Brad Henry facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brad Henry
Henry in 2007
26th Governor of Oklahoma
In office January 13, 2003 – January 10, 2011
Lieutenant	Mary Fallin Jari Askins
Preceded by	Frank Keating
Succeeded by	Mary Fallin
Member of the Oklahoma Senate from the 17th district
In office 1992–2003
Preceded by	Carl Franklin
Succeeded by	Charlie Laster
Personal details
Born	Charles Bradford Henry (1963-07-10) July 10, 1963 (age 61) Shawnee, Oklahoma, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Kim Blaine
Children	4
Education	University of Oklahoma (BA, JD)

Charles Bradford Henry (born July 10, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician. He served as the 26th governor of Oklahoma from 2003 to 2011. Before becoming governor, he was a member of the Oklahoma Senate from 1992 to 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Henry was first elected governor in 2002. He won with 43% of the votes. He was reelected for a second term in 2006, getting 67% of the votes. He was the third governor in Oklahoma's history to serve two terms in a row. The Oklahoma Constitution has rules about how long a governor can serve. Because of these rules, Henry could not run for a third term in 2010. Mary Fallin became the next governor after him.

People thought Henry might run for the U.S. Senate later on. However, he chose not to run in the special election in 2014. As of 2024, Brad Henry is the last Democrat to be elected Governor of Oklahoma.

Early Life and Education

Brad Henry was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma. His father, Charles Henry, was a well-known judge and a former state representative. Brad Henry finished Shawnee High School in 1981.

He then went to the University of Oklahoma. He was a "President's Leadership Scholar" there, which means he was a top student. He earned a bachelor's degree in economics in 1985. He was also part of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. In 1988, he earned his law degree (called a J.D.) from the University of Oklahoma College of Law. While studying law, he helped edit the school's Law Review journal.

After law school, Henry worked as a lawyer in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He then decided to run for the Oklahoma State Senate. He served as a state senator from 1992 until he became governor in 2003.

Becoming Governor: His Campaigns

Henry as a State Senator

Brad Henry ran for governor two times and won both elections.

2002 Election

In the 2002 election for governor, Henry first had to win his party's primary election. He beat State Senator Enoch Kelly Haney and businessman Vince Orza. In the main election, he ran against Steve Largent. Largent was a former Congressman and a famous NFL player. Henry won by a very small number of votes. Another candidate, Gary Richardson, also ran as an independent.

Henry traveled all over Oklahoma to meet voters. He visited many small towns and even stopped at Wal-Mart stores in an RV. Famous football coach Barry Switzer supported Henry and joined him at many events.

During his campaign, Henry said he would be the "education governor." He promised to increase teachers' salaries. He also wanted to get more money for schools and colleges. He suggested creating a state lottery to help raise these funds.

2006 Election

In 2006, Brad Henry ran for reelection. He easily won the Democratic Party primary election. He received 86% of the votes.

In the general election on November 7, Henry ran against Ernest Istook. Istook was a U.S. Congressman from Oklahoma. Henry won by a large amount, getting 66% of the votes. This was one of the biggest wins for a governor in Oklahoma in nearly 50 years. He won almost every county in the state.

Governor of Oklahoma

Brad Henry became Oklahoma's 26th governor on January 13, 2003. His cousin, a federal judge named Robert Harlan Henry, gave him the oath of office. As governor, he was part of several important groups. These included the National Governors Association and the Democratic Governors Association. In 2007, he was the president of the Council of State Governments.

Henry was known as a moderate Democrat. This means his political views were often in the middle. He focused on improving education and healthcare in the state.

One time, Henry made national news. This happened when some politicians from Texas came to Oklahoma. They were trying to stop a vote on a new law in Texas. Henry allowed them to stay in Oklahoma. He said Oklahoma would not get involved in Texas's political fights. He joked that if Oklahoma was going to battle Texas, it should be on the football field!

In 2004, Governor Henry created the Governor's Ethnic American Advisory Council. This group worked to help different ethnic communities in Oklahoma. He also signed a law that gave pay raises to state employees, public school teachers, and state troopers.

Henry with FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison, 2008

Henry strongly supported creating a statewide lottery. He believed the money from the lottery would help schools. He also worked to improve public healthcare.

Even though he was popular, Oklahoma voters approved a new rule. This rule limited governors to a total of eight years in office. This meant Henry could not run for governor again in the future.

Oklahoma Supreme Court Appointments

During his time as governor, Brad Henry appointed several judges to the Oklahoma Supreme Court. These appointments included:

• James E. Edmondson in 2003
• Steven W. Taylor in 2004
• Tom Colbert in 2004. Henry was the first governor to appoint an African American justice to the Court.
• John F. Reif in 2007
• Doug Combs in 2010
• Noma Gurich in 2010

After Being Governor

After leaving office, Brad Henry was considered for some important jobs. People thought he might become the president of the University of Central Oklahoma. However, another person was chosen for that role. He was also considered to be the Dean of the Oklahoma City University School of Law. But someone else was appointed there too.

In 2013, some people wanted Henry to run for governor again in 2014. But he decided not to. He also chose not to run for the U.S. Senate in 2014 or two years later.

In 2016, Brad Henry joined a law firm called Spencer Fane.

Election Results

2002 Election Results

Oklahoma gubernatorial election 2002 results map. Counties won by Steve Largent are shown in red. Counties won by Brad Henry are shown in blue.

2006 Election Results

Oklahoma gubernatorial election 2006 results map. Counties won by Ernest Istook are shown in red. Counties won by Brad Henry are shown in blue.

Images for kids

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  Oklahoma gubernatorial election 2002 results map. Counties won by Steve Largent are shown in red. Counties won by Brad Henry are shown in blue.

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  Oklahoma gubernatorial election 2006 results map. Counties won by Ernest Istook are shown in red. Counties won by Brad Henry are shown in blue.