| Representative Todd Thomsen |
|
|---|---|
| Oklahoma State Representative | |
| In office 2007 – Present |
|
| Preceded by | Bob Plunk |
| Constituency | 25th House District |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 24, 1967 Oklahoma |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Melanie Thomsen |
| Children | Menee, Aneli, Tyde, Towan and Tal (deceased) |
| Residence | Ada, Oklahoma |
| Alma mater | University of Oklahoma |
| Oklahoma |
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Todd M. Thomsen is a Republican politician in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, representing its 25th district (Hughes, McClain, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie).
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Thomsen was a punter and kicker for the Oklahoma Sooners, University of Oklahoma's football team, from 1985 to 1988 and was part of OU's 1985 national championship team.[1] He graduated with Bachelor's degree in 1989.[2] He currently serves as Coordinator for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.[2]
Thomsen was elected in 2006 after he asked for a recount when behind Democrat Darrell Nemecek by two votes.[1][3][4] In 2008, Thomsen ran for reelection "in order to continue working to improve education, keep taxes low, and represent conservative values in the Legislature".[5] He was reelected in November 2008 and currently serves in the House as a member of the House Education Committee, and the chair of the House Higher Education and Career Tech Committee.[6]
He has proposed and supported antievolution resolutions in Oklahoma.[7] In 2009 he gained international attention when he introduced House Resolution 1014 and 1015 on March 9, 2009 opposing University of Oklahoma's invitation of evolutionary biologist, Richard Dawkins.[8][9][10] Subsequently, Dawkins spoke before a crowd in McCasland Field House at the university about the proposal and said "I am aware that representative Todd Thomsen is not representative of the state of Oklahoma".[11] With the adjournment of the Oklahoma House of Representatives in May 2009, the Resolutions are presumably dead.[12]
In March 2009, Thomsen was appointed to the Oklahoma Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research Advisory Committee whose purpose "is to enhance scientific and engineering research and development conducted at universities in the state and by doing so enhance the success of Oklahoma researchers in federal award competitions through a partnership of higher education institutions, independent research entities, industry and state government."[13]
In May 2009, the Tulsa World reported Thomsen was among "Fifteen members of the Oklahoma House and six members of the Senate reported getting contributions from lobbyists or companies that employ them since the start of the 2009 Legislature despite a state law passed last year that prohibits the practice, according to documents filed with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission."[14]
| Candidates | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Todd Thomsen | Republican Party | 4,798 | 50% | ||
| Darrell Nemecek | Democratic Party | 4,796 | 50% | ||
| Source: [1] | |||||
| Candidates | Party | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Todd Thomsen | Republican Party | 7,187 | 53% | ||
| Gary Starns | Democratic Party | 6,473 | 47% | ||
| Source: [2] | |||||
Oklahoma House District 25 encompasses much of Pontotoc County and portions of McClain County and Pottawatomie County. The biggest city in the district is Ada, Oklahoma.