Brad Henry

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Brad Henry
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26^th Governor of Oklahoma
Term of office: January 13, 2003 – present
Lieutenant Governor:	Mary Fallin (2003-present) Jari Askins (elected)
Predecessor:	Frank Keating
Successor:	Incumbent
Born:	June 10, 1963 Shawnee, Oklahoma
Political party:	Democratic
Profession:	Lawyer
Spouse:	Kimberly Ann Henry
Religion:	Baptist

Charles Bradford "Brad" Henry (born June 10, 1963) is the Governor of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected governor in 2002. Henry faced Republican US Representative Ernest Istook for re-election on November 7, 2006, and won with 66% of the vote <ref>http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/pages/results/states/OK/G/00/index.html</ref>.

Governor Henry is currently one of the most popular governors in the nation, with an approval rating of 69%. <ref>http://www.surveyusa.com/50State2006/50StateGovernor060822Net.htm</ref> When Henry takes office again in 2007, he will be the third governor and second Democrat in Oklahoma history to hold two consecutive terms, after Democrat George Nigh and Republican Frank Keating.

1 Early life and education
2 2002 gubernatorial election
3 Governorship
- 3.1 Administration and Cabinet
- 3.2 Supreme Court appointments
4 2006 campaign
5 Future campaigns
6 Election Results
7 External links

[edit] Early life and education

A third generation Oklahoman, Henry was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, the son of prominent attorney and Judge Charles Henry. He attended public schools and graduated from Shawnee High School. After graduating, Henry attended the University of Oklahoma as a President's Leadership Scholar and earned a bachelor's degree in economics in 1985. In 1988, he was awarded his law degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, where he served as managing editor of the Law Review.

[edit] 2002 gubernatorial election

In the 2002 election for governor, Henry defeated former Republican Congressman Steve Largent, an NFL Hall of Famer and Independent candidate Gary Richardson, a retired Federal Prosecutor, by less than one-half of one percent. He received 448,143 votes (43.27%) to Largent's 441,277 votes (42.61%). Richardson, a former Republican candidate, was the second most successful third-party gubernatorial candidate in the nation in the that election, receiving 146,200 votes (14%). [1]

Henry ran an underdog campaign of "barnstorming" rural areas, and stopping at Wal Mart stores in an RV with supporters. Henry was endorsed by legendary football Coach Barry Switzer, who has strong popularity in the Sooner State and accompanied Henry to many campaign events.

On the policy side of the campaign, Henry ran on the platform of the "education governor." He argued for increasing teachers' salaries and funding for higher education in the state by approving a state lottery to raise money. Henry's candidacy received a last minute boost against Largent, on account of a ballot initiative banning cockfighting was unpopular in rural areas. Henry played neutral on the issue most of the race as the proposed ban was popular in urban areas. On the election eve, Henry secured the support of the pro-cockfighting forces in rural areas.

[edit] Governorship

Henry was officially sworn in as Oklahoma's 26th Governor on January 13, 2003, with the oath of office being administered by his cousin, federal appeals court judge Robert Harlan Henry. As Governor, he is a member of the National Governors Association, the Southern Governors' Association, and the Democratic Governors Association.

Henry made national headlines by giving sanctuary from the redistricting warrant to Texas Democrats in that state's legislature by allowing them to travel across state lines into Oklahoma en masse to deny a quorum for voting on a redistricting plan. "Our position is that, without a warrant signed by a judge, we have no authority. Even under those circumstances, we are hesitant to get pulled into a Texas political battle. If we're going to do battle with Texas, we prefer that it be on the football field," Henry said through his spokesman.

[edit] Administration and Cabinet


OFFICE	NAME	TERM

Governor	Brad Henry	2003–
Lieutenant Governor	Mary Fallin	2003–2007
	Jari Askins	2007–

Secretary of State	M. Susan Savage	2003–
Attorney General	Drew Edmondson	2003–
State Auditor and Inspector	Jeff McMahan	2003–
State Treasurer	Robert Butkin	2003–2005
	Scott Meacham	2005–
Insurance Commissioner	Carroll Fisher	2003–2005
	Kim Holland	2005–
Commissioner of Labor	Brenda Reneau	2003–
Superintendent of Public Instruction	Sandy Garrett	2003–

Agriculture	Terry Peach	2003–
Commerce & Tourism	Kathy Taylor	2003–2006
Education	vacant
Energy	David Fleischaker	2003–
Environment	Miles Tolbert	2003–
Finance & Revenue	Scott Meacham	2005–
Health	Terry Cline	2004–
Human Resources & Administration	Oscar B. Jackson Jr.	2003–
Human Services	Howard Hendrick	2003–
Military	Harry M. Wyatt III	2003–
Safety & Security	Kevin Ward	2004–
Science & Technology	Joseph W. Alexander	2004–
Transportation	Phil Tomlinson	2003–
Veterans Affairs	Norman Lamb	2003–

[edit] Supreme Court appointments

Governor Henry appointed the following Justices to the Oklahoma Supreme Court:

James E. Edmondson – 2003
Steven W. Taylor – 2004
Tom Colbert – 2004, making Henry the first governor to appoint an African American justice to the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

[edit] 2006 campaign

Main article: Oklahoma gubernatorial election, 2006

Currently, Brad Henry is running for a second-term as governor. In the Democratic Party primary election on July 25, 2006, he received 218,712 votes, 86% of the vote. [2]

In the November 7th general election, Henry faced Fifth District U.S. Congressman Republican Ernest Istook and won with 66% of the vote <ref>http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/pages/results/states/OK/G/00/index.html</ref>. He won with a higher total than any gubernatorial candidate in almost fifty years. [3]

[edit] Future campaigns

On November 30, 2006, Governor Henry stated that he has no intentions on running for the United States Senate in 2008 or 2010. There had been some speculation that Henry would challenge incumbent Senators Jim Inhofe or Tom Coburn when they face reelection.

[edit] Election Results

Image:OK gubernatorial election map 2002.png

Image:OK gubernatorial election map 2006.png

**Summary of the November 5, 2002 Oklahoma gubernatorial election results**
Candidates		Party	Votes	%
	Brad Henry	Democratic Party	448,143	43.27%
	Steve Largent	Republican Party	441,277	42.61%
	Gary Richardson	Independent	146,200	14.12%
Total			1,035,620	100.0%
Source: 2002 Election Results

**Summary of the November 7, 2006 Oklahoma gubernatorial election results**
Candidates		Party	Votes	%
	Brad Henry (Incumbent)	Democratic Party	616,033	66.50%
	Ernest Istook	Republican Party	310,273	33.50%
Total			926,306	100.0%
Source: 2006 Election Results

[edit] External links

Preceded by: Frank Keating (R)	Governor of Oklahoma 2003 – present	Incumbent

Current members of the Cabinet of Governor Brad Henry This box: view • talk • edit</div> <td style="vertical-align: middle; width: 1px" rowspan="2"> Image:Flag of Oklahoma.svg </td>
Alexander • Cline • Fleischaker • Hendrick • Jackson • Lamb • Meacham • Peach • Savage • Tolbert • Tomlinson • Ward • Wyatt

Current members of the Executive Branch of Oklahoma This box: view • talk • edit</div> <td style="vertical-align: middle; width: 1px" rowspan="2"> Image:Flag of Oklahoma.svg </td>
Governor Brad Henry Bob Anthony • Jari Askins • Denise Bode • Jeff Cloud • Drew Edmondson • Lloyd Fields • Sandy Garrett • Kim Holland • Jeff McMahan • Scott Meacham • M. Susan Savage