Kevin Calvey Explained

Kevin Calvey
Office:Oklahoma County Commissioner for the 3rd district
Term Start:January 2, 2019
Term End:January 2023
Predecessor:Ray Vaughn
Successor:Myles Davidson
State House1:Oklahoma
District1:82nd
Term Start1:November 18, 2014
Term End1:November 15, 2018
Predecessor1:Mike Turner
Successor1:Nicole Miller
State House2:Oklahoma
District2:94th
Term Start2:November 18, 1998
Term End2:November 16, 2006
Predecessor2:Gary Bastin
Successor2:Scott Inman
Birth Date:13 July 1966
Birth Place:Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Party:Republican
Relations:Michael Calvey (brother)
Allegiance:United States
Branch:Oklahoma National Guard
Serviceyears:2007-2008
Rank:Captain
Battles:Iraq War

Kevin Calvey (born July 13, 1966) is an American attorney and politician who has served as an Oklahoma County Commissioner for District 3 since 2019. He previously served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives as the member for the 94th district from 1998 to 2006 and as the member for the 82nd district from 2014 to 2018. Calvey ran for Oklahoma's 5th congressional district in 2006 and 2010, losing the Republican primaries to Mary Fallin and James Lankford respectively. In 2022, was the Republican nominee for Oklahoma County district attorney. He received 45.61% of the vote, losing to Democrat Vicki Behenna with 54.4% of the vote.[1]

Calvey served as a JAG prosecutor from 2007 to 2008 in Baghdad during the Iraq War.

Oklahoma House of Representatives (1998-2006)

Calvey served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1998 to 2006.[2]

2006 Congressional campaign

Calvey ran for Oklahoma's 5th congressional district in 2006.[3] He lost the Republican primary to Mary Fallin.

Military service

Calvey joined the Oklahoma National Guard during while in office. He was deployed to Iraq between January 28, 2007, and January 27, 2008 during the Iraq War.[4] While deployed he served as a prosecutor in Baghdad. He reached the rank of Captain and earned a Bronze Star for his service.

2010 Congressional campaign

In 2010, Oklahoma's 5th congressional district was an open seat after Mary Fallin retired to run for Governor of Oklahoma.[5] Calvey ran for Oklahoma's 5th congressional district in the 2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Oklahoma. He finished first in the Republican primary, but lost the runoff election to James Lankford.[6]

Oklahoma House of Representatives (2014-2018)

Calvey was reelected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives and served from 2014 to 2018.[7]

In April 2015, during a House debate on a bill to raise the pay for Oklahoma Supreme Court Justices, Calvey said “If I were not a Christian, and didn’t have a prohibition against suicide, I’d walk across the street and douse myself in gasoline and set myself on fire!” He later clarified he was trying to draw attention to Oklahoma Supreme Court rulings that struck down anti-abortion laws.[8] [9]

In 2018, Calvey reported threatening phone calls to his legislative office to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.[10]

Oklahoma County Commissioner

Calvey declared his candidacy in 2017 for the District 3 Commissioner of Oklahoma County, seeking to represent portions of Oklahoma City, Edmond and Arcadia.[11] Calvey won the nomination in the June 26th Republican primary. Calvey resigned from the House of Representatives, following the November 6, 2018 general election where he was elected as an Oklahoma County Commissioner.

Calvey was sworn in at the Oklahoma County Commissioners meeting on January 3, 2019.[12]

2022 Oklahoma County DA Race

Calvey chose to not run for reelection as County Commission but instead to run for Oklahoma County district attorney in 2022. He received 45.61% of the vote, losing to Democrat Vicki Behenna with 54.4% of the vote.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Patterson, Matt "Vicki Behanna beats Kevin Calvey in hotly contested Oklahoma County DA race" NonDoc (Nov. 8, 2022) Accessed Nov. 14, 2022.
  2. Web site: Lawmaker soldier home from war . Normantranscript.com . 2008-01-14 . 2019-06-11.
  3. News: Savage . Tres . Kevin Calvey: ‘Please pray’ for brother jailed in Russia . 25 October 2022 . Nondoc . 16 February 2019.
  4. News: Clay . Nolan . Smith . Jessie Christopher . Kevin Calvey wins runoff in Oklahoma County DA race and already facing same criticism . 25 October 2022 . . 25 August 2022.
  5. News: Isenstadt . Alex . Thompson backs Lankford in Okla. 5th . 25 October 2022 . . 30 July 2010.
  6. News: Isenstadt . Alex . Okla. newbie scores 'unfathomable' primary win . 25 October 2022 . . 28 July 2010.
  7. Web site: Representative Kevin Calvey . https://web.archive.org/web/20160702220052/https://www.okhouse.gov/Members/District.aspx?District=82 . dead . 2016-07-02 . Okhouse.gov . 2019-06-11.
  8. News: Oklahoma lawmaker threatens to set himself on fire over abortion ruling . 25 October 2022 . . 28 April 2015.
  9. News: Kutner . Jenny . Anti-choice lawmaker threatens to set himself on fire to protest abortion . 25 October 2022 . . 28 April 2015.
  10. News: Savage . Tres . Vulgar voicemail names wife, daughter of Rep. Kevin Calvey . 25 October 2022 . Nondoc . 11 April 2018.
  11. Web site: District Three Oklahoma County, OK. www.oklahomacounty.org. 2020-04-29.
  12. Web site: Incoming county commissioners plan to focus on jail reform. 2019-01-03. Oklahoman.com. en-US. 2020-04-29.