Ernest Istook | |
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Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 5th district |
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In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2007 |
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Preceded by | Mickey Edwards |
Succeeded by | Mary Fallin |
Personal details | |
Born |
Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
February 11, 1950
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Judy Istook |
Children | 5 |
Alma mater |
Baylor University Oklahoma City University |
Religion | Mormonism |
Ernest James Istook Jr. (born February 11, 1950, in Fort Worth, Texas) is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 5th congressional district. He held his congressional seat for 14 years, completing seven terms in the House. Currently, Istook is a Distinguished Fellow at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., and also a talk radio host. In 2010 Istook became a Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School leading a study on Propaganda in American Politics.
He was a member of the Appropriations and the Homeland Security committees. He was the Republican gubernatorial nominee in 2006, running against incumbent Democratic Governor Brad Henry. Istook lost the gubernatorial race by a very wide margin, getting only 33.5% of the vote to Henry's 66.5%.
Istook's grandparents immigrated to the U.S. from Hungary through Ellis Island and spoke Hungarian at home. He graduated from Castleberry High School in Fort Worth, Texas in 1967 and received a bachelor of arts degree from Baylor University in Waco, Texas in 1971. He eventually moved to Warr Acres, a suburb of Oklahoma City.