Ernie Istook | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 5th district | |
| In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Mickey Edwards |
| Succeeded by | Mary Fallin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 11, 1950 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Judy Istook |
| Children | 5 |
| Education | Baylor University (BA) Oklahoma City University (JD) |
Ernest James "Ernie" Istook Jr. (born February 11, 1950) is a retired American lawyer and politician who served as a 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.[1] 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.[2]
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%.