George Burns
Member of the Oklahoma Senate
from the 5th district
Assumed office
January 11, 2021
Preceded byJoseph Silk
Personal details
Political partyRepublican
SpousePatty Burns
ResidencePollard, Oklahoma
Alma materOklahoma State University Institute of Technology
Profession
  • Idabel Kiamichi Technology Center council member
  • Master Electrician
  • Oklahoma Electrical Contractor
  • President of Choctaw Electric Cooperative board (former)
  • Western Farmers Electric Cooperative board member (former)

George Burns is an American politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A member of the Republican Party, he currently serves in the Oklahoma Senate as the elected member from the 5th District which encompasses parts of Atoka, Choctaw, LeFlore, McCurtain, and Pushmataha Counties.[1] He was first elected in the 2020 Oklahoma Senate election after winning the Republican primary on June 30, 2020, and going on to win the general election on November 3, 2020. His current term expires in 2025.

Early life and career

Burns grew up in the Pollard community near Haworth, Oklahoma.[1] He graduated from Haworth High School and Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology.[1] He worked as an electrician and eventually as a manager for large scale mechanical construction projects.[1] He later served on the board of directors for both the Choctaw Electric Cooperative and the Western Farmers Electric Cooperate until his election to the Oklahoma Senate.[1]

Burns currently is a council member for Idabel Kiamichi Technology Center.[1] He has four children and eight grandchildren.[1]

Oklahoma Senate (since 2021)

Burns has served in the 58th Oklahoma Legislature.

2020 Campaign

Oklahoma's 5th Senate District was open in the 2020 Oklahoma Senate election because incumbent Joseph Silk had stepped down to challenge Markwayne Mullin in the Republican primary for Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district.[2] Burns ran as a Pro-Trump Republican.[2] Burns advanced to a runoff election against fellow Pro-Trump Republican Justin Jackson.[3] He won the runoff election by just 22 votes.[4] He went on to win the general election by over three-fourths of the vote.[5]

58th Legislature

Burns authored SB 216 which aims to prevent any local or state government in Oklahoma from closing churches and other religious institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic.[6][7]

Electoral history

2020

Oklahoma 5th State Senate District Republican Primary Election, June 30, 2020[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George Burns 2,345 38.3%
Republican Justin Jackson 2,072 33.84%
Republican Jimmy Westbrook 1,706 27.86%
Total votes 6,123 100.0%
Oklahoma 5th State Senate District Runoff Election, August 25, 2020[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George Burns 2,103 50.26%
Republican Justin Jackson 2,081 49.74%
Total votes 4,184 100.0%
Oklahoma 5th State Senate District General Election, November 3, 2020[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George Burns 21,746 78.79%
Democratic Randy Coleman 5,855 21.21%
Total votes 27,601 100.0%
Republican hold

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Senator George Burns". oksenate.gov. Oklahoma Senate. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b Cuccia, Annemaria (26 May 2020). "Five candidates running in SEOK's open Senate District 5". NonDoc. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  3. ^ Cuccia, Annemaria (29 July 2020). "'Trump Train' Republicans enter Senate District 5 runoff". NonDoc. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  4. ^ Cuccia, Annemaria (26 August 2020). "Three more Senate Republican incumbents lose". NonDoc. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  5. ^ Dunn, Kayla (4 November 2020). "Oklahoma Senate elections: Dems gain one, lose one". NonDoc. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  6. ^ Washington, Destiny (7 January 2021). "Sen. Burns introduces legislation modifying the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act". okcfox.com. Fox25. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  7. ^ "Oklahoma senator introduces Religious Freedom Act". The Lawton Constitution. 8 January 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  8. ^ "OK Election Results June 30 2020". results.okelections.us. Oklahoma State Election Board. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  9. ^ "OK Election Results August 25 2020". results.okelections.us. Oklahoma State Election Board. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
  10. ^ "OK Election Results November 03 2020". results.okelections.us. Oklahoma State Election Board. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
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