Chris Benge
Encyclopedia
Chris Benge is a United States
Republican politician
from the U.S. state
of Oklahoma
. Benge served as the Oklahoma House of Representatives
as the Speaker of the House
, a position he took over after Lance Cargill
resigned in January 2008.
Benge was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1998. His term ended due to term limits in 2010.
A native Tulsan, he currently resides in the community of Berryhill with his wife Allison and their two children, Garrett and Hayden.
in 1980 and graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in business. Benge has managed a business, Benge Painting Company from 1981 to 1997.
in 1998, narrowly defeating Shelby Satterfield, an incumbent Democratic candidate.
The first piece of legislation authored by the Tulsa lawmaker and signed into law was the "Prisoners Public Work Act". The legislation allows public agencies to enter into a contract with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections to utilize offender labor.
Prior to becoming Speaker of the House, Benge served as a House appropriations chairman and one one occasion criticized Gov. Brad Henry
for proposing $18.8 million in bonds for common education ad valorem reimburesment.
As Speaker of the House, Benge has pushed for energy reform in Oklahoma, stressing the need for the U.S. to wean itself from foreign oil rather than any concern about climate change.
Benge announced in January 2010 that his agenda for the upcoming session included reforming the workers' compensation system, promoting the use of natural gas as a vehicle fuel, modernizing state government through the use of more technology and creating a plan to deal with an expected shortfall.
Benge authored six bills signed into law by Governor Brad Henry from the 2009 legislative session. He has filed 17 measures for the 2010 session.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Republican politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. Benge served as the Oklahoma House of Representatives
Oklahoma House of Representatives
The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oklahoma Legislature, the legislative body of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its members are responsible for introducing and voting on bills and resolutions, providing legislative oversight for state agencies, and helping to craft the...
as the Speaker of the House
Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
The Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the lower house of the Oklahoma Legislature, the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The Speaker exercises administrative and procedural functions in the House, but most importantly remains a representative of his...
, a position he took over after Lance Cargill
Lance Cargill
Lance Cargill is an American lawyer and Republican politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Cargill served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House from January 2, 2007 to January 28, 2008...
resigned in January 2008.
Benge was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1998. His term ended due to term limits in 2010.
A native Tulsan, he currently resides in the community of Berryhill with his wife Allison and their two children, Garrett and Hayden.
Early life and career
Benge was born and raised in southwest Tulsa. He graduated from Webster High SchoolWebster High School (Tulsa, Oklahoma)
Daniel Webster High School is a high school in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It is part of the Tulsa Public Schools, and is a public school for students from grades 9 through 12. The school opened in 1938 in the West Tulsa section of the city, and is housed in a PWA-style Art Deco building designed by...
in 1980 and graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in business. Benge has managed a business, Benge Painting Company from 1981 to 1997.
Political career
Benge was first elected to the Oklahoma House of RepresentativesOklahoma House of Representatives
The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oklahoma Legislature, the legislative body of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its members are responsible for introducing and voting on bills and resolutions, providing legislative oversight for state agencies, and helping to craft the...
in 1998, narrowly defeating Shelby Satterfield, an incumbent Democratic candidate.
The first piece of legislation authored by the Tulsa lawmaker and signed into law was the "Prisoners Public Work Act". The legislation allows public agencies to enter into a contract with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections to utilize offender labor.
Prior to becoming Speaker of the House, Benge served as a House appropriations chairman and one one occasion criticized Gov. Brad Henry
Brad Henry
Charles Bradford "Brad" Henry was the 26th Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected governor in 2002...
for proposing $18.8 million in bonds for common education ad valorem reimburesment.
As Speaker of the House, Benge has pushed for energy reform in Oklahoma, stressing the need for the U.S. to wean itself from foreign oil rather than any concern about climate change.
Benge announced in January 2010 that his agenda for the upcoming session included reforming the workers' compensation system, promoting the use of natural gas as a vehicle fuel, modernizing state government through the use of more technology and creating a plan to deal with an expected shortfall.
Benge authored six bills signed into law by Governor Brad Henry from the 2009 legislative session. He has filed 17 measures for the 2010 session.
Organizations
- Southwest Tulsa Chamber of Commerce, 1999–present
- Southwest Sertoma Club, 1999–present
- American Legislative Exchange Council
- Berryhill Drug Education Council
- Going to Bat for Kids, Mentoring Program
- View Across Baptist Church
- Westside Coalition for Youth.
District
House District 68 encompasses southwest Tulsa and a portion of Tulsa County outside of the city. It also includes a small portion of Creek County. The district is a mix of urban Tulsa neighborhoods and Tulsa suburbs.Election history
| Candidates | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Benge | Republican Party | 1,591 | 80% | ||
| Brian Jackson | Republican Party | 397 | 20% | ||
| Source: | |||||
| Candidates | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Benge | Republican Party | 7,489 | 61.45% | ||
| Shelby Satterfield | Democratic Party | 4,699 | 38.55% | ||
| Source: | |||||
| Candidates | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Benge | Republican Party | 4,422 | 55.36% | ||
| Shelby Satterfield | Democratic Party | 3,566 | 44.64% | ||
| Source: | |||||