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Tom Cole
Thomas Jeffery Cole (born April 28, 1949) is an American politician and former educator serving as the U.S. representative for Oklahoma's 4th congressional district since 2003. A Republican, he previously served in the Oklahoma Senate from 1988 to 1991 and as the 26th secretary of state of Oklahoma from 1995 to 1999. An enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, Cole is the longest-serving Native American in the history of Congress. On April 10, 2024, Cole was elected chair of the House Appropriations Committee.
Cole was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, the son of John D. Cole and Helen Te Ata (née Gale); the latter was the first Native American elected to the Oklahoma Senate. Cole is an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation. He has said, "I was raised to think of myself as Native American and, most importantly, as Chickasaw." Cole has said that a great-aunt of his was the Native American storyteller Te Ata.
A fifth-generation Oklahoman, Cole lived in various locations during his childhood due to his father's military background. His family returned to Oklahoma when he was in sixth grade. He graduated from Moore High School in 1967 and from Grinnell College in 1971. His postgraduate degrees include an MA from Yale University (1974) and a PhD from the University of Oklahoma (1984), both in British history. Cole's PhD thesis was Life and Labor in the Isle of Dogs: The Origins and Evolution of an East London Working-Class Community, 1800–1980. He did research abroad as a Thomas J. Watson Fellow and was a Fulbright Fellow (1977–78) at the University of London. He served as an assistant professor of history and politics before winning political office.[citation needed]
Cole worked on the staff of U.S. Rep. Marvin (Mickey) Edwards of Oklahoma from 1982 to 1984. He chaired the Oklahoma Republican Party from 1985 to 1989. Cole served in the Oklahoma State Senate from 1988 to 1991. He was the executive director of the National Republican Congressional Committee from 1991 to 1993.
From 1995 to 1999, he served as Oklahoma's secretary of state, appointed by Governor Frank Keating. He assisted with the recovery efforts after the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Cole resigned from Keating's administration when asked to become chief of staff to the Republican National Committee. Cole served in that role from 1999 to 2001.
Cole was first elected to Congress in 2002. During his initial campaign for the House of Representatives, Cole received the endorsement of Watts, the popular outgoing congressman. This helped him win the general election over Democratic nominee and former Oklahoma State Senator Darryl Roberts, with 53.8% of the vote to Roberts's 46.1%. Cole has won at least 63% of the vote in each of his eight reelection campaigns, and he ran unopposed in 2010.[citation needed]
In 2024, Cole won the Republican primary against four challengers, including Paul Bondar, Nick Hankins, Andrew Hayes, and Rick Whitebear-Harris.
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.[citation needed]
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Tom Cole
Thomas Jeffery Cole (born April 28, 1949) is an American politician and former educator serving as the U.S. representative for Oklahoma's 4th congressional district since 2003. A Republican, he previously served in the Oklahoma Senate from 1988 to 1991 and as the 26th secretary of state of Oklahoma from 1995 to 1999. An enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, Cole is the longest-serving Native American in the history of Congress. On April 10, 2024, Cole was elected chair of the House Appropriations Committee.
Cole was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, the son of John D. Cole and Helen Te Ata (née Gale); the latter was the first Native American elected to the Oklahoma Senate. Cole is an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation. He has said, "I was raised to think of myself as Native American and, most importantly, as Chickasaw." Cole has said that a great-aunt of his was the Native American storyteller Te Ata.
A fifth-generation Oklahoman, Cole lived in various locations during his childhood due to his father's military background. His family returned to Oklahoma when he was in sixth grade. He graduated from Moore High School in 1967 and from Grinnell College in 1971. His postgraduate degrees include an MA from Yale University (1974) and a PhD from the University of Oklahoma (1984), both in British history. Cole's PhD thesis was Life and Labor in the Isle of Dogs: The Origins and Evolution of an East London Working-Class Community, 1800–1980. He did research abroad as a Thomas J. Watson Fellow and was a Fulbright Fellow (1977–78) at the University of London. He served as an assistant professor of history and politics before winning political office.[citation needed]
Cole worked on the staff of U.S. Rep. Marvin (Mickey) Edwards of Oklahoma from 1982 to 1984. He chaired the Oklahoma Republican Party from 1985 to 1989. Cole served in the Oklahoma State Senate from 1988 to 1991. He was the executive director of the National Republican Congressional Committee from 1991 to 1993.
From 1995 to 1999, he served as Oklahoma's secretary of state, appointed by Governor Frank Keating. He assisted with the recovery efforts after the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Cole resigned from Keating's administration when asked to become chief of staff to the Republican National Committee. Cole served in that role from 1999 to 2001.
Cole was first elected to Congress in 2002. During his initial campaign for the House of Representatives, Cole received the endorsement of Watts, the popular outgoing congressman. This helped him win the general election over Democratic nominee and former Oklahoma State Senator Darryl Roberts, with 53.8% of the vote to Roberts's 46.1%. Cole has won at least 63% of the vote in each of his eight reelection campaigns, and he ran unopposed in 2010.[citation needed]
In 2024, Cole won the Republican primary against four challengers, including Paul Bondar, Nick Hankins, Andrew Hayes, and Rick Whitebear-Harris.
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.[citation needed]