James Lankford (Oklahoma)

James Paul Lankford, born on March 4, 1968, in Dallas, Texas, is a Republican politician serving as the senior United States Senator from Oklahoma since 2015. Prior to his tenure in the Senate, he represented Oklahoma's 5th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015. Before entering politics, Lankford dedicated over 20 years to ministry, including 15 years as the Director of Student Ministry for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma and as Director of the Falls Creek Youth Camp, the largest youth camp in the United States, with more than 51,000 attendees each summer.

Education and Political Experience

• Education:

  • Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from the University of Texas at Austin
  • Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

• Political Experience:

  • Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010, representing Oklahoma's 5th congressional district
  • Served as Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee during the 113th Congress
  • Elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014; re-elected in 2016 and 2022
  • Serves on the Senate Committee on Finance, Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Committee on Indian Affairs, and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, where he is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Government Operations and Border Management

Notable Achievements

• Recognized as the Senate’s top-ranked “Taxpayers Friend” by the National Taxpayers Union for his strong record in support of lower taxes, limited government, and economic freedom
• Awarded the “Guardian of the Small Business” award and the “Taxpayer Super Hero” award from Citizens Against Government Waste
• Received the 2015 Distinguished Christian Statesman Award from the D. James Kennedy Center for Christian Statesmanship

Lankford is known for his commitment to conservative principles, including fiscal responsibility, limited government, and religious liberty. He resides in Oklahoma City with his wife, Cindy, and their two daughters, Hannah and Jordan.