Mary Fallin

Mary Fallin
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 5th district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 2007
Preceded by	Ernest Istook
14th Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
In office 1995 – 2007
Governor	Frank Keating (1995-2003) Brad Henry (2003-2007)
Preceded by	Jack Mildren
Succeeded by	Jari Askins
Born	December 9, 1954 (1954-12-09) (age 54) Warrensburg, Missouri
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Joe Fallin (Divorced) Wade Christensen[1]
Residence	Oklahoma City
Alma mater	Oklahoma State University
Occupation	political assistant
Religion	Church of God (Anderson)
Website	Congressional Website Fallin for Governor 2010

Oklahoma

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Oklahoma

Constitution United States Constitution Oklahoma Constitution Executive Government Governor: Brad Henry Lieutentant Governor: Jari Askins Secretary of State: M. Susan Savage State Auditor: Steve Burrage Attorney General: Drew Edmondson State Treasurer: Scott Meacham State School Superintendent: Sandy Garrett Labor Commissioner: Lloyd Fields Insurance Commissioner: Kim Holland Corporation Commission: Bob Anthony - Chair Jeff Cloud - Vice Chair Dana Murphy - Secretary State Cabinet and State Agencies Legislature Legislature: 52nd Senate President of the Senate: Jari Askins President pro tempore: Glenn Coffee House of Representatives Speaker of the House: Chris Benge Judiciary Court System Supreme Court Court of Criminal Appeals Court of Civil Appeals Court on the Judiciary Court of Impeachment Nominating Commission Elections Elections State Election Board Last election Political parties Democratic Party Republican Party Political party strength Divisions Counties Cities and Towns Federal Relations Federal representation Senate Jim Inhofe (R) Tom Coburn (R) House of Representatives 1: John Sullivan (R) 2: Dan Boren (D) 3: Frank Lucas (R) 4: Tom Cole (R) 5: Mary Fallin (R) Politics of the United States

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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 running for Governor of Oklahoma in 2010.

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.

Lieutentant 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:

• Committee on Armed Services
  • Subcommittee on Readiness
  • Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces
  • Subcommittee on Military Personnel
• Committee on Small Business
  • Subcommittee on Contracting and Technology
  • Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight (Ranking Member)
• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Aviation
  • Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit

Gubernatorial campaign, 2010

Incumber 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 annouced their intention to run for Governor to succeed Henry. Other than Fallin they are:

• Attorney General of Oklahoma Drew Edmondson (D)
• Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma Jari Askins (D)
• State Senator Randy Brogdon (R)

Fallin must first win the the Republican gubernatorial nomination before she may face the Democrtic gubernatorail 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

External links

• Congresswoman Mary Fallin official U.S. House site
• Mary Fallin for Governor
• Mary Fallin Campaign for Congress

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Profile at SourceWatch Congresspedia
• Mary Fallin -- Women of the Oklahoma Legislature Oral History Project

v • d • e Lieutenant Governors of Oklahoma Bellamy • McAlester • Trapp • Holloway • Burns • Berry • Williams • Nigh • Winters • Nigh • Bernard • Kerr • Mildren • Fallin • Askins

v • d • e Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma 1st district McGuire • Davenport • Chandler • Howard • Chandler • Howard • Montgomery • Howard • O’Connor • Disney • Schwabe • Gilmer • Schwabe • Belcher • Jones • Inhofe • Largent • Sullivan 2nd district Fulton • Morgan • Hastings • Robertson • Hastings • Nichols • Stigler • Edmondson • McSpadden • Risenhoover • Synar • Coburn • Carson • D. Boren 3rd district Davenport • Creager • Davenport • Carter • Cartwright • Stewart • Albert • Watkins • Brewster • Watkins • Lucas 4th district Carter • Murray • McKeown • Pringey • McKeown • Gassaway • L. Boren • Johnson • Steed • McCurdy • Watts • Cole 5th district Ferris • Thompson • Harreld • Swank • Stone • Swank • Lee • Hill • Smith • Monroney • Jarman • Edwards • Istook • Fallin 6th district Murray • Ferris • Gensman • Thomas • Johnson Sr. • Morris • Wickersham • Morris • Wickersham • Johnson Jr. • Smith • Camp • English • Lucas 7th district McClintic • Massingale • Wickersham • Peden • Wickersham 8th district Weaver • Morgan • Swindall • Herrick • Garber • Marland • Ferguson • Rizley • Wilson • Belcher At-large Rogers Territory Harvey • Flynn • Callahan • Flynn • McGuire