Tom Adelson | |
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Sen. Tom Adelson
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Member of the Oklahoma Senate from the 33rd district |
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In office November 2004 – November 2012 |
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Preceded by | Penny Williams |
Succeeded by | Nathan Dahm |
Oklahoma Secretary of Health | |
In office 2003–2004 |
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Governor | Brad Henry |
Preceded by |
Howard Hendrick As Secretary of Health and Human Services |
Succeeded by | Terry Cline |
Personal details | |
Born | 1965 Tulsa, Oklahoma |
Political party | Democratic |
Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
Spouse(s) | Julie Adelson |
Residence | Tulsa, Oklahoma |
Alma mater |
Stanford University, Dedman School of Law |
Profession |
attorney, educator, public administration |
Religion | Judaism |
Tom Adelson is an American politician from Oklahoma. He was an Oklahoma State Senator representing the 33 Senate District, located in Tulsa County, from 2004 to 2012. Adelson is a Democrat who was first elected in 2004. Prior to his election, Adelson served Governor of Oklahoma Brad Henry's first Oklahoma Secretary of Health from 2003 to 2004.
Adelson was the Democratic nominee for mayor of Tulsa in the 2009 election, but lost the general election to Republican nominee Dewey F. Bartlett, Jr.
Before running for the state senate, Adelson served as Oklahoma's Secretary of Health under Governor Brad Henry. He is an adjunct teacher at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, where he teaches political philosophy. He has four children: Emily, Andrew, Sam and Jack. His father is Dr. Stephen Adelson, a Tulsa pediatrician. He graduated from Edison High School, Stanford University and SMU's Dedman School of Law.
Adelson was first elected in 2004 to replace outgoing Senator Penny Williams. He defeated Republican Dewey F. Bartlett, Jr. by less than 1,000 votes. During the 2007 session, Adelson passed notable health care legislation. Adelson's 'All Kids Act' covers children whose families' income is between 185 and 300 percent more than the federal poverty rate. The expanded Medicaid coverage would help about 42,000 children in Oklahoma gain access to health care. The program signed into law by Governor Henry will be funded by revenue from the increase in the tobacco tax.