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Josh West (politician)

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Josh West
Majority Leader of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
In office
January 5, 2021 – January 3, 2023
Preceded byMike Sanders
Succeeded byTammy West
Member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
from the 5th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 9, 2017
Preceded byDoug Cox
Personal details
Born (1976-09-19) September 19, 1976 (age 48)
Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseElizabeth West
Children4
EducationMissouri Valley College (BA)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
Years of service1996-2005
Battles/wars
AwardsBronze Star (with valor)
Purple Heart
Meritorious Service Medal
Army Commendation Medal (5)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Iraqi Campaign Medal
Combat Action Badge
Air Assault Badge
Expert Field Medical Badge

Josh West (born September 19, 1976) is an American politician, and military veteran who has served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives since 2017, representing the 5th district. He was re-elected by default in 2020.[1]

Early life

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West was born on September 19, 1976, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. However, he was raised in Grove, Oklahoma.[2] In 1995, West graduated from Grove High School.[2] He then attended Missouri Valley College on a football scholarship.[2]

Military service

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In 1996, West began training for the US Army.[2] He graduated in 1997.[2] During his combat service, he was deployed to multiple locations, mainly in Afghanistan and Iraq.[2] On October 16, 2003, West was injured in a firefight in Karbala, Iraq.[2] During the firefight, multiple members of his team were killed, including his battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Kim Orlando.[2] At the time Orlando was the highest ranked soldier to die during the Iraq War.[3] During the fighting, West was shot in both legs and in his abdomen.[4] He spent the next year in therapy trying to regain the use of his legs.[4] In 2005, he was medically retired from the US Army after 9 years of service.[4]

Oklahoma House of Representatives

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2016 Primary

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When incumbent Doug Cox did not seek re-election due to being term-limited, West was one of three candidates to run in the Republican Party primary.[5] West was victorious with 60.7 percent of the vote.[5]

Oklahoma House of Representatives District 5 2016 Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Josh West 1,571 60.70 N/A
Republican Joe Wilhelm 578 22.33 N/A
Republican Josh Russell 439 16.96 N/A

2016 Election

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West defeated Matt Nowlin in the Oklahoma House of Representatives District 5 general election.[5]

Oklahoma House of Representatives District 5 2016 Election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Josh West 10,129 70.88 N/A
Democratic Matt Nowlin 4,162 29.12 N/A

56th Oklahoma Legislature (2017-2019)

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During the 56th legislature, West served on the following committees:[5]

  • Agriculture & Rural Development
  • Children, Youth & Family Services
  • Veterans and Military Affairs, Vice chair

2018 Primary

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West was challenged by Josh Russell, Tonya Rudick and Elizabeth Boney.[5] Nevertheless, West won with 56.5 percent of the vote.[5]

Oklahoma House of Representatives District 5 2018 Republican Primary
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Josh West 2,579 56.5 N/A
Republican Josh Russell 1,108 24.3 N/A
Republican Tonya Rudick 493 10.8 N/A
Republican Elizabeth Boney 387 8.5 N/A

2018 Election

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West defeated challenger Ed Trumbull with 68.2 percent of the vote.[5]

Oklahoma House of Representatives District 5 2018 Election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Josh West 8,236 68.2 N/A
Democrat Ed Trumbull 3,834 31.8 N/A

57th Oklahoma Legislature (2019-present)

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During the 57th legislature, West served on the following committees:[5]

  • Appropriations and Budget Committee
  • Rules Committee
  • Tourism Committee

Political positions

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Most of West’s political positions are in line with that of the Oklahoma Republican Party. West opposes abortion.[4] West is also a member of the National Rifle Association of America and supports gun rights.[4] West has criticized Barack Obama’s administration, quoting:[4]

Oklahoma continues to have to deal with the damage left by the Obama administration and its liberal allies, In order to accomplish this, we need strong, principled leaders who will not back down in defense of our freedom.

West also favors local control in education.[4] West opposes Common Core, while at the same time supporting increased pay for teachers, quoting:[4]

I want to work to improve our schools in the Grand Lake area; to protect them from Common Core and also from excessive mandates handed down by the state Legislature, We have to pay our teachers more, but also become more efficient and require results in our student performance. This is all best decided and managed at the state and local level.

He was one of twenty early Oklahoma lawmakers who endorsed Ron DeSantis for the 2024 presidential election.[6]

Personal life

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West is married to his wife, Elizabeth, a United States Air Force veteran.[4] They have 4 children.[4][7]

References

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  1. ^ Savage, Tres (April 10, 2020). "More than 40 Oklahoma legislators re-elected by default". NonDoc. Archived from the original on April 11, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "REPRESENTATIVE JOSH WEST DISTRICT 5 - REPUBLICAN". Oklahoma State Legislature. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  3. ^ "Army Lt. Col. Kim S. Orlando Died October 16, 2003". Military Times. Archived from the original on July 24, 2016. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Josh West Announces Bid for State Representative". The Okie. August 21, 2015. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h "Josh West (Oklahoma)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  6. ^ Ogles, Jacob (June 7, 2023). "20 Oklahoma lawmakers endorse Ron DeSantis". Florida Politics. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  7. ^ Stecklein, Janelle (April 23, 2023). "Oklahoma could soon allow Indigenous students to wear tribal regalia at graduation". The Joplin Globe. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
Oklahoma House of Representatives
Preceded by Majority Leader of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
2021–2023 		Succeeded by
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