Mary Fallin
Encyclopedia
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.
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. 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.
, where she was raised. Now a resident of Oklahoma City, she has long made the Fifth District her home. A graduate of Tecumseh High School
, Fallin attended Oklahoma Baptist University
in Shawnee
as well as the University of Central Oklahoma
in Edmond. Fallin holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Oklahoma State University.
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
.
. As lieutenant governor, Fallin served as president of the Senate and on ten 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 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.
, 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
in the Republican candidate runoff election, and won with 63% of the vote.
Fallin was elected on November 7, defeating Democrat Paul David Hunter. 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. During her last term in Congress,
, the House Committee on Small Business
, and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
. She also served on the Executive Committee of the National Republican Congressional Committee
, Small Business Chair on the Republican Policy Committee and Vice Chairman of the Congressional Women’s Caucus.
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 was unable to seek reelection to a third consecutive four-year term, because of term limits placed on him by the Oklahoma Constitution
.
As of September, 2009, Fallin along with four other candidates announced their intention to run for Governor to succeed Henry. Other than Fallin they were:
Fallin won the Republican nomination with 136,460 votes and defeated her nearest challenger State Senator, Randy Brogdon who won 98,159 votes. Former Alaska
Governor and 2008 Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin
endorsed Fallin in the primary.
On November 2, 2010, Fallin defeated Democratic nominee Jari Askins
60% to 39%. She is the first female governor of Oklahoma.
Kevin Ward dispatched Oklahoma Highway Patrol
officers to begin providing security and protection to her. As the Governor-elect, the Oklahoma Office of State Finance
made available to her transition funding and other government services. The Transition established GovernorelectMaryFallin.org as the official website of the Transition and established MaryFallinInuagural.org as the official website of Fallin's Inauguration.
Fallin began the transition on November 3 by holding a joint press conference with outgoing Governor Brad Henry
. In the press conference, Governor Henry announced that he would make available to Fallin office space in the Oklahoma State Capitol
for her to use as the headquarters for her transition team.
Fallin named Devon Energy
Chairman and CEO J. Larry Nichols as the Chairman of her Transition Team. She also named (then) outgoing Oklahoma Senate President pro tempore
Glenn Coffee
(R-Tulsa) as the Transition's Co-Chairman. Fallin named Lieutenant Governor-elect
Todd Lamb
as her Administration's Small Business Advocate, a position Fallin herself once held under former Governor Frank Keating
. She also established her Governor's Taskforce on Economic Development to advise her on matter related to the economy. Members of that TaskForce include BancFirst
CEO David Rainbolt and former Walters Administration
Secretary of Agriculture
Gary Sherrer
. Former Keating Administration
Secretary of Energy
Robert J. Sullivan, Jr.
serves as the director of the Taskforce as the Special Advisor to the Governor on Economic Development.
Fallin assumed office as Governor on January 10, 2011. Before the end of January, Fallin had named the four remaining Cabinet Secretaries in her Administration. She named the following:
In late January, following a heated Oklahoma State Board of Education
meeting, Governor Fallin proposed major changes to the Oklahoma State Department of Education's organization and structure. The controversy arose over the Board of Education rejecting three senior staff members of Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Janet Barresi. Under Fallin's proposed changes, the Board would be stripped of its administrative powers and those powers would be transferred solely to the State Superintendent, thus reducing the Board to more of an advisory committee to the Superintendent as opposed to a government body of the Department.
On February 7, Governor Fallin addressed the Oklahoma Legislature
in her first State of the State Address
. In her Address, Fallin called for streamlining and modernizing the State government, reforming education, and reducing health care costs in the State. She also presented her 2012 Oklahoma state budget
spending request for considering by the Legislature. She proposed to make up the $400 million budget deficit through a combination of a 5% across-the-board agency budget cuts, increased tax enforcement, state agency consolidations, and government modernization to overcome the budget shortfall.
On July 14, 2011, Governor Fallin responded to a heat wave sweeping her state by asking citizens to seek divine intervention. "The power of prayer is a wonderful thing, and I would ask every Oklahoman to look to a greater power this weekend and ask for rain," Fallin said in a news release.
for Lt. Gov. Fallin resigned after admitting to unprofessional conduct. The Fallins had filed for divorce the previous week, amid allegations by her estranged husband that she had had an affair with a bodyguard.
Public Safety Commissioner Bob Ricks
issued a statement saying that rumors had surfaced in early September about alleged unprofessional conduct between a member of the executive security detail and the lieutenant governor. According to Ricks, the trooper first denied the allegations, but, when questioned again in October, admitted to the improprieties. He was allowed to resign, but his admission did not say that any sexual activity was involved.
and Price Fallin. Her daughter Christina is a consultant and artist who lives in Oklahoma City
.
, 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.
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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...
of 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...
. She was a U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for from 2007 until 2011.
She is the second woman elected to the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
from Oklahoma and the first since 1921 when Alice Mary Robertson
Alice Mary Robertson
Alice Mary Robertson was an American educator, social worker, government official, and politician who became the second woman to serve in the United States Congress, and the first from the state of Oklahoma. Robertson was the first woman to defeat an incumbent congressman...
was elected to Congress and served for one term from 1921 to 1923. She was the first 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...
and first woman to serve 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...
. 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, education, and early political career
Fallin's mother and father both served terms as mayor of TecumsehTecumseh, Oklahoma
Tecumseh is a city in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 6,457 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Tecumseh is located at ....
, where she was raised. Now a resident of Oklahoma City, she has long made the Fifth District her home. A graduate of Tecumseh High School
Tecumseh High School
Tecumseh High School can refer to:*Tecumseh High School in Lynnville, Indiana*Tecumseh High School in Tecumseh, Michigan*Tecumseh High School *Tecumseh High School...
, Fallin attended Oklahoma Baptist University
Oklahoma Baptist University
Oklahoma Baptist University is a co-educational Christian liberal arts university located in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and owned by the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. Established in 1910, OBU is ranked No.2 among baccalaureate colleges in the western region in the 2010 U.S...
in Shawnee
Shawnee, Oklahoma
Shawnee is a city in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 29,857 at the 2010 census. The city is part of the Oklahoma City-Shawnee Combined Statistical Area; it is also the county seat of Pottawatomie County and the principal city of the Shawnee Micropolitan Statistical...
as well as the University of Central Oklahoma
University of Central Oklahoma
The University of Central Oklahoma, often referred to as UCO, is a coeducational public university located in Edmond, Oklahoma. The university is the third largest in Oklahoma, with almost 18,000 students and approximately 434 full-time and 400 adjunct faculty...
in Edmond. Fallin holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Oklahoma State University.
Fallin was first 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...
in 1990. During her two terms as a State Representative she was recognized by the American Legislative Exchange Council
American Legislative Exchange Council
The American Legislative Exchange Council is a politically conservative 501 non-profit Policy Organization, consisting of both state legislators and members of the private sector. ALEC's mission statement describes the organization's purpose as the advancement of free-market principles, limited...
as Legislator of the Year and named Guardian of Small Business by the National Federation of Independent Business
National Federation of Independent Business
The National Federation of Independent Business is a lobbying organization with its headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee and offices in Washington, D.C. USA, and in all 50 state capitals...
.
Lieutenant Governor (1995–2007)
In 1995, Fallin became Oklahoma’s first woman and first Republican to be elected as the Lieutenant Governor of OklahomaLieutenant 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...
. As lieutenant governor, Fallin served as president of the Senate and on ten 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
Oklahoma State Cabinet
The Cabinet of the Governor of Oklahoma is a body of the most senior appointed officials of the executive branch of the government of Oklahoma. Originally an informal meeting between the Governor of Oklahoma and various government officials, the Governor's Cabinet has evolved into a major part of...
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 Oklahoma City bombing
Oklahoma City bombing
The Oklahoma City bombing was a terrorist bomb attack on the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. The Oklahoma blast claimed 168 lives, including 19...
, 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.
Elections
Fallin did not seek re-election in 2006 as lieutenant governor, but ran for the 5th Congressional District seat being vacated by Ernest IstookErnest Istook
Ernest James Istook Jr. is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 5th congressional district. He held his congressional seat for 14 years, completing seven terms in the House...
, 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
Mick Cornett
Mick Cornett is the current Mayor of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. He also serves on notable positions including the national President of the Republican Mayors and Local Officials , and also serves on the Board of Trustees for the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He was also Chairman of the...
in the Republican candidate runoff election, and won with 63% of the vote.
Fallin was elected on November 7, defeating Democrat Paul David Hunter. She is the first woman elected to Congress from Oklahoma since 1921. Alice Mary Robertson
Alice Mary Robertson
Alice Mary Robertson was an American educator, social worker, government official, and politician who became the second woman to serve in the United States Congress, and the first from the state of Oklahoma. Robertson was the first woman to defeat an incumbent congressman...
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
Jari Askins
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....
was appointed by 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...
to fill the remaining days of Fallin's term.
Fallin easily won reelection in 2008. During her last term in Congress,
Committee assignments
Fallin served on the House Committee on Armed ServicesUnited States House Committee on Armed Services
thumb|United States House Committee on Armed Services emblemThe U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives...
, the House Committee on Small Business
United States House Committee on Small Business
The United States House Committee on Small Business is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives.-History:On December 4, 1941, the U. S...
, and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
The U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. John Mica currently chairs the committee.-History:...
. She also served on the Executive Committee of the National Republican Congressional Committee
National Republican Congressional Committee
The National Republican Congressional Committee is the Republican Hill committee which works to elect Republicans to the United States House of Representatives....
, Small Business Chair on the Republican Policy Committee and Vice Chairman of the Congressional Women’s Caucus.
2010 Gubernatorial campaign
Incumbent Governor of OklahomaGovernor 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...
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...
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
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...
and the Oklahoma Senate
Oklahoma Senate
The Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of Senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution....
for the first time in Oklahoma history. Governor Henry was unable to seek reelection to a third consecutive four-year term, because of term limits placed on him 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...
.
As of September, 2009, Fallin along with four other candidates announced their intention to run for Governor to succeed Henry. Other than Fallin they were:
- Former President of the Oklahoma Office Machine Dealers Association (OOMDA) Roger L. Jackson (R)
- Attorney General of OklahomaAttorney General of OklahomaThe Attorney General of Oklahoma is the State Attorney General for the state of Oklahoma. The Attorney General serves as the chief legal and law enforcement officer of the State of Oklahoma. The Attorney General is responsible for providing legal advise to the various agencies and departments of...
Drew EdmondsonDrew EdmondsonWilliam 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...
(D) - Lieutenant Governor of OklahomaLieutenant Governor of OklahomaThe 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...
Jari AskinsJari AskinsJari 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....
(D) - State SenatorOklahoma SenateThe Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of Senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution....
Randy Brogdon (R) - Oklahoma business owner Robert Hubbard (R)
Fallin won the Republican nomination with 136,460 votes and defeated her nearest challenger State Senator, Randy Brogdon who won 98,159 votes. Former Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
Governor and 2008 Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
endorsed Fallin in the primary.
On November 2, 2010, Fallin defeated Democratic nominee Jari Askins
Jari Askins
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....
60% to 39%. She is the first female governor of Oklahoma.
Transition
On election night, after it became apparent that Fallin had won the election, Commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Public SafetyOklahoma Department of Public Safety
The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety is a department of the government of Oklahoma. Under the supervision of the Oklahoma Secretary of Safety and Security, DPS provides for the safety of Oklahomans and the administration of justice in the state...
Kevin Ward dispatched Oklahoma Highway Patrol
Oklahoma Highway Patrol
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is a major state law enforcement agency of the government of Oklahoma. It is a division of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol was legislatively created in 1937 due to the growing problem of motor vehicle accidents, the expansion of a...
officers to begin providing security and protection to her. As the Governor-elect, the Oklahoma Office of State Finance
Oklahoma Office of State Finance
The Oklahoma Office of State Finance is the Oklahoma state government agency that prepares the Governor of Oklahoma’s annual budget, analyzes the effectiveness of state management, manages the state’s budget system and makes appropriate allotments and transfers throughout the state government...
made available to her transition funding and other government services. The Transition established GovernorelectMaryFallin.org as the official website of the Transition and established MaryFallinInuagural.org as the official website of Fallin's Inauguration.
Fallin began the transition on November 3 by holding a joint press conference with outgoing 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...
. In the press conference, Governor Henry announced that he would make available to Fallin office space in the Oklahoma State Capitol
Oklahoma State Capitol
The Oklahoma State Capitol is the house of government of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is the building that houses the Oklahoma Legislature, and the meeting place of the Oklahoma Supreme Court. It is located along Lincoln Boulevard in Oklahoma City. The present structure includes a dome that was...
for her to use as the headquarters for her transition team.
Fallin named Devon Energy
Devon Energy
Devon Energy Corporation , is among the largest U.S.-based independent natural gas and oil producers. Based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the company's operations are focused on North American onshore exploration and production...
Chairman and CEO J. Larry Nichols as the Chairman of her Transition Team. She also named (then) outgoing Oklahoma Senate President pro tempore
President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate
The President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate is the second-highest-ranking official of the Oklahoma Senate and the highest-ranking State Senator. The Oklahoma Constitution states the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma serves ex officio as President of the Senate, and is the highest-ranking...
Glenn Coffee
Glenn Coffee
For the American football player, see Glen CoffeeVirgil Glenn Coffee is an American lawyer and Republican politician from the US state of Oklahoma. Coffee is currently the 30th Oklahoma Secretary of State, having been appointed by Governor Mary Fallin...
(R-Tulsa) as the Transition's Co-Chairman. Fallin named Lieutenant Governor-elect
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...
Todd Lamb
Todd Lamb (politician)
Todd Lamb is a Republican United States politician from Oklahoma who is currently serving as the 16th Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma, was a member of the Oklahoma Senate from 2004 to 2011. For the 52nd Oklahoma Legislature, Lamb's fellow Republican Senators elected him as their Majority Floor...
as her Administration's Small Business Advocate, a position Fallin herself once held under former Governor Frank Keating
Frank 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...
. She also established her Governor's Taskforce on Economic Development to advise her on matter related to the economy. Members of that TaskForce include BancFirst
BancFirst
BancFirst Corporation is a state chartered bank in Oklahoma, United States. In 2008, it was in 46 Oklahoma communities, and was the largest state chartered bank in Oklahoma. - History :...
CEO David Rainbolt and former Walters Administration
David Walter
David Ernest Walter is the immediate past Chairman of Taranaki Regional Council, past Chairman of Stratford County Council, and the first Mayor of Stratford District Council.-Family background:Walter was born in Douglas, Taranaki...
Secretary of Agriculture
Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture
The Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture is a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The Secretary is appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor...
Gary Sherrer
Gary Sherrer
Gary Sherrer is an American Democratic politician from Oklahoma. Sherrer serves as Oklahoma Secretary of the Environment under Republican Governor Mary Fallin...
. Former Keating Administration
Frank 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...
Secretary of Energy
Oklahoma Secretary of Energy
The Oklahoma Secretary of Energy is a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The Secretary is appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor...
Robert J. Sullivan, Jr.
Robert J. Sullivan, Jr.
Robert J. "Bob" Sullivan, Jr. is an American politician from Oklahoma and a Republican candidate in the 2006 Oklahoma gubernatorial election. Sullivan had previously served as the Oklahoma Secretary of Energy under Governor of Oklahoma Frank Keating from 2002 to 2003.Sullivan lost in the July 25,...
serves as the director of the Taskforce as the Special Advisor to the Governor on Economic Development.
First year
]Fallin assumed office as Governor on January 10, 2011. Before the end of January, Fallin had named the four remaining Cabinet Secretaries in her Administration. She named the following:
- Gary SherrerGary SherrerGary Sherrer is an American Democratic politician from Oklahoma. Sherrer serves as Oklahoma Secretary of the Environment under Republican Governor Mary Fallin...
as Oklahoma Secretary of the EnvironmentOklahoma Secretary of the EnvironmentThe Oklahoma Secretary of the Environment is a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The Secretary is appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor...
, a position he previously held under Democratic Governor David WaltersDavid WaltersDavid 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... - Tulsa City AuditorTulsa, OklahomaTulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
Preston DoerflingerPreston DoerflingerPreston Doerflinger is an American businessman and politician who currently serves as the Oklahoma Secretary of Finance and Revenue. Doerflinger was appointed by Governor of Oklahoma Mary Fallin on January 19, 2011...
as Oklahoma Secretary of Finance and RevenueOklahoma Secretary of Finance and RevenueThe Oklahoma Secretary of Finance and Revenue is a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The Secretary is appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor...
and Director of the Oklahoma Office of State FinanceOklahoma Office of State FinanceThe Oklahoma Office of State Finance is the Oklahoma state government agency that prepares the Governor of Oklahoma’s annual budget, analyzes the effectiveness of state management, manages the state’s budget system and makes appropriate allotments and transfers throughout the state government... - Oklahoma City businessman Dave LopezDave LopezDave Lopez is an American telecommunications executive who is currently the Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Tourism under Governor of Oklahoma Mary Fallin. Governor Fallin named Lopez as Secretary on January 27, 2011.-Biography:...
as Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and TourismOklahoma Secretary of Commerce and TourismThe Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Tourism is a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The Secretary is appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor...
and Director of the Oklahoma Department of CommerceOklahoma Department of CommerceThe Oklahoma Department of Commerce is a department of the government of Oklahoma under the Oklahoma Secretary of Commerce and Tourism. The Department is responsible for the supporting local communities, stimulating growth of the existing businesses, attracting new business, and promoting the... - State Health Commissioner Terry ClineTerry ClineDr. Terry L. Cline, Ph. D., is an American psychologist and public health policy specialist from Oklahoma. Cline is currently serving in the dual position of Oklahoma Secretary of Health and Human Services and Commissioner of the Oklahoma State Department of Health...
as Oklahoma Secretary of Health and Human ServicesOklahoma Secretary of Health and Human ServicesThe Oklahoma Secretary of Health and Human Services is a member of the Oklahoma Governor's Cabinet. The Secretary is appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor...
In late January, following a heated Oklahoma State Board of Education
Oklahoma State Board of Education
The Oklahoma State Department of Education is the state education agency of the State of Oklahoma charged with determining the policies and directing the administration and supervision of the public school system of Oklahoma...
meeting, Governor Fallin proposed major changes to the Oklahoma State Department of Education's organization and structure. The controversy arose over the Board of Education rejecting three senior staff members of Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction
The Oklahoma State Superintendent of Public Instruction, sometimes called the Oklahoma State School Superintendent, is the chief executive officer for the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the President of the Oklahoma State Board of Education...
Janet Barresi. Under Fallin's proposed changes, the Board would be stripped of its administrative powers and those powers would be transferred solely to the State Superintendent, thus reducing the Board to more of an advisory committee to the Superintendent as opposed to a government body of the Department.
On February 7, Governor Fallin addressed 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 her first State of the State Address
State of the State Address
The State of the State Address is a speech customarily given once each year by the governors of most states of the United States. The speech is customarily delivered before both houses of the state legislature sitting in joint session, with the exception of the Nebraska Legislature, which is a...
. In her Address, Fallin called for streamlining and modernizing the State government, reforming education, and reducing health care costs in the State. She also presented her 2012 Oklahoma state budget
2012 Oklahoma state budget
The Oklahoma State Budget for Fiscal Year 2012, is a spending request by Governor Mary Fallin to fund government operations for July 1, 2011–June 30, 2012...
spending request for considering by the Legislature. She proposed to make up the $400 million budget deficit through a combination of a 5% across-the-board agency budget cuts, increased tax enforcement, state agency consolidations, and government modernization to overcome the budget shortfall.
On July 14, 2011, Governor Fallin responded to a heat wave sweeping her state by asking citizens to seek divine intervention. "The power of prayer is a wonderful thing, and I would ask every Oklahoman to look to a greater power this weekend and ask for rain," Fallin said in a news release.
Divorce
In early December 1998, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol bodyguardBodyguard
A bodyguard is a type of security operative or government agent who protects a person—usually a famous, wealthy, or politically important figure—from assault, kidnapping, assassination, stalking, loss of confidential information, terrorist attack or other threats.Most important public figures such...
for Lt. Gov. Fallin resigned after admitting to unprofessional conduct. The Fallins had filed for divorce the previous week, amid allegations by her estranged husband that she had had an affair with a bodyguard.
Public Safety Commissioner Bob Ricks
Bob Ricks
Robert A. "Bob" Ricks is an American law enforcement professional from Texas and Oklahoma. Ricks has worked for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Governor of Oklahoma and in local law enforcement...
issued a statement saying that rumors had surfaced in early September about alleged unprofessional conduct between a member of the executive security detail and the lieutenant governor. According to Ricks, the trooper first denied the allegations, but, when questioned again in October, admitted to the improprieties. He was allowed to resign, but his admission did not say that any sexual activity was involved.
Family
She has two children from her first marriage, Christina FallinChristina Fallin
Christina Marie Fallin is an American consultant, artist, and public figure. She is the daughter of the first female Governor of Oklahoma, Mary Fallin.- Background :...
and Price Fallin. Her daughter Christina is a consultant and artist who lives in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
.
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 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...
, 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
| Candidates | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Morgan | Democratic Party | 281,379 | 32.45% | ||
| Mary Fallin | Republican Party | 585,712 | 67.55% | ||
| Total | 867,091 | 100.0% | |||
| Source: 1998 Election Results | |||||
| Candidates | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laura Boyd | Democratic Party | 400,511 | 38.95% | ||
| Mary Fallin | Republican Party | 584,990 | 56.89% | ||
| E.Z. Million | Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
11,802 | 1.15% | ||
| Billy Maguire | Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
31,053 | 3.01% | ||
| Total | 1,028,356 | 100.0% | |||
| Source: 2002 Election Results | |||||
| Candidates | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Fallin | Republican Party | 16,691 | 34.57% | ||
| Mick Cornett Mick Cornett Mick Cornett is the current Mayor of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. He also serves on notable positions including the national President of the Republican Mayors and Local Officials , and also serves on the Board of Trustees for the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He was also Chairman of the... |
Republican Party | 11,718 | 24.27% | ||
| Denise Bode Denise Bode Denise Bode is a nationally recognized energy policy expert and a former Corporate Commissioner of that state. In January 2005 she began her second and last six-year term in office, having won reelection by the most votes ever garnered by a Republican candidate for an Oklahoma state-wide... |
Republican Party | 9,139 | 18.93% | ||
| Kevin Calvey | Republican Party | 4,870 | 10.09% | ||
| Fred Morgan | Republican Party | 4,493 | 9.3% | ||
| Johnny B. Roy | Republican Party | 1,376 | 2.85% | ||
| Total | 48,267 | 100.0% | |||
| Source: 2006 primary results | |||||
| Candidates | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Fallin | Republican Party | 26,748 | 63.06% | ||
| Mick Cornett Mick Cornett Mick Cornett is the current Mayor of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. He also serves on notable positions including the national President of the Republican Mayors and Local Officials , and also serves on the Board of Trustees for the U.S. Conference of Mayors. He was also Chairman of the... |
Republican Party | 15,669 | 36.94% | ||
| Total | 42,417 | 100.0% | |||
| Source: 2006 run-off results | |||||
| Candidates | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Hunter | Democratic Party | 67,293 | 37.30% | ||
| Mary Fallin | Republican Party | 108,936 | 60.38% | ||
| Matthew Woodson | Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
4,196 | 2.32% | ||
| Total | 180,425 | 100.0% | |||
| Source: 2006 Election Results | |||||
| Candidates | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steven L. Perry | Democratic Party | 88,996 | 34.11% | ||
| Mary Fallin | Republican Party | 171,925 | 65.89% | ||
| Total | 260,921 | 100.0% | |||
| Source: 2008 Election Results | |||||
| Candidates | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Fallin | Republican Party | 136,477 | 54.79% | ||
| Randy Brogdon | Republican Party | 98,170 | 39.41% | ||
| Robert Hubbard | Republican Party | 8,132 | 3.26% | ||
| Roger Jackson | Republican Party | 6,290 | 2.53% | ||
| Total | 249069 | 100.0% | |||
| Source: 2010 primary results | |||||
External links
- Office of Governor Mary Fallin
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...
- Mary Fallin Interview, Women of the Oklahoma Legislature Oral History Project, OOHRP
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