Brian Bingman

Early life, education, and Sapulpa politics

Brian Bingman was born on December 9, 1953, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He has a bachelor's degree in petroleum land management from the University of Oklahoma.

Sapulpa

Bingman ran for city commissioner Ward 5 in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, in 1992 against incumbent Donnie Lowery; he won the election with 377 votes to Lowery's 217. In 1994, incumbent mayor and city commissioner J.D. Marketic was defeated in his re-election bid for the city commission. At the time, the mayor of Sapulpa was elected by the city commissioners from among their members. The city commission selected Bingman to be the new mayor of Sapulpa in April 1994. In 1996, he was re-elected to the city commission after facing Bill Bennett in the general election. In 1998, he presided over Sapulpa's centennial celebrations. Bingman did not run for re-election in 2004, instead choosing to run for the 30th district of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. He was succeeded as mayor by Doug Haught and in his city commissioner seat by Carlos Hernandez.

Oklahoma legislature

Bingman ran in 2004 to succeed term-limited state representative Mike Tyler. He faced Darren Gantz in the Republican primary and, later, John Mark Young, the Democratic Party's nominee in the general election. After winning 56% of the vote, he became the first Republican to represent the 30th district. During his term, he opposed the Taxpayer Bill of Rights reform proposals.

After his first term, he did not seek re-election to the Oklahoma House, and instead announced a campaign for the 12th district of the Oklahoma Senate. The incumbent Democratic senator, Ted Fisher, was term limited. He faced John Mark Young again in the general election. He was endorsed by the Tulsa World and U.S. Senator Tom Coburn. Young led in polling by 8%, but lost the general election. Bingman and Anthony Sykes's wins led to an even split between the Democratic and Republican parties in the Senate during the 51st Oklahoma Legislature. He was sworn into his senate seat on November 16, 2006. Mark McCullough would succeed him in the 30th house district. Bingman endorsed Dewey F. Bartlett Jr. in the 2009 Tulsa mayoral election. He ran unopposed for re-election in 2010.

Bingman became President Pro Tempore of the Senate on January 4, 2011. In 2013, Governor Mary Fallin signed SB 1062 into law, a worker's compensation reform bill sponsored by Bingman and T.W. Shannon. The same year, she also signed into law tax cuts, also authored by Bingman and Shannon, to cut the income tax in Oklahoma from 5.25 to 5 percent. The tax cuts were later overturned by the Supreme Court of Oklahoma for violating the single subject rule. In 2014, he supported a bill, which passed the Oklahoma Senate, that would have had Oklahoma join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact; the bill failed in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

In 2014, he faced John Knecht in the Republican primary. The Tulsa World endorsed his re-election campaign. In 2015, he authored successful legislation to fund the OKPOP museum. In 2016, he endorsed Ted Cruz's presidential campaign. He was succeeded by James Leewright in 2016 after being term-limited from the Oklahoma Legislature.

2018 Corporation Commissioner campaign and Stitt administration

Main article: 2018 Oklahoma elections#Corporation commissioner

In 2017, Bingman announced his campaign for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. He faced incumbent Bob Anthony and Harold Spralding in the Republican primary. Bingman garnered 38% of the vote to Anthony's 47%, forcing a runoff election. He lost the runoff after receiving 47.6% of the vote.

Oklahoma Secretarial appointments

In August 2020, Bingman was announced as Governor Kevin Stitt's new chief policy advisor. In October, he was announced as Stitt's nominee for Oklahoma Secretary of State and Oklahoma Secretary of Native American Affairs. On April 13, 2021, the Oklahoma Senate officially approved the appointment of Bingman to both positions. He announced in August 2023 he would resign to focus on campaigning for the 2024 Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner election. He resigned the positions of secretary of state and Native American affairs on September 13, 2023. The Secretary of Native American Affairs position was not filled, but Wes Nofire was appointed Native American Affairs Liaison. He was succeeded as secretary of state by Josh Cockroft.

Oklahoma Corporation Commission

Bingman won the Republican primary for Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner in June 2024. He defeated Russell Ray and Justin Hornback in the primary election. He faced Libertarian Chad Williams and Democrat Harold Spradling in the general election. He won with over 60% of the vote. He was sworn in on January 13, 2025, by Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Dana Kuehn.

Personal life

Bingman is a citizen of the Muscogee Nation. His son, Blake Bingman, died at the age of 13 after a boating accident in 1995.

Election results

References

References

1. "Brian Bingman's Biography". Vote Smart.
2. (August 5, 2018). "Four advance to runoffs for corporation commissioner". [[Tulsa World]].
3. (March 29, 1992). "Sapulpans Will Fill 5 City Commission Seats Tuesday". [[Tulsa World]].
4. (April 1, 1992). "2 Sapulpa Incumbents Win Commission Seats". [[Tulsa World]].
5. (April 4, 1994). "New city commissioners sworn". Sapulpa Daily Herald.
6. (April 5, 1992). "Commission to be seated Monday". Sapulpa Daily Herald.
7. (March 27, 1996). "Sapulpans Decide Races". [[Tulsa World]].
8. (April 8, 1998). "Happy Belated Birthday Sapulpa!". [[Tulsa World]].
9. (February 5, 2004). "Sapulpa, Sand Springs council seat seekers file". [[Tulsa World]].
10. (May 19, 2004). "New mayor elected in Sapulpa". [[Tulsa World]].
11. (April 28, 2004). "Sapulpa voters easily pass sales tax renewal". [[Tulsa World]].
12. (July 18, 2004). "Vote 2004: Four Sapulpans go for seat". [[Tulsa World]].
13. (November 3, 2004). "Adelson narrowly wins District 33". [[Tulsa World]].
14. (November 7, 2004). "New House members try to get settled". [[Tulsa World]].
15. (March 26, 2006). "TABOR flunks legislative poll". [[Tulsa World]].
16. (December 4, 2005). "Political notebook". [[Tulsa World]].
17. (June 8, 2006). "Filings: Last Day: Open seats draw a crowd". [[Tulsa World]].
18. (September 23, 2006). "Candidates in '04 House race to vie this year for Senate seat". [[Tulsa World]].
19. (October 12, 2006). "For Bingman". [[Tulsa World]].
20. (October 26, 2006). "Faith fuss roils Senate race". [[Tulsa World]].
21. (October 27, 2006). "Dems lead Senate poll". [[Tulsa World]].
22. (November 8, 2006). "General Election - Nov. 7, 2006: State Senate". [[Tulsa World]].
23. (November 9, 2006). "Evenly divided Sooner Senate looks to future". [[Tulsa World]].
24. (November 17, 2006). "New lawmakers sworn into office". [[Tulsa World]].
25. (December 28, 2016). "Sapulpa Republican has diverse background". [[Tulsa World]].
26. (July 29, 2009). "8 area GOP leaders endorse Bartlett". [[Tulsa World]].
27. (July 28, 2010). "Election 2010: Unopposed Races". [[Tulsa World]].
28. (January 4, 2011). "New Oklahoma lawmakers pick leaders for 2011-2012". [[Tulsa World]].
29. (May 6, 2013). "Governor signs historic Workers' Comp reform". [[Tulsa World]].
30. (May 14, 2013). "Gov. Mary Fallin signs tax cut into law". [[Tulsa World]].
31. (December 18, 2013). "State Supreme Court rejects tax-cut law as unconstitutional". [[Tulsa World]].
32. (February 21, 2014). "Sen. Brian Bingman says electoral vote measure likely dead". [[Tulsa World]].
33. (April 12, 2014). "1st District Rep. Jim Bridenstine draws no challengers, re-elected to Congress". [[Tulsa World]].
34. (May 28, 2014). "Tulsa World Editorial: For Brian Bingman in Senate District 12". [[Tulsa World]].
35. (May 30, 2015). "Gov. Mary Fallin signs bill to fund OKPOP museum in Tulsa". [[Tulsa World]].
36. (August 13, 2015). "U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine, Oklahoma Senate leader Brian Bingman endorse Ted Cruz's bid". [[Tulsa World]].
37. (June 29, 2016). "Four elected to Legislature; incumbent Walker ousted". [[Tulsa World]].
38. (November 17, 2017). "Former state Senate leader Brian Bingman to seek Corporation Commission seat". [[Tulsa World]].
39. (May 18, 2018). "Corporation Commissioner". [[Tulsa World]].
40. (June 26, 2018). "Mike Hunter, Gentner Drummond head for runoff in Attorney General race; Dana Murphy, Joy Hofmeister also in runoffs". [[Tulsa World]].
41. (August 29, 2018). "Hofmeister advances in runoff, Byrd wins auditor nomination and Osborn gets past Costello for labor commissioner". [[Tulsa World]].
42. (August 14, 2020). "Gov. Kevin Stitt announces new chief of staff, chief policy adviser". [[Tulsa World]].
43. (October 12, 2020). "Gov. Stitt announces new secretary of state, resignation of budget secretary". [[Tulsa World]].
44. (April 14, 2021). "State Senate confirms secretary of state, other appointments by Gov. Stitt". [[Tulsa World]].
45. (August 16, 2023). "Bingman to resign as secretary of state". [[Tulsa World]].
46. (September 17, 2023). "Oklahoma's new Native affairs liaison says he'll repair relations. Critics doubt it". [[The Oklahoman]].
47. (September 15, 2023). "Stitt appoints aide secretary of state". [[Tulsa World]].
48. (June 18, 2024). "Oklahoma Corporation Commission GOP primary race goes to Brian Bingman". [[The Oklahoman]].
49. (October 11, 2024). "Three candidates campaign for open seat on Oklahoma Corporation Commission". Oklahoma Voice.
50. (January 15, 2025). "Brian Bingman sworn into Oklahoma Corporation Commission". [[The Oklahoman]].
51. (July 17, 1995). "Life Full of Achievement Is Cut Short". [[Tulsa World]].
52. "June 18, 2024 Official Results". [[Oklahoma State Election Board]].
53. "November 5, 2024 Official Results". [[Oklahoma State Election Board]].