John Oxendine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Oxendine
Insurance Commissioner of Georgia
In office January 8, 1995 – January 10, 2011
Governor	Sonny Perdue Roy Barnes Zell Miller
Preceded by	Tim Ryles
Succeeded by	Ralph Hudgens
Personal details
Born	(1962-04-30) April 30, 1962 (age 63) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Political party	Democratic (before 1994) Republican (1994–present)
Education	Mercer University (BA, JD)

John W. Oxendine (born April 30, 1962) is an American politician and businessman. He served four terms as the Insurance Commissioner for the U.S. state of Georgia. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was first elected commissioner in 1994. He was reelected in 1998, 2002, and 2006. Before becoming a politician, Oxendine owned a small business. He also worked as a lawyer in Gwinnett County, Georgia.

Early Life and Education

John Oxendine grew up in Tucker, Georgia. He graduated from Tucker High School in 1980. His father, James W. Oxendine, was a judge. John believes his father's work helped him become interested in politics.

He went to Mercer University. There, he studied Christianity, Greek, and political science. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in 1984. While in college, he worked at the Georgia State Capitol. He was a student assistant to Governor George Busbee. This job helped him pay for his studies.

Oxendine then attended Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer. He was active in student groups, like the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. He earned his law degree, called a Juris Doctor, in 1987.

After law school, Oxendine took over his family's law firm. It was called Oxendine and Associates. The firm was in Gwinnett County. They helped small businesses with government rules. Oxendine ran this firm until he became Insurance Commissioner in 1995.

John Oxendine has two children. He lives in Duluth, Georgia.

Political Career Highlights

Starting in Politics

John Oxendine began his political journey as a student assistant. He worked for Governor George Busbee. Later, he joined the campaign team for Joe Frank Harris. When Harris became Governor, he appointed Oxendine. Oxendine became the chairman of the State Personnel Board.

Becoming Insurance Commissioner

In 1994, Oxendine ran for Insurance Commissioner. He ran against the person who held the job, Tim Ryles. An Insurance Commissioner helps make sure insurance companies follow the rules. They protect people who buy insurance. After a tough campaign, Oxendine won the election. He received 50.98% of the votes.

Considering U.S. Senate

In 2000, a U.S. Senator from Georgia, Paul Coverdell, passed away. Many people asked Oxendine to run for the open Senate seat. He thought about it but decided not to run.

Later, in 2003, Senator Zell Miller announced he would not run again. Oxendine again thought about running for the Senate. He even did a poll to see how well he might do. The results were good. However, his friend, Congressman Johnny Isakson, decided to run. Oxendine then chose to support Isakson. He decided to stay as Insurance Commissioner.

Campaigns for Other Offices

In 2004, Oxendine announced he might run for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia. He started raising money for his campaign. He raised about $500,000 quickly. But other candidates, like State Senator Casey Cagle and Ralph Reed, also joined the race. In 2005, Oxendine decided to run for reelection as Insurance Commissioner instead.

Reelection as Commissioner

In the 2006 election, Oxendine faced a strong opponent. His opponent was Guy Drexinger, a lawyer from the Democratic Party. Oxendine won by a large amount. He received 65.6 percent of the votes. This was his biggest win margin among candidates with challengers that year. He won in 153 of Georgia's 159 counties.

Work as Insurance Commissioner

As Insurance Commissioner, John Oxendine made several changes. He made the office hours longer. The office was open eleven hours a day. He also created Georgia's first Telemedicine Program. This program used technology to help people get healthcare from a distance. He worked to expand healthcare for Georgians without using taxpayer money.

Oxendine was the first Republican to lead a state agency in Georgia. He often ran his department under budget. He returned money to taxpayers every year he was in office. For his work, he received the David Award from the American Medical Association. He was the only Insurance Commissioner to get this award.

He believed the state should help keep car insurance costs fair. After he left office, Georgia saw car insurance rates go up. One year, Georgia had the largest increase in the United States.

2010 Campaign for Governor

In 2010, Governor Sonny Perdue could not run again because of term limits. John Oxendine decided to run for the Republican nomination for governor. He was seen as a strong candidate early on. However, in the primary election on July 20, 2010, he placed fourth.

Views on the Second Amendment

During his campaign for governor, Oxendine shared his views on the Second Amendment. This amendment protects the right to own guns. He stated he is a "proud Life Member" of groups like the National Rifle Association. He said he fully supports the Second Amendment.

Electoral History