Tom Cole

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Tom Cole
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 4th district
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 2003
Preceded by	J. C. Watts
Born	April 28, 1949 (1949-04-28) (age 59) Shreveport, Louisiana
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Ellen Cole
Religion	Methodist

Thomas Jeffery Cole (born April 28, 1949) is a politician from the state of Oklahoma, currently representing Oklahoma's 4th Congressional District (map) in the U.S. House of Representatives. Cole, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), is the fourth-ranking Republican leader in the House. He also serves on the Armed Services Committee and the Natural Resources Committee, and is a Deputy Minority Whip. As of 2007, Cole — a member of the Chickasaw Nation — is the only registered Native American in Congress.

[edit] Biography

Although born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Cole is a fifth-generation Oklahoman, having been raised in Moore, Oklahoma. He graduated from Grinnell College in 1971 with a B.A. in History. His postgraduate degrees include an MA from Yale University (1974) and a Ph.D from the University of Oklahoma (1984), both in British History. Cole did research abroad as a Thomas J. Watson Fellow and was a Fulbright Fellow (1977–78) at the University of London. He was a college professor in history and politics before becoming a politician.

Cole has a wife, Ellen, and one son, Mason. He is a member of the United Methodist Church and lives in Moore.

[edit] Oklahoma and national politics

Cole is a major figure in contemporary Oklahoma politics. Following his mother Helen, who served as a state representative and senator, Cole served in the Oklahoma Senate from 1988 to 1991 as a Republican, resigning mid-term to accept a job in Washington. From 1995 to 1999, he was Oklahoma's Secretary of State under Governor Frank Keating, and assisted with the recovery efforts following the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. He has also served as Chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party.

Cole has been heavily involved in national politics as well, having served both as Executive Director of the NRCC and as Chief of Staff of the Republican National Committee (RNC). He also spent two years working as a paid consultant for the United States Chamber of Commerce. But Cole's primary involvement in politics has been as a political consultant. Along with partners Sharon Hargrave Caldwell and Deby Snodgrass, his firm (Cole, Hargrave, Snodgrass and Associates) played a large part in the reconstruction of Oklahoma's political landscape, and backed a number of candidates that took office during the Republican Revolution of 1994. Among their clients have been Keating, J.C. Watts, Tom Coburn, Frank Lucas, Mary Fallin, Wes Watkins, Steve Largent, Mississippi congressman Chip Pickering, and Hawaii governor Linda Lingle.

[edit] House career

During his initial campaign for the House of Representatives in 2002, Cole received the endorsement of Watts, the popular outgoing congressman. This helped him win a hard-fought general election over Democratic nominee and former Oklahoma State Senator Darryl Roberts. Cole subsequently won easy re-election campaigns in 2004 and 2006. Following the 2006 election cycle, the members of the House Republican Conference elected Cole to the post of NRCC Chairman, placing him in charge of national efforts to assist Republican candidates for Congress.

His voting record during four years in the House marks Cole as a solid conservative with libertarian sympathies. He has consistently voted pro-life and pro-business positions, and established himself as a supporter of free trade, gun rights, the military, veterans, and American Indian issues. He favors loosening immigration restrictions and imposing stricter limits on campaign funds. He has consistently voted against positions supported by lobbies for senior citizens, labor unions, and teacher's unions. However, he was critical in brokering protections for DOD civilian workers.[1]

In March 2004, Cole stated in a speech, "What do you think Hitler would have thought if Roosevelt would've lost the election in 1944? He would not have thought American resolve was strengthening. What would the Confederacy have thought if Lincoln would have lost the election of 1864?[2] ...I promise you this, if George Bush loses the election, Osama bin Laden wins the election. It's that simple. It will be interpreted that way by enemies of the United States around the world."[3] Local and national news outlets interpreted the statement as a comparison of Senator John Kerry, Bush's opponent, to Hitler and bin Laden. Cole refused to retract his comments, maintaining he had been misinterpreted.

[edit] Committee membership

As of the 110th United States Congress, Tom Cole is a member of the following U.S. House committees:

• Committee on Armed Services
  • Subcommittee on Readiness
  • Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces
• Committee on Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans
  • Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands

[edit] Electoral history

[edit] See also

Congressional Order of Merit

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Representative Tom Cole official U.S. House site

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Profile at SourceWatch Congresspedia
• Lawton Politics

v • d • e Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma Current districts 1st district: McGuire • Davenport • Chandler • Howard • Chandler • Howard • Montgomery • Howard • O’Connor • Disney • Schwabe • Gilmer • Schwabe • Belcher • Jones • Inhofe • Largent • Sullivan 2nd district: Fulton • Morgan • Hastings • Robertson • Hastings • Nichols • Stigler • Edmondson • McSpadden • Risenhoover • Synar • Coburn • Carson • D. Boren 3rd district: Davenport • Creager • Davenport • Carter • Cartwright • Stewart • Albert • Watkins • Brewster • Watkins • Lucas 4th district: Carter • Murray • McKeown • Pringey • McKeown • Gassaway • L. Boren • Johnson • Steed • McCurdy • Watts • Cole 5th district: Ferris • Thompson • Harreld • Swank • Stone • Swank • Lee • Hill • Smith • Monroney • Jarman • Edwards • Istook • Fallin Defunct Districts Territorial (1889-1907): Harvey • Flynn • Callahan • Flynn • McGuire 6th district (1913-2003): Murray • Ferris • Gensman • Thomas • Johnson Sr. • Morris • Wickersham • Morris • Wickersham • Johnson Jr. • Smith • Camp • English • Lucas 7th district (1913-1953): McClintic • Massingale • Wickersham • Peden • Wickersham 8th district (1913-1953): Weaver • Morgan • Swindall • Herrick • Garber • Marland • Ferguson • Rizley • Wilson • Belcher At-large district (1933-1943): Rogers