Blake Stephens | |
State Senate: | Oklahoma |
District: | 3rd |
Term Start: | January 11, 2021 |
Term End: | November 13, 2024 |
Predecessor: | Wayne Shaw |
Successor: | Julie McIntosh |
Spouse: | Kathy Stephens |
Party: | Republican |
Residence: | Tahlequah, Oklahoma, U.S. |
Alma Mater: | Sapulpa High School Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College Northeastern State University |
Profession: | Retired Counselor of Locust Grove Public Schools, Owner & Operator of Stephens Family Ranch |
Blake Stephens is an American politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A member of the Republican Party, he served in the Oklahoma Senate as representing the 3rd district from 2020 to 2024.[1] He was first elected in the 2020 Oklahoma Senate election after defeating incumbent Wayne Shaw in the Republican primary on June 30, 2020 and going on to win the general election on November 3, 2020.[2] He was defeated by Julie McIntosh in the 2024 Oklahoma Senate election.
Stephens graduated from Sapulpa High School and was the Sapulpa Future Farmers of America president .[3] He earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural education from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College. He worked on an assembly line, as a residential therapist, and as a manager. He later received a graduate degree in counseling from Northeastern State University. He then worked at Locust Grove Public Schools as a counselor for over two decades. He also owns a family ranch in Moodys, Oklahoma.
Stephens ran for governor in the 2018 Oklahoma gubernatorial election. In December 2020, Stephens signed onto a letter requesting the Oklahoma Congressional delegation to not certify the 2020 election results.[4]
Stephens defeated incumbent Wayne Shaw in the Republican primary on June 30, 2020.[5] He then went on to win the 2020 Oklahoma Senate election for District 3.[6] He served in the 58th Oklahoma Legislature.
Sen. Stephens co-authored SB 834, the 'Back the Blue' Bill, to allow cities to paint blue lines and other "signage for the purpose of expressing support for law enforcement". The bill passed the Oklahoma Senate 39–6.[7] He also authored SB 644 which would allow cities to authorize their employees to carry concealed firearms on the job if properly licensed.[8] Stephens wrote HB 1564 which was introduced in the Oklahoma House of Representatives by Tom Gann. The bill substantially expands the power of landlords to carry out evictions.[9] He lost the Republican runoff election in 2024 to Julie McIntosh.[10]