Jari Askins

Infobox_Lt_Governor
name=Jari Askins

---

caption=
order= 15^th
office= Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
term_start= January 2, 2007
term_end=
governor= Brad Henry
predecessor= Mary Fallin
successor= Incumbent
birth_date= birth date and age|1953|04|27
birth_place= Duncan, Oklahoma
religion= Unknown
death_date=
death_place=
party= Democrat
profession= Lawyer, Stateswoman
spouse=
footnotes=

Jari Askins (April 27, 1953) is an American lawyer and Democratic politician from the US State of Oklahoma. She is the 15th and current Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma. She is the second female Lt. Governor in Oklahoma and the first female Democrat to hold the position. Before serving as Lt 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.

Biography

Askins was born on April 27, 1953, in Duncan, Oklahoma. 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. Askins received a Juris Doctor from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1980. After graduating from OU, she entered into private practice.

After two years, Askins was elected 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. 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.

Before Governor Walters was succeeded by Republican Frank Keating, Askins ran, and was elected to, the Oklahoma House of Representatives, beginning her term in 1995. She served six terms in office as the Representative of the 50th House District, which includes her home town, Duncan.

Bid for Lieutenant Governor

After reaching the maximum 12 years as state representative (Oklahoma has mandatory term limits), Askins filed in the Democratic primary election 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 Lt. Governor, and she was elected on November 7, 2006. Her opponent was Republican Speaker of the House Todd Hiett.

References

* [http://www.state.ok.us/~ltgov/ Oklahoma Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins] official state site
* [http://jariaskins.com/ Jari Askins for Lt Governor] official campaign site
* [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200636&c=428085 Follow the Money - Jari Askins] 2006 campaign contributions
* [http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=BS027418 Project Vote Smart - Lt. Governor Jari Askins (OK)] profile