David Holt (politician)

Early political career

Holt served as an aide to Dennis Hastert when Hastert was U.S. Speaker of the House, and during the time of the September 11, 2001 attacks.^[11] He served in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs under President George W. Bush.^[12]

Holt returned to Oklahoma full-time in 2004 and served as Oklahoma’s coordinator to re-elect Bush in 2004. He served U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe and Lt. Governor Mary Fallin.^[12] In 2006 he was appointed Chief of Staff to Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, where Holt served until his election to the Oklahoma State Senate.^[12] Holt was Cornett's Chief of Staff when Oklahoma City successfully lobbied to attract a major league basketball team, gaining what is now known as the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association.

State senatorial career

Holt at the Bethany, OK Independence Day Parade on July 4, 2011

Holt was elected to the state Senate on July 27, 2010 with 64 percent of the vote in the Republican primary and was unopposed in the general election. He took office on November 16, 2010. He succeeded Glenn Coffee, the first Republican Senate President Pro Tempore in Oklahoma history. On his first day of office in November, 2010, Holt was elected to the Senate Leadership as Majority Caucus Vice Chair. He was also named Vice Chair of the Senate Business & Commerce Committee and Vice Chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee. His first session as a Senator was notable for his efforts to lower the Oklahoma income tax, and his efforts to ensure that local taxpayers have control over their tax dollars. In his first session, Holt was named "Most Shining Legislator" in one local paper dedicated solely to the elites of Nichols Hills. Later that year, Holt was credited with branding Route 66 where it passes through Oklahoma City, in order to define it as a tourist destination.^{[12][13][14][15][16][17]}

In 2012, Holt's second session, he was noted for being the primary author of a bill to eliminate the Oklahoma income tax, based on a plan proposed by economist Arthur Laffer. Holt also authored legislation to open up the Oklahoma Legislature to unprecedented transparency. Holt also authored legislation that became law that barred welfare recipients from using illegal drugs. In addition, the Oklahoma Republican Party named Holt one of Oklahoma's seven Republican members of the Electoral College (United States) for the upcoming presidential election. In late 2012, Holt was credited with instigating Oklahoma's first state recognition of the Hanukkah holiday.^{[18][19][20][21][22]}

For the 2013-2014 legislative sessions, Holt was elected as a Majority Whip for the Senate Republican Caucus. He was also named Vice Chair of the new Appropriations Subcommittee on Select Agencies. Holt introduced a "parent trigger" law for Oklahoma in the 2013 legislative session, which would authorize parents to take stronger roles in trying to improve underachieving schools. A similar law was depicted in the film Won't Back Down (film). In 2013, Holt authored successful legislation that legalized "Black Friday" and other low-price sales in the state of Oklahoma. Holt spearheaded an effort to honor African-American writer Ralph Ellison with a portrait in the Oklahoma Capitol.^{[23][24][25][26][27]}

In 2014, Holt was named to the national Legislative Leaders Advisory Board of GOPAC.^[28] Chuck Todd of NBC News, reporting on the politics of all 50 states, named Holt as one of two Republican "Rising Stars" in Oklahoma.^[2] He was re-elected to a second term when he ran unopposed.^[29] That year Holt has received a number of awards from non-profits and interest groups for his work. They include the following:

• "Legislative Champion" award by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.^[30]
• "Sunshine Award" by Freedom of Information Oklahoma, for demonstrating a commitment to transparency in government.^[31]
• "Guardian Award" by the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women for his work on behalf of women and children.^[32]
• "Child Abuse Prevention Leadership Award" by Parent Promise.^[33]

For the 2015 and 2016 sessions, Holt was named Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Select Agencies. In January 2015, Holt introduced a comprehensive election reform package intended to boost voter turnout. He gained passage of a law to authorize online voter registration in the state. In 2015, Holt authored legislation to allow Oklahoma City and Tulsa to authorize charter schools.^[34] Holt was awarded the "Bulldog Award" from the Oklahoma District Attorneys Council for his work on addressing police videos taken from body-mounted cameras. Holt was a featured speaker at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference in May 2015, an event that featured most of the leading presidential candidates. In September 2015, presidential candidate Marco Rubio named Holt as his Oklahoma campaign chair.^{[35][36][37][38][39][40]}

In 2016, Holt introduced a "sweeping proposal" to increase Oklahoma teacher pay by $10,000 to bring it in line with the national average. Holt helped spearhead a successful effort to secure an American Ninja Warrior shoot at the Oklahoma Capitol. Holt authored successful legislation to create a "revenue stabilization fund" intended to minimize the effect of future revenue shortfalls. Holt was awarded a Governor's Arts Award.^{[41][42][43][44][45]}

For the 2017 and 2018 sessions, Holt was named Appropriations Subcommittee Chair for Public Safety and Judiciary. Holt also introduced a comprehensive plan to increase teacher pay in Oklahoma by $10,000 again. Holt also carried successful legislation to allow Oklahoma flyers to use a drivers license to fly, as well as legislation to extend the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse. Holt was unsuccessful in his efforts to extend family leave for state employees.^{[46][47][48][49][50]}

Mayoral career

Holt was elected mayor on February 13, 2018 after defeating Taylor Neighbors and Randall Smith in a nonpartisan race. Holt was sworn in as Mayor of Oklahoma City on April 10, 2018. He resigned from his position as state senator before taking office. At the time of his swearing-in, Holt was 39 years and one month, making him the youngest mayor of Oklahoma City since 1923 and the youngest current mayor of a U.S. city over 500,000, as well as the first Native American mayor of Oklahoma City through his mother who is a member of the Osage.^[6][51]