Mary Fallin

Mary Fallin
Born	Mary Copeland 12/9/1954
Birthplace	Warrensburg, Missouri, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, real estate broker
Title	27th Governor of Oklahoma
Known for	27th Governor of Oklahoma, first woman to serve as Governor of Oklahoma
Education	Oklahoma State University, Stillwater (BS)
Children	6 (3 biological, 3 stepchildren)
Website	http://www.maryfallin.org/

Mary Fallin (née Copeland; born December 9, 1954) is an American politician and real estate broker who served as the 27th governor of Oklahoma from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, she holds the distinction of being the only woman to have served as governor of Oklahoma. Before ascending to the state's highest office, Fallin built a nearly three-decade career in public service that spanned every level of Oklahoma government — from the state legislature to the lieutenant governor's office to the United States Congress. She served as the U.S. representative for Oklahoma's 5th congressional district from 2007 to 2011, and prior to that served three terms as the 14th lieutenant governor of Oklahoma from 1995 to 2007, working under governors Frank Keating and Brad Henry. During her tenure as governor, Fallin also served as chair of the National Governors Association from 2013 to 2014. Her political career began in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, where she represented a district in Oklahoma City from 1990 to 1995. Originally a Democrat, Fallin switched to the Republican Party in 1975 and went on to become one of the most prominent Republican women in Oklahoma politics.

Early Life

Mary Copeland was born on December 9, 1954, in Warrensburg, Missouri. She was raised in a family that would eventually relocate to Oklahoma, where she would build both her personal and professional life. Before entering politics, Fallin initially registered as a Democrat but switched her party affiliation to the Republican Party in 1975, a transition that reflected broader political realignments occurring across the American South and Southern Plains states during that era.

Prior to her entry into elected office, Fallin worked in various capacities within Oklahoma state government and also pursued a career as a licensed real estate broker. These professional experiences provided her with knowledge of both the public and private sectors that she would later draw upon throughout her political career.

Education

Fallin attended Oklahoma Baptist University before transferring to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree. Her educational background at two Oklahoma institutions grounded her in the state where she would spend the entirety of her political career.

Career

Oklahoma House of Representatives (1990–1995)

Fallin's career in elected office began in 1990 when she won a seat in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, representing the 85th district, which encompassed a portion of Oklahoma City. She succeeded Mike Hunter in the seat and served two terms in the state legislature from January 8, 1991, to January 9, 1995. Her tenure in the Oklahoma House provided her with an introduction to the legislative process and established her as a rising figure within the state Republican Party. Upon her departure from the House, she was succeeded by Odilia Dank.

Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma (1995–2007)

In 1994, Fallin ran for the office of lieutenant governor of Oklahoma. She won the election and was inaugurated as the 14th lieutenant governor on January 9, 1995, succeeding Jack Mildren. Fallin would go on to serve an unprecedented three terms in the position, spanning twelve years from 1995 to 2007. During this period, she served under two governors of different political parties: Republican Frank Keating, who served from 1995 to 2003, and Democrat Brad Henry, who served from 2003 to 2011.

In Oklahoma, the lieutenant governor is elected independently of the governor, which explains how Fallin, a Republican, served alongside the Democratic Governor Henry during her final term. As lieutenant governor, Fallin was responsible for presiding over the Oklahoma Senate and assuming gubernatorial duties when the governor was absent from the state.

During her time as lieutenant governor, Fallin also served as the 38th chair of the National Lieutenant Governors Association from 1997 to 1998, succeeding Scott McCallum and being succeeded by Ronnie Musgrove. This national leadership role elevated her profile beyond Oklahoma and provided experience in intergovernmental affairs.

Fallin's long tenure as lieutenant governor made her one of the most recognizable political figures in the state and positioned her for higher office. She was succeeded as lieutenant governor by Jari Askins, a Democrat whom Fallin would later face in the 2010 gubernatorial election.

U.S. House of Representatives (2007–2011)

When seven-term Republican incumbent Ernest Istook announced in 2005 that he would retire from Oklahoma's 5th congressional district to run for governor, Fallin declared her candidacy for the open seat. The 5th congressional district encompassed the Oklahoma City metropolitan area and surrounding communities.

In the 2006 Republican primary, Fallin faced a competitive field of candidates. She advanced through the primary process and secured the Republican nomination. A runoff primary was held to determine the final nominee. Fallin prevailed and went on to win the general election in November 2006, becoming the first Republican woman elected to Congress from Oklahoma.

Fallin took office on January 3, 2007, succeeding Ernie Istook in representing the 5th district. She was re-elected in 2008 for a second term. During her time in Congress, Fallin served as a member of the Republican caucus and focused on issues relevant to her Oklahoma constituency, including energy policy and fiscal conservatism.

Fallin served in the U.S. House of Representatives until January 3, 2011, when she resigned to assume the governorship. She was succeeded in the 5th congressional district by James Lankford, who would later go on to represent Oklahoma in the U.S. Senate.

Governor of Oklahoma (2011–2019)

2010 Election

Fallin announced her candidacy for governor of Oklahoma in the 2010 election cycle. In the Republican primary, she faced three other opponents and won decisively with 54% of the vote, avoiding a runoff. In the general election, she faced the Democratic nominee, Lieutenant Governor Jari Askins, in a contest that pitted two women against each other for the state's highest office — a first in Oklahoma history. Fallin won with approximately 60% of the vote, a commanding margin that reflected the strong Republican trend in Oklahoma politics.

Fallin was inaugurated as the 27th governor of Oklahoma on January 10, 2011, succeeding Democrat Brad Henry. Todd Lamb served as her lieutenant governor throughout both of her terms. With her inauguration, Fallin became the first and, as of 2025, only woman to serve as governor of Oklahoma.

First Term (2011–2015)

During her first term as governor, Fallin focused on economic development, job creation, and energy policy. Oklahoma's economy, heavily dependent on the oil and natural gas industry, experienced significant fluctuations during her tenure. Fallin pursued policies aimed at making Oklahoma competitive for business investment and reducing the size of state government.

Fallin also served in a prominent national role during her first term when she was elected chair of the National Governors Association in August 2013, succeeding Jack Markell of Delaware. She served in the position until July 2014, when she was succeeded by John Hickenlooper of Colorado. As NGA chair, Fallin outlined a national initiative and used the platform to advocate for policies she championed at the state level.

2014 Re-election

Fallin sought re-election in 2014 and faced state representative Joe Dorman, the Democratic nominee, in the general election. Despite declining approval ratings and challenges facing the state, Fallin won re-election, securing a second term as governor.

Second Term (2015–2019)

Fallin's second term proved more challenging than her first. Oklahoma faced a significant budget crisis driven by declining oil and gas prices, which reduced state revenue substantially. The resulting budget shortfalls led to cuts in state services, including education, and contributed to growing public frustration.

Oklahoma's education system became a particularly contentious issue during Fallin's second term. Teacher pay in the state ranked among the lowest in the nation, and funding cuts led to some school districts reducing their school weeks to four days. In 2018, Oklahoma teachers staged a walkout that lasted nearly two weeks, demanding increased education funding and higher salaries. The walkout drew national attention and placed pressure on Fallin and the state legislature to address education funding. Fallin signed a revenue package that included some teacher pay raises, though many educators and critics argued that the measures did not go far enough.

In May 2018, Fallin signed Senate Bill 1140, which allowed faith-based child welfare organizations to decline placements that conflicted with their religious beliefs. The bill drew criticism from LGBTQ advocacy groups, including the Human Rights Campaign, which condemned the legislation as discriminatory against LGBTQ individuals and families seeking to adopt or serve as foster parents.

Term limits barred Fallin from seeking a third consecutive term in the 2018 gubernatorial election. Fellow Republican Kevin Stitt was elected to succeed her, and Fallin left office on January 14, 2019, concluding a political career that spanned nearly three decades in Oklahoma public service.

Post-Gubernatorial Life

After leaving the governor's office in January 2019, Fallin transitioned to private life. By 2024, reports indicated that she and her husband had adopted a lifestyle that included travel. In October 2024, the couple was reported to have traveled through upstate New York, stopping in Oswego, New York, en route from Florida to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Fallin's post-political life has been described as a significant change of pace from her nearly 30 years in Oklahoma politics.

Personal Life

Fallin has three biological children from her first marriage and three stepchildren through her subsequent marriage. Details of her family life have remained largely private, though her role as a working mother in politics was noted during her career in public office.

Fallin is a licensed real estate broker, a profession she maintained alongside her political career. After leaving the governorship, she and her husband pursued an active lifestyle that included travel across the eastern United States and Canada.

Recognition

Fallin's political career included several notable distinctions. She was the first woman elected as governor of Oklahoma, and as of 2025, she remains the only woman to have held the office. She was also the first Republican woman elected to Congress from the state of Oklahoma when she won the 5th congressional district seat in 2006.

During her tenure as lieutenant governor, Fallin served as chair of the National Lieutenant Governors Association from 1997 to 1998, gaining recognition among her peers at the national level. She later served as chair of the National Governors Association from 2013 to 2014, one of the most prominent positions available to a sitting governor in the United States.

In July 2016, Fallin received national attention as a potential vice-presidential candidate during the presidential campaign cycle. ABC News profiled her as a notable Republican figure, highlighting her record as a two-term governor and her experience in both state and federal government.

Legacy

Mary Fallin's political career left a significant imprint on Oklahoma politics. Her nearly three decades of continuous public service — encompassing the state legislature, the lieutenant governor's office, the U.S. Congress, and the governor's mansion — represent one of the longest sustained political careers in modern Oklahoma history. As the first and only woman to serve as governor of Oklahoma, her election in 2010 represented a milestone in the state's political history.

Fallin's tenure as governor coincided with a period of substantial political change in Oklahoma, as the state continued its shift toward Republican dominance at all levels of government. Her administration oversaw both periods of economic growth fueled by the energy sector and periods of fiscal crisis when oil and gas prices declined. The education funding challenges during her second term, culminating in the 2018 teacher walkout, became one of the defining issues of her governorship and contributed to ongoing debates about education policy and state revenue in Oklahoma.

Her signing of SB 1140 in 2018 also placed her at the center of national debates about religious liberty and LGBTQ rights, a legislative action that continued to generate discussion about the intersection of faith-based services and anti-discrimination protections in child welfare systems.

Fallin's career trajectory — from state legislator to lieutenant governor to congresswoman to governor — demonstrated a methodical approach to political advancement that established her as one of the most prominent Republican women in Oklahoma's history.