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Mary Fallin

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Mary Fallin
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Oklahoma's 5th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 2007
Preceded byErnest Istook
14th Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
In office
1995–2007
GovernorFrank Keating (1995–2003)
Brad Henry (2003–2007)
Preceded byJack Mildren
Succeeded byJari Askins
Personal details
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Joe Fallin (Divorced)
Wade Christensen[1]
ResidenceOklahoma City
Alma materOklahoma State University
Occupationpolitical assistant
WebsiteCongressional Website
Fallin for Governor 2010
Politics of Oklahoma
Constitution
Executive
Legislature
Judiciary
Elections
Divisions
Congressional delegation

Mary Fallin (born December 9, 1954) is a Congresswoman from the U.S. state of Oklahoma.

She is currently the Congresswoman for Oklahoma's 5th congressional district, which includes most of Oklahoma City. She is the second woman elected to the United States Congress from Oklahoma and the first since 1921 when Alice Mary Robertson was elected to Congress and served for one term from 1921 to 1923.

Fallin was the first Republican and first woman to serve as Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma. She served in that post from 1995 to 2007. She resigned her office on January 2, 2007 in order to be sworn in to 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.

Congresswoman Fallin is a leading GOP candidate running for the Governor of Oklahoma in 2010.[2]

Early life and career

Fallin's mother and father both served terms as mayor of Tecumseh where she was raised. A native of Tecumseh and a current resident of Oklahoma City, Fallin is a long-time resident of the Fifth District. She is a graduate of Tecumseh High School and attended Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee. Fallin also holds a degree from Oklahoma State University. She and her two children, Christina and Price, make their home in Oklahoma City, where they are active members of Crossings Community Church.

Fallin was first elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 1990. During her two terms as a State Representative she was recognized by the American Legislative Exchange Council as Legislator of the Year and named Guardian of Small Business by the National Federation of Independent Business.

Lieutenant Governor (1995–2007)

In 1995, Fallin became Oklahoma’s first woman and first Republican to be elected as the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma. As lieutenant governor, Fallin served as president of the Senate and on 10 boards and commissions that impact the quality of life and business in Oklahoma, including the Tourism and Recreation Commission, State Board of Equalization, Oklahoma Land Commission and Film Advisory Commission. She pursued an aggressive agenda focusing on economic development, education, health care and government reform during her 12 years in office.

In the Cabinet-level position of small business advocate during the Keating administration, Fallin fought the rising cost of health insurance and excessive government regulation. Fallin was also instrumental in initiating several economic development events including the first-ever Oklahoma Aerospace Summit and Expo, Small Business Day at the Capitol and Telecommunications Day at the Capitol. She also hosted the Lieutenant Governor’s Invitational Turkey Hunt.

In the wake of the tragic Oklahoma City bombing, she formed a task force to rebuild the childcare center lost in the disaster. Fallin also initiated Project Homesafe, a gun safety program that has distributed more than 80,000 free cable gun locks to Oklahomans.

Congressional career (2007–present)

Fallin did not seek re-election in 2006 as lieutenant governor, but ran for the 5th Congressional District seat being vacated by Ernest Istook, who ran for governor. In the July 25 GOP primary, she was the top vote-getter, receiving 35% of the vote. On August 22, 2006, she faced the second place finisher of the July primary Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett [1] in the GOP candidate runoff election, and won with 63% of the vote [2].

Fallin was elected on November 7, defeating Democrat Paul David Hunter.[3] 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. Fallin easily won reelection in 2008.

Fallin currently serves on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Small Business. She also serves on the Executive Committee of the National Republican Congressional Committee, Small Business Chair on the Republican Policy Committee and Vice Chairman of the Women’s Caucus.

Committee assignments

Fallin, as of the 111th Congress, is a member of the following committees:

Gubernatorial campaign, 2010

Main article: Oklahoma gubernatorial election, 2010

Incumbent Governor of Oklahoma Brad Henry was easily re-elected in 2006. In 2008, Republicans made gains in the state legislature and took control of both the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Oklahoma Senate for the first time in Oklahoma history. Governor Henry is unable to seek reelection because of term limits placed on him by the Oklahoma Constitution.

As of September, 2009, Fallin along with four other candidates have announced their intention to run for Governor to succeed Henry. Other than Fallin they are:

Fallin must first win the Republican gubernatorial nomination before she may face the Democratic gubernatorial nominee in November of 2010.

Honors

Fallin has been honored with numerous awards including Women in Communication’s 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.

Election history

References

  1. ^ "Mary Fallin, Wade Christensen wed in Oklahoma City", The Oklahoman, November 22, 2009.
  2. ^ http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/
Political offices
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
1995–2007 		Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Oklahoma's 5th congressional district
2007–present 		Incumbent
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