Ervin Yen

Ervin Yen
Member of the Oklahoma Senate
from the 40th district
Assumed office
2014
Preceded by Cliff Branan
Personal details
Born 1954
Taipei, Taiwan
Nationality American
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Pam
Alma mater University of Oklahoma
Occupation Doctor

Ervin Yen is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Yen is a state senator for district 40, comprising parts of Oklahoma City, Warr Acres, Nichols Hills, Belle Isle, Brookhaven, and The Village.

Early life, education and career

Yen was born in Taipei, Taiwan in 1954. His parents moved to the United States soon afterward, due to fears of a Communist takeover of the island, settling in the Oklahoma City area in 1959.[1][2] Yen graduated from Putnam City High School in Warr Acres. Yen attended the University of Oklahoma and the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, before working as an anesthesiologist.

Political career

Yen ran for the district 40 state senate seat against Brian Winslow, Joe Howell, Steve Kern, David B. Hooten, and Michael Taylor in a Republican primary in 2014. He defeated pastor Steve Kern in a runoff.[3] He defeated Democrat John Handy Edwards in the general election. Yen is the first Physician in the Oklahoma Senate in 40 years. He is also the first Asian American in the legislature in Oklahoma history. .[4]

Yen is a supporter of mandatory vaccination and introduced bills to that effect in the 2016 and 2017 legislative sessions.[5]

Yen lost his 2018 primary election to veterinarian Mr. Joe Howell, an advocate for parental choice in health and education. As a Republican, Yen was criticized for his legislation supporting mandatory vaccinations and restricting firearms. In the run-up to the 2018 primary, Sen. Yen (a medical Doctor and anesthesiologist) also spoke out against State Question 788 for the legalization of medical marijuana, a measure which state-wide voters approved.[6]

Notes

  1. ↑ About Ervin Yen
  2. ↑ Official biography
  3. ↑ "Steve Kern Loses GOP Oklahoma Senate District 40 Runoff To Ervin Yen". KGOU. AP. August 26, 2014. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  4. ↑ Greer, Kate (November 24, 2014). "First Asian American Legislator Elected in Oklahoma history: Historical Marker, But No Milestone". KGOU. Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  5. ↑ Hardzinski, Brian (October 17, 2016). "Oklahoma Lawmaker, Physician Ervin Yen Will Try Vaccine Mandate Again In 2017". KGOU. Retrieved February 15, 2017.
  6. ↑ Felder, Ben (June 26, 2018). "Incumbent District 40 senator falls in OKC primary". newsOK. Retrieved June 28, 2018.


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