Mary Fallin

27th Governor of Oklahoma

Mary Fallin (born December 9, 1954) is an American politician. She was the 27th Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma from 2011 to 2019. Before becoming governor, she was a U.S. Representative, serving from 2007 until 2011.[2]

Mary Fallin
27th Governor of Oklahoma
In office
January 10, 2011 – January 14, 2019
LieutenantTodd Lamb
Preceded byBrad Henry
Succeeded byKevin Stitt
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Oklahoma's 5th district
In office
January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011
Preceded byErnest Istook
Succeeded byJames Lankford
14th Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
In office
January 9, 1995 – January 2, 2007
GovernorFrank Keating
Brad Henry
Preceded byJack Mildren
Succeeded byJari Askins
Personal details
Born (1954-12-09) December 9, 1954 (age 69)
Warrensburg, Missouri, United States
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Wade Christensen[1]
Alma materOklahoma Baptist University
University of Central Oklahoma
Oklahoma State University
WebsiteCampaign website

She is the second woman elected to the United States Congress from Oklahoma. The first was Alice Mary Robertson in 1921. She was the first Republican and first woman to serve as Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma. She served in that post from 1995 to 2007. She is also the first woman to serve as Governor in the state of Oklahoma.

Early life and career

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Fallin was raised in Tecumseh. Her mother and father both served terms as mayor of Tecumseh. She is a graduate of Tecumseh High School. She attended Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee and University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. Fallin has a Bachelor of Science degree from Oklahoma State University.

Fallin has two children, Christina and Price. They live in Oklahoma City. Fallin was first elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 1990. She served two terms.

Lieutenant Governor (1995–2007)

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In 1995, Fallin became Oklahoma’s first woman and first Republican to be elected as the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma. She served as president of the Senate and on 10 boards and commissions. She followed an aggressive agenda focusing on economic development, education, health care and government reform during her 12 years in office.

In the wake of the 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 (2007–2011)

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Fallin did not seek re-election in 2006 as lieutenant governor. She ran for the 5th Congressional District seat being vacated by Ernest Istook. In the July 25 GOP primary, she received the most votes.[3] On August 22, she faced the second-place finisher, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett in the GOP candidate runoff election. She won with 63% of the vote.[4]

Fallin was elected on November 7, defeating Democrat Paul David Hunter.[5] 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 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.

Fallin easily won reelection in 2008.[6] During her last term in Congress, Fallin served on the House Committee on Armed Services, the House Committee on Small Business, and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Governorship (2011–2019)

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On November 10, 2010, Fallin defeated Jari Askins with more than 60% of the vote.[7]

References

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  1. "Mary Fallin, Wade Christensen wed in Oklahoma City", The Oklahoman, November 22, 2009.
  2. "Rep. Fallin elected Okla.'s first female governor". The Washington Post. Associated Press. November 2, 2010.
  3. "Primary Election". ok.gov. Oklahoma State Election Board. 2006-07-26. Archived from the original on 2012-02-25. Retrieved 2011-01-23.
  4. "Runoff Primary Election". ok.gov. Oklahoma State Election Board. 2006-08-22. Retrieved 2011-01-23.
  5. "General Election". ok.gob. Oklahoma State Election Board. 2006-11-07. Retrieved 2011-01-22.
  6. "General Election". ok.gob. Oklahoma State Election Board. 2008-11-04. Retrieved 2011-01-22.
  7. "GENERAL ELECTION". ok.gob. Oklahoma State Election Board. 2010-11-02. Archived from the original on 2012-07-15. Retrieved 2011-01-22.

Other websites

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Party political offices
Preceded by
Terry Neese
Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
1994, 1998, 2002
Succeeded by
Todd Hiett
Preceded by
Ernest Istook
Republican nominee for Governor of Oklahoma
2010
Succeeded by
Kevin Stitt
Political offices
Preceded by
Jack Mildren
Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
1995–2007
Succeeded by
Jari Askins
Preceded by
Brad Henry
Governor of Oklahoma
2011–2019
Succeeded by
Kevin Stitt
United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Ernest Istook
Member of the House of Representatives
from Oklahoma's 5th congressional district

2007–2011
Succeeded by
James Lankford