David Holt (politician)

David Holt (born March 10, 1979) (Osage) is an American attorney, businessman and Republican politician who has served as the majority whip of the Oklahoma State Senate. He represents a majority-white, majority-Republican electoral district that includes portions of Oklahoma City, The Village, Bethany, and Warr Acres, Oklahoma.
Holt is the author of Big League City: Oklahoma City's Rise to the NBA (2012). In 2014, Holt was named a "Rising Star" in politics by Chuck Todd of NBC News.

Personal life

Holt was born and raised in northwest Oklahoma City, with family roots in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. David is Osage through his late mother, Mary Ann Fuller Holt, who inspired him to public service. He was also inspired by his maternal grandfather, Leonard Fuller (Osage), a World War II veteran and career Army officer who directed the Model Cities Program in McAlester, Oklahoma after his retirement from the military.

After graduating from Putnam City North High School in Oklahoma City, Holt earned a B.A. from George Washington University, which his mother had attended. He served as a sports editor for The GW Hatchet.

Holt also earned a Juris Doctor from Oklahoma City University, and is a practicing attorney. In 2014, he was named director of investor relations for Hall Capital. He has served as an adjunct professor at Oklahoma City University.

Holt is married to Rachel, and they have two children, George and Margaret.

Holt has served on numerous civic boards in the Oklahoma City area. He was president of the board of Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park from 2005 to 2008, during which time he led relocation of the program to downtown Oklahoma City. In 2013, Holt served as co-chair of the Myriad Gardens' 25th-anniversary celebration.

Previous public service

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. He served in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs under President George W. Bush.

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. 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. 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.

Senate career

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. In 2014, he was re-elected to a second term when he ran unopposed.

2010-2011

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.

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.

2012

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 2012, the Oklahoma Republican Party named Holt one of Oklahoma's seven Republican members of the Electoral College (United States).

In late 2012, Holt was credited with instigating Oklahoma's first state recognition of the Hanukkah holiday.

2013

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.

2014

In 2014, Holt was named to the national Legislative Leaders Advisory Board of GOPAC. Chuck Todd of NBC News, reporting on the politics of all 50 states, named Holt as one of two Republican "Rising Stars" in Oklahoma.

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.
• "Sunshine Award" by Freedom of Information Oklahoma, for demonstrating a commitment to transparency in government.
• "Guardian Award" by the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women for his work on behalf of women and children.
• "Child Abuse Prevention Leadership Award" by Parent Promise.

• "GOPAC Names Holt To Advisory Board". McCarville Report. 2014-03-06. Retrieved 2014-03-15. 
• "Oklahoma's Rising Stars". MSNBC. 2014-07-25. Retrieved 2014-07-29. 
• "MS Society". Holt for Senate. 2014-03-27. Retrieved 2014-07-10. 
• "Bartlesville residents, state senator, freedom of information educator receive FOI Oklahoma honors at Sunshine Week conference". Tulsa World. 2014-03-15. Retrieved 2014-03-15. 
• "Guardian Award". Holt for Senate. 2014-05-23. Retrieved 2014-07-10. 
• "Senator Holt Receives "Child Abuse Prevention Leadership Award"". Holt for Senate. 2014-08-27. Retrieved 2014-09-19. 

2015

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.

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.

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.

Big League City: Oklahoma City's Rise to the NBA

Holt wrote Big League City: Oklahoma City's Rise to the NBA (2012), a non-fiction political and sports published by Full Circle Press. It details the arrival of major league sports in Oklahoma City, culminating with the 2008 relocation there of the National Basketball Association's Seattle SuperSonics. The franchise was renamed as the Oklahoma City Thunder. Oklahoma City became a "big league city." Holt, who served as Chief of Staff to Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett during the time, has said that “the arrival of major league sports in Oklahoma City was the most significant positive development in the city’s history since the Land Run of 1889.”

The book was positively reviewed by Oklahoma media. The Oklahoma Gazette described the book as a "fascinating historical account." Kelly Ogle of KWTV-DT television noted during his regular "My 2 Cents" segment: "Holt's book is an enjoyable read, and a dandy little primer on the whirlwind ride this dusty old big league city has enjoyed over the last 25 years." Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman wrote that "David Holt tells us how we got here."

In the fall of 2012, the book was adopted by Holt's alma mater, Putnam City North High School, as part of the required curriculum.

Election results

In 2014, Holt was re-elected without opposition.