Debbe Leftwich Explained

Debbe Leftwich
State Senate:	Oklahoma
District:	44th
Term Start:	2003
Term End:	2010
Predecessor:	Keith Leftwich
Successor:	Ralph Shortey
Party:	Democratic
Birth Place:	Chandler, Oklahoma, U.S.
Residence:	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Constituency:	44th Senate District
Spouse:	Widowed (Senator Keith Leftwich)
Children:	Kevin and Kurt
Website:	Senate website

Debbe Leftwich is a politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Leftwich was a member of the Oklahoma Senate from 2003 until 2010. She won the vacant seat through a special election after the death of her husband and former senator Keith Leftwich. She was a key figure in the 2010 Oklahoma political corruption investigation for her role in a bribery scheme in which she was accused of agreeing to not run for re-election in 2010 in exchange for a state job with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME).

Early life

Born in Chandler, Oklahoma, Leftwitch grew up in Wellston, Oklahoma where she graduated from Wellston High School. Leftwich's interest in politics began in high school with various mentors encouraging her passion. She went on to attend Oklahoma Baptist University and the University of Central Oklahoma.^[1]

Political career

She was elected in a special election on December 9, 2003 to fill the vacancy from District 44 left by her husband, Senator Keith Leftwich, who died of cancer in September 2003. Leftwich was re-elected in 2006.^{[2] [3]}

Senate Committees

Leftwich remained in office from 2003 until 2010.

• Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and Judiciary
• Business and Labor - Co-Chair
• Criminal Jurisprudence
• Health and Human Resources
• Transportation

Corruption

Leftwich was a key figure in the 2010 Oklahoma political corruption investigation.^{[4] [5]}

Boards, committees and commissions

Aside from her service in the Oklahoma Legislature, Leftwich spent her time serving in a number of various organizations, including:^[6]

• Chair of the Oklahoma Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Advisory Committee
• Co-chair of Oklahoma Women’s Legislative Caucus
• Co-chair of Oklahoma’s Cancer Caucus
• Member of the Oklahoma Commission on Children & Youth’s Interagency Coordinating Council for Early Childhood Intervention
• Member of the Small Business Regulatory Review Committee
• Member of the Department of Labor’s Worker Safety Policy Council
• Governor’s appointee to the Oklahoma Health Information Security & Privacy Collaboration Steering Committee
• Member of the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women
• Member of the SKIL Board
• Member of the League of Women Voters
• Member of the American Legion Auxiliary
• Member of the South OKC Chamber of Commerce

Personal life

Leftwich and her late husband have two sons, Kevin and Kurt.

References

• Malia K. Bennett, Debbe Leftwich: Following his Footsteps State Legislatures, October/November 2004

External links

• Women of the Oklahoma Legislature Oral History Project -- OSU Library
• 2008 2006 2004 campaign contributions
• General Election November 7, 2006 Summary Results Oklahoma State Election Board

Notes and References

1. Finchum. Tanya. Oral history interview with Debbe Leftwich. Women of the Oklahoma Legislature. November 30, 2007. 3 June 2015.
2. Web site: Debbe Leftwich's Political Summary. Vote Smart. 3 June 2015.
3. Web site: Debbe Leftwich. Ballotpedia. 3 June 2015.
4. Web site: Debbe Leftwich, Former Oklahoma Senator, Found Guilty in Bribery Case. Huffington Post. 3 June 2015.
5. Web site: Court upholds bribery convictions of former legislators Randy Terrill, Debbe Leftwich. Tulsa World. 3 June 2015.
6. Web site: The Honorable Debbe Leftwich. ok.gov. OK Gov. 3 June 2015.