Tom Cole (R-Okla.)

U.S. Representative (since January 2003)

(Official photo)

Why He Matters

A member of the Chickasaw Nation, Cole is the only Native-American in Congress. He represents Oklahoma's 4th district, which includes Tinker Air Force Base and part of Oklahoma City.

Cole was the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) from 2006 to 2008 and dealt with fallout from not only losing the House to Democrats, but the discovery of an NRCC treasurer who embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars. He is still on the House GOP's Steering Committee, the body responsible for assigning members to committees. Cole also sits on the powerful House Appropriations Committee.

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Background

At a Glance

Career History: Political consultant (1989-2002); Oklahoma Secretary of State (1995-1999); Executive Director, National Republican Congressional Committee (1991-1995); Oklahoma Senator (1989-1991); Oklahoma Republican Party Chairman (1985-1989)
Birthday: April 28, 1949
Hometown: Shreveport, La.
Alma Mater: Grinnell College, B.A. 1971; Yale University, M.A. 1974; University of Oklahoma, Ph.D. 1984
Spouse: Ellen
Religion: Methodist

Committees: Appropriations ; Budget
DC Office: 2458 Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC 20515, Phone: 202-225-6165
District Offices: 2424 Springer Dr., Ste. 201 Norman, OK 73069, Phone: 405-329-6500; 711 SW D Ave., Ste. 201, Lawton, OK 73501, Phone: 580-357-2131; Sugg Clinic Office Bldg., 100 E. 13th St, Suite 213, Box 13, Ada, OK 74820, Phone: 580-436-5375
Email
Website

Path to Power

Tom Cole was born on April 28, 1949, in Shreveport, La., and raised in Moore, Okla. His father served in the Air Force and worked at Tinker Air Force Base, and his mother Helen, a member of the Chickasaw Nation Hall of Fame, was a state representative and senator.

Cole earned a degree in history from Grinnell College in 1971, a master's degree in British history from Yale in 1974, and Ph.D. in 19th century British history from the University of Oklahoma in 1984.

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During his studies, Cole served as both a Thomas Watson Fellow and a Fulbright Fellow at the University of London. He later taught history and politics at the college level.

Cole and his wife Ellen live in Moore, Okla. They have a son named Mason.

Oklahoma Politics and National Campaigns

Cole first entered politics in 1985 when he became chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party, a position he would hold for four years. In 1988, he was elected to the Oklahoma Senate. Serving in a seat his mother once held, Cole earned a reputation as an advocate for lower taxes and smaller government.

In 1989, he founded CHS & Associates, a political consulting and research firm based in Oklahoma City, Okla. Over the course of his career, Cole would serve as partner and president of the firm, which helped elect dozens of politicians.

In 1991, Cole moved to Washington, D.C., to serve as executive director of the National Republican Congressional Committee. He then moved back to Oklahoma in 1995 to act as secretary of state, the first Republican to hold the office. As secretary, Cole acted as Gov. Frank Keating's (R) chief legislative strategist and a liaison to the state'scongressional delegation.

Cole returned to Washington once more in 2000, this time to serve as chief of staff at the Republican National Committee. He oversaw the 2000 cycle in which Republicans won the Presidency, House and the Senate for the first time in 48 years.

2002 Election

In 2002, then-Rep. J.C. Watts (R-Okla.), a former professional football player and chairman of the House Republican Conference, announced he would not seek reelection. Cole quickly moved to grab Watts' seat in Oklahoma's 4th district, a solidly-Republican seat in the middle of the state.

Cole faced tough primary opposition from Marc Nuttle, an attorney who had been Cole's NRCC predecessor. With his own party connections and an endorsement from Watts, Cole was able to beat Nuttle with 60 percent of the vote.

In the general election, Cole squared off against former state Senate Majority Leader Darryl Roberts, a "yellow dog" Democrat popular in Oklahoma's Red River counties. Cole charged his opponent was "pro-tax," "pro-abortion" and "pro-lawsuit," and won with 54 percent of the vote.

U.S. House

When Cole joined the House in January 2003, Roll Call named the seasoned political strategist one of its "Five Freshman to Watch." He's served as deputy whip for the House Republican Conference and is a member of the powerful Republican Steering Committee, which assigns Republicans to congressional panels.

In 2005, Cole served on the House Ethics Committee. He excused himself from an investigation of Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) to avoid the appearance of impropriety. Cole had contributed to DeLay's legal defense fund in the past.

In 2008, Cole was named chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. He oversaw the 2008 election cycle in which Republicans took a beating, losing the presidency, House and Senate.

Cole considered a 2010 gubernatorial run to replace former Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry (D), who was term-limited that year. While it was speculated Cole would've been a formidable candidate, he opted to remain in the House, saying he could serve Oklahoma better there.

Cole has easily won reelection in the 4th district, pulling at least 65 percent of the vote every year since 2004.

The Issues

Socially and fiscally conservative, Cole supports a strong national defense, lower taxes and less government regulation. With votes against the 2009 stimulus package and President Obama's health-care overhaul, the Republican strategist voted along party lines 93 percent of the time in the 111th Congress.

Cole did vote for the 2008 Wall Street bailout; he came under fire for that choice in the 2010 primaries but stood by his decision. "Look," he said, "it was a tough vote. I think we were headed for a depression, so did a Republican president and a Democratic Congress. I don't think banks collapsing is what the American people wanted."

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Cole co-chairs the Congressional Native American Caucus and has become a House leader on Native American and tribal-government issues. The sole Native-American in the House, Cole is a registered member of the Chickasaw Nation. More than half the nation's Chickasaws live in his district.

In 2004, Cole was inducted to the Chickasaw Hall of Fame, which his mother was included in for her service in the Oklahoma Senate. In 2007, he was given the Congressional Leadership Award from the National Congress of American Indians.

Cole has urged tribal leaders to educate Americans about Indian sovereignty. He opposes limiting the rights of tribes to contribute to political campaigns. In 2007, he co-sponsored the Native Hawaiian Reorganization Act, which allows native Hawaiians to organize a government that would be recognized by the U.S. federal government.

Security, Defense and Immigration

Cole's district is home to Tinker Air Force Base and the Army Field Artillery School at Fort Sill. Cole has served on the House Armed Services Committee and he has consistently voted for defense funding. He's made several trips to Iraq to observe military operations.

In the 112th Congress, he'll serve on the Defense Appropriations subcommittee, which controls military spending. Cole says he'll look out for Oklahoma while cutting spending overall.

An ardent opponent of illegal immigration, Cole voted against the 2010 DREAM Act. He supports creating a border fence and increasing border patrols. In 2005, he co-sponsored the Border Security Bill, which funnels millions into immigration enforcement efforts.

Cole favors tracking and verification systems such as E-Verify to ensure companies don't hire illegal immigrants. He says the practice hurts American workers and is economically detrimental to the country.

Energy

Cole says the U.S. should work toward energy independence by developing new and cleaner energy sources. He has voted against: cap-and-trade legislation, trade-in vouchers for fuel-efficient cars, loans for energy efficiency and the Energy Act of 2007. He says each of these pieces of legislation costs too much and would be a tax burden.

Social Issues

Socially conservative, Cole is opposed to abortion rights, stem-cell research and same-sex equality. He co-sponsored 2003 legislation to ban late-term abortions and has consistently voted against abortion and family-planning funding.

In 2006, he co-sponsored the same-sex marriage resolution, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman.

Taxes

An advocate of lower taxes, Cole supports extending the Bush tax cuts. He voted for President Obama's 2010 tax plan and would like to see the implementation of the flat tax or "Fair Tax." These policies would impose a single, flat tax rate or eliminate all income tax, respectively.

The Network

A noted GOP strategist, Cole has served on the National Republican Congressional Committee and is a member of the Republican Steering Committee. He's also a House GOP deputy whip.

In the 112th Congress, he serves on the House Budget and Appropriations Committees. He also co-chairs the Congressional Native American Caucus alongside Rep. Dale Kildee (D-Mich.).

Additional Resources