George Faught
Encyclopedia
George Faught is an American businessman and Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 from 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...

. Faught is the current Representative for District 14 in 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...

. House District 14 encompasses Muskogee
Muskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee is a city in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Muskogee County, and home to Bacone College. The population was 38,310 at the 2000 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in Oklahoma....

, Fort Gibson
Fort Gibson, Oklahoma
Fort Gibson is a town in Cherokee and Muskogee counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 4,054 at the 2000 census. It is the location of Fort Gibson National Cemetery and is located near at the end of the Cherokees' Trail of Tears at Tahlequah, Oklahoma.Colonel Matthew Arbuckle of...

, Braggs
Braggs, Oklahoma
Braggs is a town in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 301 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Braggs has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...

, Hulbert
Hulbert, Oklahoma
Hulbert is a town in Cherokee County, Oklahoma, United States, named after Ben H. Hulbert, a promiment Cherokee Indian. The population was 543 at the 2000 census. Our Lady of the Annunciation of Clear Creek Monastery is a Benedictine Monastery located in Hulbert...

, and outlying areas. When the 51st Legislature
51st Oklahoma Legislature
The Fifty first Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives...

 was opened on February 5, 2007, Faught became the only Republican in state history to represent the historically Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 14th House District. He announced his candidacy for Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district
Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district
Oklahoma's Second Congressional District is one of five United States Congressional districts in Oklahoma and covers approximately one-fourth of the state in the east...

 on July 14th, 2011. http://www.newson6.com/story/15080227/muskogee-state-lawmaker-to-run-for-borens-seat

Early life

George Faught was born in Brownfield, Texas
Brownfield, Texas
Brownfield is a city in Terry County, Texas, United States. The population was 8,940 at the 2009 census. It is the county seat of Terry County near Lubbock in West Texas.-Geography:...

, on July 14th, 1962. His family relocated to Muskogee, Oklahoma, when he was 6 months old. Faught graduated from Muskogee High School
Muskogee High School
Muskogee High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school in Muskogee, Oklahoma. MHS has a steady enrollment of 1,700 students. It is accredited by the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association...

 in 1980 and graduated from Bryan Institute in 1987. Faught owns his own carpet cleaning business.

State Representative

In 2006, long-time Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 State Representative
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...

 Barbara Staggs was termed
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...

 out of office due term limits placed on her by the Oklahoma Constitution
Oklahoma Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Oklahoma is the governing document of the U.S. State of Oklahoma. Adopted in 1907, Oklahoma ratified the United States Constitution on November 16, 1907, as the 46th US State. At its ratification, the Oklahoma Constitution was the longest governing document of any...

. To succeed her, Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 Faught faced former Democratic State Representative Jeff Potts. Faught defeated Potts by receiving 54% of the vote and was elected to the 51st Oklahoma Legislature
51st Oklahoma Legislature
The Fifty first Oklahoma Legislature was a meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives...

. By winning his election, Faught became the first Republican in state history to represent Muskogee in the Oklahoma Legislature
Oklahoma Legislature
The Legislature of the State of Oklahoma is the biennial meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma. It is bicameral, comprising the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the Oklahoma Senate, with all members elected directly by the people. The House of Representatives has 101...

. In the legislature, he was often identified with the right wing of the House GOP caucus.

Faught sought reelection as State Representative in 2008. Faught faced Democrat Eugene Blankenship, Muskogee County's
Muskogee County, Oklahoma
Muskogee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 70,990. Its county seat is Muskogee.-Government:...

 emergency management director
Emergency management
Emergency management is the generic name of an interdisciplinary field dealing with the strategic organizational management processes used to protect critical assets of an organization from hazard risks that can cause events like disasters or catastrophes and to ensure the continuance of the...

. Faught won reelection with 56% of the vote and was elected to the 52nd Oklahoma Legislature
52nd Oklahoma Legislature
The Fifty-Second Oklahoma Legislature is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the government of Oklahoma, composed of the Senate and the House of Representatives. It is scheduled to meet in Oklahoma City from February 2, 2009 to February 3, 2011, during the second two years of the...

.

English as official language Bills

Faught was quick to spark controversy, when in January 2007 he filed a bill to make English the official language 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...

. Democrat legislators and Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...

 tribes, such as the Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...

 and Creek, came out strongly against this legislation. http://newsok.com/article/keyword/3010259/ http://www.vdare.com/yeagley/070214_english.htm http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,251092,00.html The bill passed through committee 9-7 http://www.okinsider.com/topic_01NU0ZBN9A/readstory.oki?storyid=00F1CDGMW, but never made it to the House floor.

In the 2008 session Faught, along with Rep. Randy Terrill (R, Moore) again filed legislation to make English the Official Language of Oklahoma. This time, the bill passed through the House
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...

, but was not brought up in the Senate. http://www.usenglish.org/view/456

Committee Memberships

As of the 53rd Oklahoma Legislature, George Faught is a member of the following committees:
  • Administrative Rules & Government Oversight Committee (Chair)
  • Economic Development, Tourism & Financial Services Committee
  • Transportation Committee

Faught is also a member of the following subcommittees:
  • Eastern Oklahoma Redistricting Subcommittee
  • A&B General Government & Transportation Subcommittee

2012 Congressional Campaign

On June 7th, 2011, Congressman Dan Boren
Dan Boren
Daniel David "Dan" Boren is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. The district includes most of the eastern part of the state outside of Tulsa...

 announced that he would not seek reelection to Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district
Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district
Oklahoma's Second Congressional District is one of five United States Congressional districts in Oklahoma and covers approximately one-fourth of the state in the east...

 in 2012. Faught announced the same day that he was forming an exploratory committee
Exploratory Committee
In the election politics of the United States, an exploratory committee is an organization established to help determine whether a potential candidate should run for an elected office. They are most often cited in reference to United States Presidential hopefuls, prior to the primaries.Exploratory...

 for the seat.

Faught declared his official candidacy on July 14th. http://www.georgefaught.com/component/content/article/1-press-releases/4-press-release-july-14-2011http://www.newson6.com/story/15080227/muskogee-state-lawmaker-to-run-for-borens-seat

Personal life

Faught is married to his wife Becky, and they have three children: Tyler, Jamison, and Savannah.

Election History

> >
November 4, 2008, Election results for Oklahoma State Representative for District 14
Candidates Party Votes %
George Faught Republican Party 7,449 55.54%
Eugene Blankenship Democratic Party 5,962 44.46%
Source: http://www.elections.state.ok.us/08gen.html

> >
November 7, 2006, Election results for Oklahoma State Representative for District 14
Candidates Party Votes %
George Faught Republican Party 4,774 53.87%
Jeff Potts Democratic Party 4,106 46.23%
Source: http://www.elections.state.ok.us/06result.html
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