Greg McCortney explained

Greg McCortney
Office:Majority Leader of the Oklahoma Senate
Term Start:October 27, 2021
Predecessor:Kim David
State Senate1:Oklahoma
District1:13th
Term Start1:November 17, 2016
Predecessor1:Susan Paddack
Office3:Mayor of Ada, Oklahoma
Term Start3:2012
Term End3:2013
Office4:Ada City Councilor
Term Start4:2011
Term End4:September 20, 2016
Predecessor4:Roger Cupps
Birth Date:30 May 1974
Birth Place:Ada, Oklahoma, U.S.
Party:Republican
Education:Oklahoma City University (BA)
Asbury Theological Seminary (MDiv)

Greg McCortney (born May 30, 1974) is an American politician who has served in the Oklahoma Senate from the 13th district since 2016.

Born in Ada, Oklahoma, McCortney was a Christian minister and the owner of healthcare businesses before he was elected to the Ada City Council in 2011. In 2012 and 2013, he was elected mayor. He left the city council in September 2016 and joined the Oklahoma Senate that November. He was elected majority floor leader in 2021 and was elected by the Republican caucus to succeed Greg Treat as President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate in 2024. He lost his reelection campaign later that June to Jonathan Wingard.

Early life

Greg McCortney was born and raised in Ada, Oklahoma, where he graduated from Ada High School in 1992. He later earned a bachelor's degree from Oklahoma City University and a master's of divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary.

After college, McCortney ministered in Norman, Oklahoma, and for Oklahoma City Hospice. In 2004, he founded McCortney Family Hospice and in 2008 he founded McCortney Family In-home Care.

Ada City Council and Mayor

McCortney ran against incumbent Ada City Councilor Roger Cupps in 2011.[1] He defeated Cupps in the election with 73% of the vote.[2] He was reelected in 2013 over challenger Don Rice with 68% of the vote.[3] He was reelected to a third term in March 2015.[4] He also served as mayor from 2012 to 2013.[5] He officially resigned from the city council on September 20, 2016 to focus on his campaign for the Oklahoma Senate.[6]

Oklahoma State Senate

In 2016, McCortney ran to succeed term limited Democratic state senator Susan Paddack in the 13th district. He faced Shawn Howard and Jet McCoy in the Republican primary.[7] McCoy led in the primary and advanced to a runoff alongside McCortney.[8] McCortney won the runoff with 52% of the vote.[9] He defeated the Democratic candidate, Eric Hall, in the general election.[10]

In October 2021, McCortney was promoted to Majority Leader of the Oklahoma Senate because former Majority Leader Kim David was term limited from the Senate in 2022 and retiring from the position.[11]

In February 2023, it was reported McCortney accepted money from the Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission, a pro-cockfighting political action committee.[12] Later that year in June, McCortney spoke in favor of compacts with tribal nations in Oklahoma.[13]

In February 2024, he was elected by his colleagues as the President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate designate for the following legislative secession, defeating senators Casey Murdock and David Bullard in the leadership election.[14] That June he lost his primary election to Jonathan Wingard.[15]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Mitchell . Randy City . Cupps is running for Ada City Council seat . June 23, 2024 . . February 3, 2011 . en.
  2. News: Lofton . Justin . And the winners are... . 23 June 2024 . . March 2, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240623230815/https://www.theadanews.com/news/local_news/and-the-winners-are/article_f292ddd3-2485-543b-ae21-ee61e05b4808.html . June 23, 2024 . en.
  3. News: Swanson . Eric . Two veteran councilmen, one newcomer elected . June 23, 2024 . . March 5, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240623231144/https://www.theadanews.com/news/local_news/two-veteran-councilmen-one-newcomer-elected/article_ef4b23c7-d186-5354-9c12-35579deebdd1.html . June 23, 2024 . en.
  4. News: Swanson . Eric . Draper wins first term on council; Morris, McCortney to return to office . June 23, 2024 . . March 3, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240623231432/https://www.theadanews.com/news/draper-wins-first-term-on-council-morris-mccortney-to-return-to-office/article_9485af0a-c215-11e4-b684-3fa02259b8e1.html . June 23, 2024 . en.
  5. News: McCortney announces candidacy for state Senate, District 13 . June 23, 2024 . . April 24, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240623231724/https://www.theadanews.com/news/mccortney-announces-candidacy-for-state-senate-district-13/article_c6645530-ea06-11e4-8782-9b113c6c756b.html . June 23, 2024 . en.
  6. News: Swanson . Eric . McCortney to step down from Ada City Council . June 24, 2024 . . September 2, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160903180120/https://www.theadanews.com/news/mccortney-to-step-down-from-ada-city-council/article_bc519f24-7099-11e6-a2f3-afdd3d2befb6.html . September 3, 2016 . en.
  7. News: Swanson . Eric . Five candidates seeking state Senate seat . June 24, 2024 . . June 18, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160619135637/http://www.theadanews.com/news/local_news/five-candidates-seeking-state-senate-seat/article_9a882b0d-6e04-5a86-8f96-5c732e5b1e75.html . June 19, 2016 . en.
  8. News: Swanson . Eric . McCoy, McCortney set for runoff vote . June 24, 2024 . . June 28, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160630181641/https://www.theadanews.com/news/mccoy-mccortney-set-for-runoff-vote/article_4855c616-3da1-11e6-8fd4-774b5a5189f3.html . June 30, 2016 . en.
  9. News: Swanson . Eric . With runoff win, McCortney advances to November ballot . June 24, 2024 . . August 25, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201108175334/https://www.theadanews.com/news/with-runoff-win-mccortney-advances-to-november-ballot/article_fc25bb60-6a51-11e6-8b98-d78467e3edc2.html . November 8, 2020 . en.
  10. News: Swanson . Eric . McCortney claims Oklahoma Senate seat . June 20, 2024 . . November 9, 2016 . en.
  11. News: Oklahoma Senate president pro tem announces new leadership . June 8, 2022 . . . October 27, 2021.
  12. Web site: Allen . Mike . Savage . Tres . February 26, 2023 . Cockfighting fight turns back time at Oklahoma Capitol . April 9, 2023 . NonDoc . en-US.
  13. Web site: Savage . Tres . June 6, 2023 . Stitt vetoes highlight reignited fight on state-tribal tobacco compacts . June 8, 2023 . NonDoc . en-US.
  14. News: Savage . Tres . GOP members choose Sen. Greg McCortney as president pro tempore designee . June 20, 2024 . NonDoc . February 12, 2024.
  15. News: Savage . Tres . Senate shake up: Greg McCortney, Jessica Garvin ousted . NonDoc . June 19, 2024.