Tom Woods
Member of the Oklahoma Senate
from the 4th district
Assumed office
November 16, 2022
Preceded byMark Allen
Personal details
Born1994 or 1995 (age 28–29)[1]
Political partyRepublican
Military career
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchOklahoma Air National Guard
Years of service2023–present

Tom Woods is an American dairy farmer who has been the Oklahoma Senate member from the 4th district since November 16, 2022.

Career

Prior to running for office, Woods was a farmer and business owner. He ran a dairy farm, feed store, and trucking company.[1]

Oklahoma Senate

Woods ran for the open seat in Oklahoma's 4th Senate district in 2022.[1] During the primary campaign, Woods questioned if candidate Hoguen Apperson was fit for office after revealing Apperson had sought treatment for depression. Woods discussion of Apperson's mental health while campaigning was criticized by Oklahoma Representative Josh West.[2] He advanced to a runoff primary with rancher Keith Barenberg, whom he defeated in the August election.[3] He was sworn into office on November 16, 2022.[4] Woods enlisted with the Oklahoma Air National Guard in 2023.[5]

During a Legislative Update on February 23, 2024, Woods was part of a panel. The panel was asked by an audience member, "Why does the Legislature have such an obsession with the LGBTQ citizens of Oklahoma and what people do in their personal lives and how they raise their children?" Woods replied, "We are a Republican state – supermajority – in the House and Senate. I represent a constituency that doesn't want that filth in Oklahoma."[6] Woods also said "we are a religious state" and "we're a Christian state."[7] After criticism for appearing to describe the LGBTQ community as "filth" and that Christianity excludes LGBTQ people, Woods did not apologize for the comment and stood by his statement, saying that he is against any effort to "normalize any behavior that shouldn't be tolerated" including transgender children and youth.[8] Senate Majority leader Greg Treat called Wood's comments a "lapse of judgement" and said they did not reflect the Senate Republican Caucus.[9]

References

  1. ^ a b c Brinkman, Bennett (3 June 2022). "Rural affairs on display in open Senate District 4 race". NonDoc. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  2. ^ Brinkman, Bennett (29 July 2022). "Tom Woods v. Keith Barenberg: SD 4 runoff gets 'dirty' over mental health remarks". NonDoc. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  3. ^ Savage, Tres (24 August 2022). "Legislative runoffs: Jech holds on, four others elected". NonDoc. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  4. ^ Jones, Alyse (16 November 2022). "Twenty-three returning, newly elected senators take Oath of Office in Oklahoma". KOCO. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  5. ^ Krehbiel, Randy (June 25, 2023). "Political notebook: Gov. Stitt not alone at Paris Air Show". Tulsa World. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  6. ^ Guthrie, Lee (February 23, 2024). "Senator calls LGBTQ+ Oklahomans 'filth,' says constituents don't want them". Tahlequah Daily Press. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  7. ^ Media, Griffin. "'Reprehensible And Inappropriate': State Senator Calls LGBTQ People 'Filth' During Forum". www.news9.com. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  8. ^ lguthrie@tahlequahdailypress.com, Lee Guthrie | (2024-02-26). "Woods makes statement about 'filth' remark controversy". Muskogee Phoenix. Retrieved 2024-02-26.
  9. ^ Staff, A. O. L. (2024-03-05). "GOP condemned Sen. Woods' 'filth' remarks, but look at their voting records. It's lip service. | Opinion". www.aol.com. Retrieved 2024-03-06.


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