Todd Hiett

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Todd Hiett
Todd Hiett

In office
1995 – 2007
Constituency 29th House District

In office
2005 – 2007
Preceded by Larry Adair
Succeeded by Lance Cargill

Born July 9, 1967 (1967-07-09) (age 40)
Kellyville, Oklahoma
Political party Republican
Spouse Bridget Anne Beil
Children Jimmy, John, Hillary

Todd Hiett (July 9, 1967) is an American rancher and Republican politician from Oklahoma. Hiett served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1995 until 2007. During his final two years in office, Hiett served as the Speaker of the House. Hiett was the first Republican to hold that position in over eight decades.

Once he had completed the maximum twelve year term (term limits are constitutionally mandated in Oklahoma), Hiett launched a campaign to succeed Mary Fallin as the Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma. Hiett lost the 2006 race to Democrat Jari Askins.

[edit] Biography

Todd Hiett was born in Kellyville, Oklahoma to Jim and Beverly Hiett. He is married to Bridget Anne Beil, with whom he has three children: Jimmy, John and Hillary.

Representing the 29th House District, Hiett served in the Oklahoma House from 1995 to 2007, quickly becoming the House Minority Leader in 2002. After the Republicans took control of the House in 2005, Hiett was elected Speaker, the first Republican to serve in over eighty years. Hiett is only the second Republican to hold that position. The first was Geo Schwabe, who served from 1921 to 1923.

[edit] Bid for Lt. Governor

Hiett placed his name in the Republican primary election to replace outgoing Republican Mary Fallin as Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma. In the primaries, Hiett faced Nancy Riley and Scott Pruitt. Following the primaries on July 25, 2006, Riley received 23% of the vote, Pruitt received 34%, and Hiett received 43%. Hiett, according to Oklahoma state law, had to face Pruitt in a runoff, with the winner receiving the party's nomination.

Following the run-off election on August 22, 2006, Hiett received 66,217 votes and 50.92% as opposed to Pruitt's 63,812 votes and 49.08%. Hiett was the Republican nominee for Lt. Governor, but he lost to Democratic House Minority Leader Jari Askins in the November general election.

[edit] References