Jari Askins
Encyclopedia
Jari Askins is an American lawyer and Democratic politician from the US state of Oklahoma
. She was the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
, being the second female and the first Democratic female to hold that position.
Askins won the Oklahoma Democratic Party
's 2010 gubernatorial
nomination by defeating Attorney General Drew Edmondson
but was defeated in the general election by Republican
Congresswoman Mary Fallin
.
. She graduated from Duncan High School in 1971. She then attended the University of Oklahoma
to receive a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism in 1975. While at OU, she was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega
sorority. Askins received a Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma College of Law
in 1980. After graduating from OU, she entered into private practice.
In 1982 Askins was appointed Special District Judge of Stephens County, Oklahoma
. She served from 1982 to 1990, winning reelection in 1986. Under the administration of Governor of Oklahoma
David Walters
, Askins entered the executive branch of government. She was the Chair of the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board
from 1991 to 1992, serving as the Board's first female chair. Askins served as Deputy General Counsel to Governor Walters from 1992 to 1994. Her last assignment under Governor Walters was as the Executive Director of the Pardon and Parole Board from February to November 1994.
, Askins ran, and was elected to, the Oklahoma House of Representatives
, beginning her term in 1995. She served six terms in office (12 years, the maximum combined service allowed in the Oklahoma Legislature
as the Representative of the 50th House District, which includes her home town, Duncan.
During her final term (2005–2006), she was elected and served as Democratic House Leader, the first woman to lead a caucus in the state's legislature.
to replace outgoing Republican Mary Fallin
as Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
. In the primaries, Askins faced former State Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson, lobbyist Pete Regan, and Jim Rogers. In the Democratic primary on July 25, 2006, Hobson received 18.17% of the vote, Regan received 29.05%, Rogers received 12.56%, and Askins received 40.22%.
Askins, in accordance with Oklahoma state law, faced Regan in a runoff
for the party's nomination. In the run-off election on August 22, 2006, Askins received 95,087 votes (53.81%) to Regan's 81,622 votes (46.19%). Askins became the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor, and she was elected on November 7, 2006. Her opponent was Republican Speaker of the House
Todd Hiett
. Before serving as lieutenant governor, Askins served in all three branches of the government of Oklahoma: legislative (state representative), executive (Chair of the Pardon and Parole Board), and judicial (Special District Judge).
On December 28, 2006, Mary Fallin
resigned her office effective January 2, 2007 in order to be sworn in to Congress. Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry
appointed Askins (who was at that point the Lieutenant-Governor elect) to serve the final days of Fallin's term. Askins then took office for her full term on January 8, 2007.
As Lieutenant Governor, Askins has served on various boards and commissions, including chairing the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission and the Oklahoma Film and Music Advisory Commission. Governor Brad Henry
also named her as "Oklahoma's Small Business Advocate".
in 2010
to succeed term-limited Brad Henry
. She was the first candidate to declare an intention to run.
As announced on July 27, 2010, Jari Askins won the Democratic primary against current Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson
and was on the November ballot for Governor, facing Republican candidate Mary Fallin
. Fallin won the election and became the first female governor to serve the state of Oklahoma. The Askins vs. Fallin race and the simultaneous Diane Denish
vs. Susana Martinez
race in New Mexico were the third and fourth cases of woman vs. woman gubernatorial races in U.S. history.
. According to her campaign website, she is an active member of the First Christian Church of Duncan, a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
congregation.
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...
. She was the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
The Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma is the second-highest executive official of the state government of Oklahoma. As first in the gubernatorial line of succession, the Lieutenant Governor becomes the new Governor of Oklahoma upon the death, resignation, or removal of the Governor...
, being the second female and the first Democratic female to hold that position.
Askins won the Oklahoma Democratic Party
Oklahoma Democratic Party
The Oklahoma Democratic Party is an Oklahoma political party affiliated with the United States Democratic Party. Along with the Oklahoma Republican Party, it one of the two major parties in Oklahoma politics....
's 2010 gubernatorial
Oklahoma gubernatorial election, 2010
The Oklahoma gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on November 2, 2010 to elect the Governor of Oklahoma. Due to term limits placed on him by the Oklahoma Constitution, incumbent Democratic Governor Brad Henry could not seek re-election...
nomination by defeating Attorney General Drew Edmondson
Drew Edmondson
William Andrew "Drew" Edmondson , is an American lawyer and politician from Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, Edmondson served as the 16th Attorney General of Oklahoma from 1995 to 2011...
but was defeated in the general election by Republican
Oklahoma Republican Party
The Oklahoma Republican Party is a political party affiliated with the United States Republican Party . Along with the Oklahoma Democratic Party, it is one of the two major parties in Oklahoma politics.-Voter base:...
Congresswoman Mary Fallin
Mary Fallin
Mary Fallin is the 27th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. She was a U.S. Representative for from 2007 until 2011....
.
Early life, education and career
Askins was born on April 27, 1953, in Duncan, OklahomaDuncan, Oklahoma
Duncan is a city in Stephens County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 23,431 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Stephens County.The official birthdate of the town is considered to be when the first train arrived there on June 27, 1892...
. She graduated from Duncan High School in 1971. She then attended the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
to receive a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism in 1975. While at OU, she was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega
Alpha Chi Omega
Alpha Chi Omega is a women's fraternity founded on October 15, 1885. Currently, there are 135 chapters of Alpha Chi Omega at colleges and universities across the United States and more than 200,000 lifetime members...
sorority. Askins received a Juris Doctorate from the University of Oklahoma College of Law
University of Oklahoma College of Law
The University of Oklahoma College of Law is an ABA-certified law school located on the University of Oklahoma campus in Norman, Oklahoma. Currently, the College of Law has an enrollment of 527 law students....
in 1980. After graduating from OU, she entered into private practice.
In 1982 Askins was appointed Special District Judge of Stephens County, Oklahoma
Stephens County, Oklahoma
Stephens County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 43,182. Its county seat is Duncan.-Geography:According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,308 km²...
. She served from 1982 to 1990, winning reelection in 1986. Under the administration of Governor of Oklahoma
Governor of Oklahoma
The governor of the state of Oklahoma is the head of state for the state of Oklahoma, United States. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma...
David Walters
David Walters
David Lee Walters was the 24th Governor of Oklahoma from 1991 to 1995.-Biography:Walters was born near Canute, Oklahoma. He graduated as valedictorian from Canute High School in 1969. He later graduated from University of Oklahoma in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering...
, Askins entered the executive branch of government. She was the Chair of the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board
Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board
The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board is the parole board of the state of Oklahoma. The Board was created by an amendment to the Oklahoma Constitution in 1944...
from 1991 to 1992, serving as the Board's first female chair. Askins served as Deputy General Counsel to Governor Walters from 1992 to 1994. Her last assignment under Governor Walters was as the Executive Director of the Pardon and Parole Board from February to November 1994.
Oklahoma House of Representatives
Before Governor Walters was succeeded by Republican Frank KeatingFrank Keating
Francis Anthony "Frank" Keating is an American politician from Oklahoma. Keating served as the 25th Governor of Oklahoma. His first term began in 1995 and ended in 1999...
, Askins ran, and was elected to, 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...
, beginning her term in 1995. She served six terms in office (12 years, the maximum combined service allowed 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...
as the Representative of the 50th House District, which includes her home town, Duncan.
During her final term (2005–2006), she was elected and served as Democratic House Leader, the first woman to lead a caucus in the state's legislature.
Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor
After reaching the maximum 12 years as state representative (Oklahoma has mandatory term limits), Askins filed in the Democratic primary electionPrimary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
to replace outgoing Republican Mary Fallin
Mary Fallin
Mary Fallin is the 27th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. She was a U.S. Representative for from 2007 until 2011....
as Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
The Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma is the second-highest executive official of the state government of Oklahoma. As first in the gubernatorial line of succession, the Lieutenant Governor becomes the new Governor of Oklahoma upon the death, resignation, or removal of the Governor...
. In the primaries, Askins faced former State Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson, lobbyist Pete Regan, and Jim Rogers. In the Democratic primary on July 25, 2006, Hobson received 18.17% of the vote, Regan received 29.05%, Rogers received 12.56%, and Askins received 40.22%.
Askins, in accordance with Oklahoma state law, faced Regan in a runoff
Two-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
for the party's nomination. In the run-off election on August 22, 2006, Askins received 95,087 votes (53.81%) to Regan's 81,622 votes (46.19%). Askins became the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor, and she was elected on November 7, 2006. Her opponent was Republican 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...
Todd Hiett
Todd Hiett
Todd Hiett is an American rancher and Republican politician from Kellyville. He served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1995 until 2007. During his final two years in office, Hiett served as the Speaker of the House...
. Before serving as lieutenant governor, Askins served in all three branches of the government of Oklahoma: legislative (state representative), executive (Chair of the Pardon and Parole Board), and judicial (Special District Judge).
On December 28, 2006, Mary Fallin
Mary Fallin
Mary Fallin is the 27th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. She was a U.S. Representative for from 2007 until 2011....
resigned her office effective January 2, 2007 in order to be sworn in to Congress. Oklahoma Governor 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...
appointed Askins (who was at that point the Lieutenant-Governor elect) to serve the final days of Fallin's term. Askins then took office for her full term on January 8, 2007.
As Lieutenant Governor, Askins has served on various boards and commissions, including chairing the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Commission and the Oklahoma Film and Music Advisory Commission. Governor 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...
also named her as "Oklahoma's Small Business Advocate".
2010 Gubernatorial Campaign
Askins announced on January 4, 2009 that she would run for GovernorGovernor of Oklahoma
The governor of the state of Oklahoma is the head of state for the state of Oklahoma, United States. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma...
in 2010
Oklahoma gubernatorial election, 2010
The Oklahoma gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on November 2, 2010 to elect the Governor of Oklahoma. Due to term limits placed on him by the Oklahoma Constitution, incumbent Democratic Governor Brad Henry could not seek re-election...
to succeed term-limited 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...
. She was the first candidate to declare an intention to run.
As announced on July 27, 2010, Jari Askins won the Democratic primary against current Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson
Drew Edmondson
William Andrew "Drew" Edmondson , is an American lawyer and politician from Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, Edmondson served as the 16th Attorney General of Oklahoma from 1995 to 2011...
and was on the November ballot for Governor, facing Republican candidate Mary Fallin
Mary Fallin
Mary Fallin is the 27th and current Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. She was a U.S. Representative for from 2007 until 2011....
. Fallin won the election and became the first female governor to serve the state of Oklahoma. The Askins vs. Fallin race and the simultaneous Diane Denish
Diane Denish
Diane Daniels Denish is an American politician, who was the 30th Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico. She was elected in 2002, running on the same ticket as Governor Bill Richardson, and was re-elected in 2006...
vs. Susana Martinez
Susana Martinez
Susana Martinez is the 31st and current governor of New Mexico.A Republican, Martinez is the first female governor of New Mexico, as well as the first female Hispanic governor in the United States. She was formerly the district attorney for the 3rd Judicial District of the U.S. state of New Mexico...
race in New Mexico were the third and fourth cases of woman vs. woman gubernatorial races in U.S. history.
Personal life
Askins has been inducted into the Oklahoma Women's Hall of FameOklahoma Women's Hall of Fame
Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame was established in 1982 by Oklahoma Governor George Nigh "to honor Oklahoma women who are pioneers in their field or in a project that benefits Oklahoma; who have made a significant contribution to the State of Oklahoma; who serve or have served as role models to other...
. According to her campaign website, she is an active member of the First Christian Church of Duncan, a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
The Christian Church is a Mainline Protestant denomination in North America. It is often referred to as The Christian Church, The Disciples of Christ, or more simply as The Disciples...
congregation.
External links
- Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins official state site
- Jari Askins for Governor official campaign site
- Jari Askins – Women of the Oklahoma Legislature Oral History Project, Oklahoma Oral History Research Program