Tom Adelson

Tom Adelson
Sen. Tom Adelson
Member of the Oklahoma Senate from the 33rd district
In office November 2004 – November 2012
Preceded by	Penny Williams
Succeeded by	Nathan Dahm
Oklahoma Secretary of Health
In office 2003–2004
Governor	Brad Henry
Preceded by	Howard Hendrick As Secretary of Health and Human Services
Succeeded by	Terry Cline
Personal details
Born	1965 Tulsa, Oklahoma
Political party	Democratic
Height	5' 10"
Spouse(s)	Julie Adelson
Residence	Tulsa, Oklahoma
Alma mater	Stanford University, Dedman School of Law
Profession	attorney, educator, public administration
Religion	Judaism[1]

Tom Adelson is an American politician from Oklahoma. He was an Oklahoma State Senator representing the 33 Senate District, located in Tulsa County, from 2004 to 2012. Adelson is a Democrat who was first elected in 2004. Prior to his election, Adelson served Governor of Oklahoma Brad Henry's first Oklahoma Secretary of Health from 2003 to 2004.

Adelson was the Democratic nominee for mayor of Tulsa in the 2009 election, but lost the general election to Republican nominee Dewey F. Bartlett, Jr.

Biography

Before running for the state senate, Adelson served as Oklahoma's Secretary of Health under Governor Brad Henry. He is an adjunct teacher at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, where he teaches political philosophy. He has four children: Emily, Andrew, Sam and Jack. His father is Dr. Stephen Adelson, a Tulsa pediatrician. He graduated from Edison High School, Stanford University and SMU's Dedman School of Law.

State senate

Adelson was first elected in 2004 to replace outgoing Senator Penny Williams. He defeated Republican Dewey F. Bartlett, Jr. by less than 1,000 votes. During the 2007 session, Adelson passed notable health care legislation. Adelson's 'All Kids Act' covers children whose families' income is between 185 and 300 percent more than the federal poverty rate.^[2] The expanded Medicaid coverage would help about 42,000 children in Oklahoma gain access to health care. The program signed into law by Governor Henry will be funded by revenue from the increase in the tobacco tax.^[3]

Leadership roles

In January 2009, Adelson was an Assistant Minority Floor Leader. He is a member of the Business and Labor Committee, the Finance Committee, and the Health and Human Services Committees.

On April 12, 2012, Adelson announced that he will not run for re-election when his current term expires.^[4]

2009 Tulsa mayoral election

On July 1, 2009, Adelson announced his candidacy for mayor of Tulsa, after current Mayor Kathy Taylor (D) decided not to seek re-election.^[5] Adelson was considered the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, while 11 candidates sought the Republican nomination, including Dewey F. Bartlett Jr., whom Adelson had narrowly beat in the 2004 state senate election.^[6] On September 8, 2009, Adelson received 94% of the vote in the Democratic primary, setting him up to face Bartlett (who got 54% of the Republican primary vote) and two independents in the November general election.^[7] In the November 10 general election, Bartlett received about 45% of the vote to Adelson's 36% and 18% for independent Mark Perkins.^[8]

Election results

2009 Tulsa mayoral election

2009 Tulsa Mayoral General Election November 10, 2009[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Tom Adelson	24,211	36.34
	Republican	Dewey F. Bartlett, Jr.	29,948	44.95
	Independent	Mark Perkins	11,913	17.88
	Independent	Lawrence Kirkpatrick	560	0.84
Total votes			66,843	100
Voter turnout			29.84%

Democratic Primary Election September 8, 2009 ^[10]

Candidate		Votes	%
	Tom Adelson	12,588	93.86%
	A. Burns	274	2.04%
	Paul C. Tay Jr.	192	1.43%
	Robert Arizona Gwin Jr.	190	1.42%
	Prophet Kelly Lamar Clark Sr.	168	1.25%

State senate elections

General Election November 4, 2008^[11]

Candidate		Votes	%
	Tom Adelson	18,311	63.14%
	Gary Casey	10,688	36.86%

General Election November 2, 2004^[12]

Candidate		Votes	%
	Tom Adelson	15,836	51.48%
	Dewey F. Bartlett, Jr.	14,926	48.52%

Democratic Primary Election July 27, 2004

Candidate		Votes	%
	Tom Adelson	3,234	52.28%
	Tim Gilpin	2,952	47.72%

References

1. Juile Bisbee, "Ten Commandments plan advances in Oklahoma Senate", The Oklahoman, April 21, 2009.
2. Jennifer Mock (6/4/2007). "Governor signs health insurance bills". Oklahoman. Retrieved 2007-06-14. Check date values in: |date= (help)
3. Barbara Hoberock (6/5/2007). "Henry signs 2 health laws". Tulsa World. Retrieved 2007-06-14. Check date values in: |date= (help)
4. "Tulsa senator says he won't seek re-election", Associated Press in The Oklahoman, April 12, 2012.
5. P.J. Lassek, "Democratic senator announces Tulsa mayoral candidacy", Tulsa World, July 1, 2009.
6. P.J. Lassek & Brian Barber, "GOP battle may mark race: Eleven candidates will face each other in the Republican mayoral primary", Tulsa World, July 19, 2009.
7. Brian Barber, "Bartlett, Adelson advance: Two candidates will join ballot with independents", Tulsa World, September 9, 2009.
8. Bartlett to be Tulsa's next mayor, Tulsa World, November 10, 2009.
9. "Election Results November 10, 2009 (Summary)". Tulsa County Election Board. 2009-11-10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-11-11. Retrieved 2009-11-11.
10. "2009 Primary Results" (PDF). Tulsa County Election Board. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
11. "2008 General Results". State Election Board. Archived from the original on November 7, 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
12. "2004 General Results". State Election Board. Archived from the original on 2007-04-02. Retrieved 2007-04-08.

External links

• Senator Tom Adelson - District 33 official State Senate website
• Profile at Project Vote Smart
• Follow the Money - Tom Adelson
  • 2008 2006 2004 campaign contributions
• Tom Adelson, A healthy investment National Review, January 26, 2004