| Charlie Laster | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Oklahoma Senate from the 17th district |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2003 |
|
| Preceded by | Brad Henry |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 18, 1954 Shawnee, Oklahoma |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Kathy Laster |
| Residence | Shawnee, Oklahoma |
| Alma mater | Oklahoma State University, University of Oklahoma |
| Profession | attorney |
| Religion | Baptist |
Charlie Laster represents Oklahoma State Senate District 17 and is the current Minority Leader. The district is located in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma County, and Cleveland County.
Laster graduated from Shawnee High School in 1972, Oklahoma State University in 1976, and received his J.D. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 1979. While at Oklahoma State University, Laster played competitive tennis in the Big 8 Conference.
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Laster was first elected in a special election on February 11, 2003[1] to replace the seat left vacant by Brad Henry who was elected governor in 2002. Laster quickly rose to leadership within the Democratic Party, being named Chairman of the powerful Judiciary Committee, which handles criminal laws and tort reform. Upon the Democrats and Republicans attaining equal votes in the body, Laster was named the Democratic Floor Leader by then President Pro Tempore Mike Morgan to serve during the 51st Legislature. At the conclusion of the last session in anticipation of the 2008 elections, Laster was named by the Democratic Caucus as the President Pro Tempore-Designate should the Democrats recapture the majority. They failed to do so, losing two seats to the Republicans. Despite the poor showing of the caucus in the elections, Laster was named unanimously as the Minority Floor Leader for the 52nd Legislature in November, 2008.
2008 General Election[2]
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie Laster | 15,806 | 56.55% | |
| Donald Rominger | 12,145 | 43.45% | |
Primary Election July 27, 2004[3]
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie Laster | 5,713 | 78.31% | |
| Russel Bristow | 1,582 | 21.69% | |
February 11, 2003 Special General Election[1]
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie Laster | 5,849 | 54.25% | |
| Kris Steele | 4,933 | 45.75% | |
January 14, 2003 Special Primary Election[1]
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie Laster | 3,358 | 71.30% | |
| Greg Wilson | 1,352 | 28.70% | |
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