Kevin Matthews (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kevin Matthews
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| Member of the Oklahoma Senate from the 11th district |
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| In office April 15, 2015 – November 13, 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Jabar Shumate |
| Succeeded by | Regina Goodwin |
| Member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the 73rd district |
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| In office November 14, 2012 – April 15, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Jabar Shumate |
| Succeeded by | Regina Goodwin |
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| Born | March 2, 1960 Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Central Oklahoma |
| Alma mater | Booker T. Washington High School |
| Profession | firefighter, politician |
Kevin Matthews was born on March 2, 1960. He is an American politician who worked in the Oklahoma Senate for the 11th district from 2015 to 2024. Before that, he was in the Oklahoma House of Representatives for the 73rd district from 2012 to 2015.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Growing Up in Tulsa
Kevin Matthews was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He went to Booker T. Washington High School and graduated from there. After high school, he attended Central State University from 1978 to 1981.
Working as a Firefighter
Later, Kevin Matthews earned a degree in fire protection technology. He did this while working for the Tulsa Fire Department. He worked as a firefighter for 25 years. He eventually became the Administrative Fire Chief for the department. He was the first African American to hold this important position in the Tulsa Fire Department.
Serving in Oklahoma Government
Oklahoma House of Representatives
In 2012, Kevin Matthews was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives. He officially started his job on November 14, 2012. He represented the 73rd district.
Oklahoma Senate Role
In 2015, Kevin Matthews ran in a special election for the Oklahoma Senate. He wanted to take the place of Jabar Shumate. Since only Democratic candidates ran, the primary election decided who would win.
He ran against Regina Goodwin and Heather Nash. Kevin Matthews won the election with 47% of the votes. He served in the Senate until 2024. He did not run for reelection in 2024 because of term limits. This means there is a limit to how many times a person can be elected to that office.
