allowed her to focus her efforts on finding solutions to issues affecting job creation, economic development and quality-of-life in Oklahoma. Less than 100 days into her lieutenant governorship, the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, located in Oklahoma City, was bombed where 168 lives were lost; this attack would become the worst case of domestic terrorism in the United States. In the wake of the tragic Oklahoma City bombing, she formed and led a task force to rebuild the childcare center that was lost in this senseless attack. In 1997, she chaired the Fallin Commission on Workers’ Compensation, which released a comprehensive reform plan to lower costs of workers’ comp while creating a system that was fair to both employees and employers. Fallin also used her position as lieutenant governor to weaken the labor unions by taking over the Oklahoma State Senate to pass legislation that would allow the citizens of Oklahoma to vote on “Right to Work,” which ended the practice of compelling workers to join and pay dues to unions. In 2001, Oklahoma became the first state in the country to pass such a law in more than 25 years. Fallin launched the national initiative, Project Homesafe, with the National Shooting Sports Foundation, to help protect children from gun related accidents, by distributing more than 80,000 free cable gun locks, just in Oklahoma alone.
Leadership Positions
In 1998, Fallin served as Chair of the National Lieutenant Governors Association.
In 1999, Fallin served as Chair of the Republican Lieutenant Governors Association.
Fallin also served as the national Chair of the Aerospace States Association.
U.S. House of Representatives (2007–2011)
Elections
- 2006
Fallin decided not to seek re-election to a fourth term as lieutenant governor. Instead, she decided to run in Oklahoma's 5th congressional district, after incumbent Republican congressman Ernest Istook decided to run for governor of Oklahoma. Fallin also considered running for governor and challenging incumbent Democrat Brad Henry. She said, "I was not going to run against an incumbent governor. Governor Henry had and was and is popular and I knew what the poll numbers were. I didn’t always agree with him on all the issues but that’s why we’re in different political parties. There were things that I would have done differently."[3] Istook lost by a landslide of 33 percentage points.[11]
The July 25 Republican primary for the 5th district featured six candidates. Fallin received 35% of the vote. Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett finished second with 24% of the vote.[12][13] The contest between her and Cornett was about fundraising. They had few differences on the issues, but Fallin had a big cash advantage. On August 22, 2006, she defeated Cornett in the run-off primary election, 63%–37%.[14]
Fallin won the general election on November 7, defeating Democrat Paul David Hunter 60%–40%.[15][16]
- 2008
Fallin easily won re-election in 2008, defeating Democrat Steve Perry 66%–34%.[17]
Tenure
She is the first woman elected to Congress from Oklahoma since 1921. Alice Mary Robertson was the first woman to be elected to U.S. Congress from Oklahoma. She resigned her office on January 2, 2007 in order to be sworn into Congress on January 4, 2007. Lieutenant Governor-elect Jari Askins was appointed by Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry to fill the remaining days of Fallin's term.
The 5th district included just three counties: Oklahoma, Pottawatomie, and Seminole. In addition to her committee assignments, she served on the Executive Committee of the National Republican Congressional Committee, Small Business Chair on the Republican Policy Committee, and Vice Chairman of the Congressional Women’s Caucus.
In June 2007, she passed her first bill: a revamping of federal grants for women’s business centers. She joined a group of 38 Republicans who opposed an expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). In July 2008, she traveled to Alaska to help make the case for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR).[5]
In the Summer of 2007, Fallin traveled with five other members of Congress to Baghdad and Ramadi, Iraq. During her trip, she was able to meet with the men and women who were serving our country as well as meet with General Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker to discuss on-going needs for military support in those regions.
Committee assignments
- House Committee on Armed Services
- House Committee on Small Business
- House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Caucus memberships
- Congressional Women’s Caucus (Vice Chair)
2010 gubernatorial election
In September 2009, Fallin, along with four other candidates had announced their intentions to run for governor to succeed Henry. Along with Fallin they were:
- Former President of the Oklahoma Office Machine Dealers Association (OOMDA) Roger L. Jackson (R)
- Attorney General of Oklahoma Drew Edmondson (D)
- Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma Jari Askins (D)
- State Senator Randy Brogdon (R)
- Oklahoma business owner Robert Hubbard (R)
Fallin won the Republican nomination with 136,460 votes and defeated her nearest challenger, State Senator Randy Brogdon, who won 98,159 votes. Former Alaska governor and 2008 vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin endorsed Fallin in the primary. On November 2, 2010, Fallin defeated Democratic nominee Jari Askins 60% to 39%. She is the first female governor of Oklahoma.
Governor of Oklahoma (2011–present)
Transition
On election night, after it became apparent that Fallin had won the election, Commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety Kevin Ward dispatched Oklahoma Highway Patrol officers to begin providing security and protection to her. As the governor-elect, the Oklahoma Office of State Finance made available to her transition funding and other government services. The Transition established GovernorelectMaryFallin.org as the official website of the Transition and established MaryFallinInuagural.org as the official website of Fallin's Inauguration.
Fallin began the transition on November 3 by holding a joint press conference with outgoing governor Brad Henry.[18] In the press conference, Governor Henry announced that he would make available to Fallin office space in the Oklahoma State Capitol for her to use as the headquarters for her transition team.
Fallin named Devon Energy Chairman and CEO Larry Nichols as the Chairman of her Transition Team. She also named (then) outgoing Oklahoma Senate President pro tempore Glenn Coffee (R-Tulsa) as the Transition's Co-Chairman. Fallin named Lieutenant Governor-elect Todd Lamb as her Administration's Small Business Advocate, a position Fallin herself once held under former governor Frank Keating. She also established her Governor's Taskforce on Economic Development to advise her on matters related to the economy. Members of that task force include BancFirst CEO David Rainbolt and former Walters Administration Secretary of Agriculture Gary Sherrer. Former Keating Administration Secretary of Energy Robert J. Sullivan, Jr. serves as the director of the Taskforce as the Special Advisor to the Governor on Economic Development.[19]
First year
Fallin assumed office as governor on January 10, 2011. Before the end of January, Fallin had named the four remaining cabinet secretaries in her administration. She named the following:
- Gary Sherrer as Oklahoma Secretary of the Environment, a position he previously held under Democratic governor David Walters
- Tulsa City auditor Preston Doerflinger as Oklahoma Secretary of Finance and Revenue and director of the Oklahoma Office of State Finance
- Oklahoma City businessman Dave Lopez as Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Tourism and director of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce
- State health commissioner Terry Cline as Oklahoma Secretary of Health and Human Services
In late January, following a heated Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting, Fallin proposed major changes to the Oklahoma State Department of Education's organization and structure. The controversy arose over the Board of Education rejecting three senior staff members of Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction Janet Barresi. Under Fallin's proposed changes, the Board would be stripped of its administrative powers and those powers would be transferred solely to the state superintendent, thus reducing the board to more of an advisory committee to the superintendent as opposed to a government body of the department.[20]
On February 7, Fallin addressed the Oklahoma Legislature in her first State of the State Address. In her address, Fallin called for streamlining and modernizing the State government, reforming education, and reducing health care costs in the State. She also presented her 2012 Oklahoma state budget spending request for considering by the legislature. She proposed to make up the $400 million budget deficit through a combination of a 5% across-the-board agency budget cuts, increased tax enforcement, state agency consolidations, and government modernization to overcome the budget shortfall.
Fallin was criticized for bias after ordering state-owned National Guard facilities to deny spousal benefits to all same-sex couples.[21]
FALLIN: Oklahoma law is clear. The state of Oklahoma does not recognize same-sex marriages, nor does it confer marriage benefits to same-sex couples. The decision reached today allows the National Guard to obey Oklahoma law without violating federal rules or policies. It protects the integrity of our state constitution and sends a message to the federal government that they cannot simply ignore our laws or the will of the people.[22]
In response, U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said that this violates the states' obligations under federal law.
HAGEL: All spouses of service members are entitled to DoD ID cards, and the benefits that come with them. But several states today are refusing to issue these IDs to same-sex spouses at National Guard facilities. Not only does this violate the states’ obligations under federal law, but their actions have created hardship and inequality by forcing couples to travel long distances to federal military bases to obtain the ID cards they’re entitled to.[23]
Lethal injection controversy
Under Fallin, Oklahoma has pushed for increased use of lethal injection as a means of ending life in capital punishment, while refusing to release details of the new chemical concoctions used in these executions following chemical company Hospira's decision to stop producing sodium thiopental, which had previously been widely used. Fallin pushed strongly for the execution of convicted murderer Clayton Lockett to proceed in spite of the lack of tested drugs to use for lethal injection. When the Oklahoma State Supreme Court granted a stay of execution, Fallin immediately overruled it, leading some political commentators to raise the possibility of a constitutional crisis surrounding the separation of powers. At the same time, a member of the Oklahoma legislature moved to impeach the seven justices on the Supreme Court who had granted the stay.[24][25] Lockett's execution was attempted on April 29, 2014, and was abandoned when he could not be sedated and was left writhing in pain. After Lockett died 43 minutes later of a heart attack, Governor Mary Fallin appointed a member of her own staff to lead the investigation into the botched execution.[26] Robert Patton, her director of corrections, resigned, and despite an Oklahoma conflict of interest law, was hired as a deputy warden by GEO Group whose contract he had overseen. Oklahoma State Prison warden Anita Trammel also resigned during the investigation.[27][28][29]
Personal life
Family
She married Wade Christensen in November 2009 and they have six children between the two of them. [30][31]
Honors
Fallin has been honored with numerous awards, including Women in Communications' Woman in the News Award, induction into the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame, Clarence E. Page Award, induction into the Oklahoma Aviation Hall of Fame, 1998 Woman of the Year in Government and 1993 Legislator of the Year.
Media
In August 2013, Newsmax magazine named Fallin among the "25 most influential women in the GOP".[32]
In May, 2015, Newsmax magazine ranked Fallin # 6 on their list of "50 most influential women in the GOP" .[33]
Suggested Vice-Presidential Candidacy
In a televised interview in April 2016, Fallin's name was mentioned by South Carolina Lt Gov Andre Bauer as a potential running mate for Donald Trump, should he become the Republican nominee in the 2016 presidential Election. Trump himself described Bauer's suggestion as "great advice" in a tweet shortly afterwards. Fallin later endorsed Trump on May 4, 2016.[34] [35]
Election history
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| Candidates | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Dorman | Democratic Party | 338,239 | 41% | ||
| Mary Fallin | Republican Party | 460,298 | 56% | ||
| Kimberly Wallis | Independent | 17,169 | 2.1% | ||
| Richard Prawdzienski | Independent | 9,125 | 1% | ||
| Total | 824,831 | 100% | |||
| Source: 2014 |- | |||||
See also
- Government of Oklahoma
- 53rd Oklahoma Legislature
- 54th Oklahoma Legislature
- Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
References
- ↑ "Mary Fallin ancestry". Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
- ↑
- 1 2 "Oral history interview with Mary Fallin". Dc.library.okstate.edu. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Our Campaigns – OK State House 085 Race – Nov 03, 1992". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
- 1 2 "Login". Nationaljournal.com. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Our Campaigns – OK Lt. Governor – R Primary Race – Aug 23, 1994". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Our Campaigns – OK Lt. Governor – R Runoff Race – Sep 20, 1994". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Our Campaigns – OK Lt. Governor Race – Nov 08, 1994". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Our Campaigns – OK Lt. Governor Race – Nov 03, 1998". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Our Campaigns – OK Lt. Governor Race – Nov 05, 2002". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Our Campaigns – OK Governor Race – Nov 07, 2006". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Our Campaigns – OK District 5 – R Primary Race – Jul 25, 2006". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
- ↑ "Primary Election". ok.gov. July 26, 2006. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
- ↑ "Runoff Primary Election". ok.gov. August 22, 2006. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
- ↑ "Our Campaigns – OK – District 05 Race – Nov 07, 2006". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
- ↑ "General Election". ok.gob. Oklahoma State Election Board. November 7, 2006. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
- ↑ "Our Campaigns – OK – District 05 Race – Nov 04, 2008". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
- ↑ Fallin prepares to Oklahoma's governor, The Oklahoman, Michael McNutt, 11-3-10
- ↑ Fallin Transition Team, Office of Governor-elect Mary Fallin, 11-30-10
- ↑ Governor Fallin Issues Statement on Obstructionist Tactics of State Board of Education, Office of Governor Fallin, January 27, 2011
- ↑ "Oklahoma National Guard Acts on Same Sex Benefits: New Policy Protects Oklahoma Constitution and Oklahoma Laws". OK.gov. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
- ↑ "Oklahoma Drops National Guard Benefits For All Couples To Avoid Serving Same-Sex Couples". ThinkProgress. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
- ↑ NewsRadio KRMG, "Fallin: OK will no longer process benefits for National Guard couples", November 20, 2013, . Retrieved November 23, 2013
- ↑ "Mary Fallin is responsible for Clayton Lockett’s botched execution: The Oklahoma governor wanted his death.". Slate. Retrieved January 5, 2015.
- ↑ Fretland, Katie (April 23, 2014). "Oklahoma court lifts stay of executions, heading off confrontation with governor". The Guardian. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
- ↑ "Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin boasts far-right record". MSNBC. May 1, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
- ↑ Oklahoma Prisons chief who presided over botched executions resigns amid investigation, Talking Points Memo, Sean Murphy, December 5, 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
- ↑ Oklahoma department of corrections director Robert Patton resigns, Tulsa World, December 2015, Samantha Vincent. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
- ↑ Did corrections chief's new job violate state law?, Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise, December 23, 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
- ↑ "Mary Fallin, Wade Christensen wed in Oklahoma City". NewsOK. November 22, 2009. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
- ↑ "Mary Fallin, Wade Christensen wed in Oklahoma City", The Oklahoman, November 22, 2009.
- ↑ Meyers, Jim. "Newsmax Exclusive: The 25 Influential Women of the GOP". Retrieved January 8, 2014.
- ↑ http://www.newsmax.com/t/newsmax/article/727129
- ↑ "Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin endorses Trump's presidential bid". kfor.com. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
- ↑ "Trump: Oklahoma governor as VP is 'great' advice". cnn.com. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mary Fallin. |
- Governor Mary Fallin official Oklahoma government site
- Mary Fallin for Governor
- Mary Fallin at DMOZ
- U.S. Congress (2007–2011)
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Appearances on C-SPAN
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