View source for Tom Cole

{{Short description|American politician (born 1949)}}
{{Other people||Thomas Cole (disambiguation){{!}}Thomas Cole}}
{{pp-pc}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Tom Cole
| image               = Rep-Tom-Cole-117thCong.jpeg
| caption             = Official portrait, 2021
| office              = Chair of the [[United States House Committee on Appropriations|House Appropriations Committee]]
| term_start          = April 10, 2024
| term_end            = 
| predecessor         = [[Kay Granger]]
| successor           = 
| office1             = Chair of the [[United States House Committee on Rules|House Rules Committee]]
| term_start1         = January 3, 2023
| term_end1           = April 10, 2024
| predecessor1        = [[Jim McGovern (American politician)|Jim McGovern]]
| successor1          = [[Michael C. Burgess]]
| office2             = Ranking Member of the [[United States House Committee on Rules|House Rules Committee]]
| term_start2         = January 3, 2019
| term_end2           = January 3, 2023
| predecessor2        = [[Jim McGovern (American politician)|Jim McGovern]]
| successor2          = [[Jim McGovern (American politician)|Jim McGovern]]
| office3             = Chair of the [[National Republican Congressional Committee]]
| leader3             = [[John Boehner]]
| term_start3         = January 3, 2007
| term_end3           = January 3, 2009
| predecessor3        = [[Thomas M. Reynolds|Tom Reynolds]]
| successor3          = [[Pete Sessions]]
| district4           = {{ushr|OK|4|r}}
| state4              = [[Oklahoma]]
| term_start4         = January 3, 2003
| term_end4           = 
| predecessor4        = [[J. C. Watts]]
| successor4          = 
| office5             = 26th [[Oklahoma Secretary of State|Secretary of State of Oklahoma]]
| governor5           = [[Frank Keating]]
| term_start5         = January 9, 1995
| term_end5           = March 16, 1999
| predecessor5        = Glo Henley
| successor5          = [[Michael J. Hunter|Mike Hunter]]
| state_senate6       = Oklahoma
| district6           = 45th
| term_start6         = November 1988
| term_end6           = July 1991
| predecessor6        = [[Helen Cole]]
| successor6          = [[Helen Cole]]
| birth_name          = Thomas Jeffery Cole
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1949|4|28}}
| birth_place         = [[Shreveport, Louisiana]], U.S.
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| nationality         = American<br>[[Chickasaw Nation]]
| party               = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| spouse              = {{marriage|Ellen Decker|1971}}
| children            = 1
| relatives           = [[Helen Cole]] (mother)
| education           = [[Grinnell College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[Yale University]] ([[Master of Arts|MA]])<br>[[University of Oklahoma]] ([[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]])
| website             = {{url|cole.house.gov|House website}}<br>{{url|tomcoleforcongress.com|Campaign website}}
| module              = {{Infobox academic
| embed               = yes
| thesis_title        = Life and Labor in the Isle of Dogs: The Origins and Evolution of an East London Working-Class Community, 1800–1980
| thesis_url          = https://shareok.org/items/c9c2c0b0-e95d-4ab6-b056-2460e7b62842/full
| thesis_year         = 1984
| module2 = {{Listen |pos=center |embed=yes |filename=Rep. Tom Cole in Support of FY2019 Spending Bills Under Consideration.ogg |title=Cole's voice |type=speech |description=Cole supporting various FY2019 spending bills under consideration.<br>Recorded September 26, 2018}}}}
}}
'''Thomas Jeffery Cole''' (born April 28, 1949) is an American politician and former educator serving as the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. representative]] for {{ushr|OK|4}} since 2003. A member of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]], he previously served as the 26th [[Oklahoma Secretary of State|secretary of state of Oklahoma]] from 1995 to 1999 and in the [[Oklahoma Senate]] from 1988 to 1991. In 2022, Cole became the longest-serving Native American in the history of Congress.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indiancountrytoday.com/the-press-pool/cole-becomes-longest-serving-native-american-in-the-house|title=Cole becomes longest serving Native American in the House, proud of his record as a champion for Indian Country|last=Press Pool|website=indiancountrytoday.com|date=22 April 2022 }}</ref><ref name="amp.oklahoman.com">{{cite news |url=https://amp.oklahoman.com/amp/7410360001/amp/7410360001 | date=April 23, 2022 | title=Cole becomes longest-serving Native American in history | newspaper=The Oklahoman }}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

A member of the [[Chickasaw Nation]], Cole is one of four [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] in Congress who are enrolled tribal members. The others are fellow Oklahoma Republicans [[Markwayne Mullin]] ([[Cherokee]]) and [[Josh Brecheen]] ([[Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma|Choctaw]]), and Democrat [[Sharice Davids]] of [[Kansas]] ([[Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin|Ho{{non breaking hyphen}}Chunk]]).

The Center for Effective Lawmaking, at [[Vanderbilt University|Vanderbilt University]] and the [[University of Virginia|University of Virginia]], ranked him as the third-most effective House Republican in the 119th Congress (2023–25).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thelawmakers.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/118th_highlights_FINAL_03_27_2025.pdf|title=Highlights from the New 118th Congress Legislative Effectiveness Scores|last=Volden|first=Craig|date=March 24, 2025|work=Center for Effective Lawmaking|access-date=October 15, 2025}}</ref>

==Early life, education, and academic career==
Cole was born in [[Shreveport, Louisiana]], the son of John D. Cole and [[Helen Cole|Helen Te Ata]] (née Gale); the latter was the first Native American elected to the [[Oklahoma Senate]].<ref name="amp.oklahoman.com"/><ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/reps/cole.htm |title=cole |publisher=Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com |access-date=2015-10-27 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313025034/http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/reps/cole.htm |archive-date=2016-03-13 }}</ref> They returned to Oklahoma, where family on both sides lived. His ancestors had been in the territory for five generations, and he was raised in [[Moore, Oklahoma|Moore]], halfway between [[Oklahoma City]] and [[Norman, Oklahoma|Norman]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}}

Cole graduated from [[Grinnell College]] in 1971 with a [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] in [[history]]. His postgraduate degrees include an [[Master of Arts|MA]] from [[Yale University]] (1974) and a [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] from the [[University of Oklahoma]] (1984), both in [[British history]]. Cole's PhD thesis was ''[http://www.geoffrobinson.info/?p=147 Life and Labor in the Isle of Dogs: The Origins and Evolution of an East London Working-Class Community, 1800–1980]''. He did research abroad as a [[Thomas J. Watson Fellow]] and was a [[Fulbright Fellow]] (1977–78) at the [[University of London]]. He served as an assistant professor in history and politics in college before entering politics and winning political office.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}

==Early political career==
Following his mother, who served as a state representative and senator, Cole was elected to the [[Oklahoma Senate]] in 1988, serving until 1991. He chaired the [[Oklahoma Republican Party]] for much of the 1980s. He resigned from the state senate mid-term to accept an appointment as executive director of the [[National Republican Congressional Committee]]. From 1995 to 1999, he served as Oklahoma's [[Secretary of State of Oklahoma|secretary of state]], appointed by Governor [[Frank Keating]]. He assisted with the recovery efforts after the 1995 [[Oklahoma City bombing]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=News 9 |title=Q&A: Rep. Tom Cole on leadership and lessons from the Oklahoma City bombing |url=https://www.news9.com/story/6802b7dc5aa75e790efdd155/q-a-rep-tom-cole-on-leadership-and-lessons-from-the-oklahoma-city-bombing |access-date=2025-09-03 |website=www.news9.com |language=en}}</ref>

Building on his involvement in national politics, Cole resigned from Keating's administration when asked to become chief of staff to the [[Republican National Committee]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://newsok.com/article/2644851|title=Official Lands GOP Post Keating to Name New Secretary of State|accessdate=24 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/03/02/rnc.chief|title=RNC picks new chief of staff|accessdate=24 July 2023}}</ref>

Cole spent two years working as a paid consultant for the [[United States Chamber of Commerce]], but his primary effort in politics was as a [[political consultant]] for candidates. Along with partners Sharon Hargrave Caldwell and Deby Snodgrass, his firm (Cole, Hargrave, Snodgrass and Associates) played a large part in strengthening the Republican Party in Oklahoma. He backed a number of candidates who were elected to office during the [[Republican Revolution]] of 1994, when it gained dominance in the state. Among their clients have been Keating, [[J. C. Watts]], [[Tom Coburn]], [[Frank Lucas (Oklahoma politician)|Frank Lucas]], [[Mary Fallin]], [[Wes Watkins]], [[Steve Largent]], [[Chip Pickering]], and [[Linda Lingle]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}}

==U.S. House of Representatives==
[[File:President Donald Trump shaking hands with Congressman Tom Cole.jpg|thumb|right|Cole shaking hands with [[President of the United States|President]] [[Donald Trump]] in February 2020]]

===Elections===
During his initial campaign for the [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] in 2002, Cole received the endorsement of Watts, the popular outgoing congressman. This helped him win the general election over Democratic nominee and former Oklahoma State Senator Darryl Roberts, with 53.8% of the vote to Roberts's 46.1%. Cole has won at least 63% of the vote in each of his eight reelection campaigns, and he ran unopposed in 2010.{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}}

In [[2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Oklahoma#District 4|2024]], Cole won the Republican primary against four challengers, including Paul Bondar, Nick Hankins, Andrew Hayes, and Rick Whitebear-Harris.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Patterson |first1=Matt |title=Corporation Commission seat draws 5, congressional incumbents find opponents |url=https://nondoc.com/2024/04/06/corporation-commission-seat-draws-5-congressional-incumbents-find-opponents/ |access-date=2 June 2024 |work=NonDoc |date=6 April 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Tom Cole, House G.O.P. Spending Chief, Prevails Against Right-Wing Challenger |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/18/world/europe/tom-cole-primary-oklahoma-bondar.html |work=The New York Times |date=June 18, 2024}}</ref>

===Tenure===
Following the 2006 election cycle, the members of the [[House Republican Conference]] elected Cole to the post of NRCC chairman, placing him in charge of national efforts to assist Republican candidates for Congress.{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}}

Cole has established a solidly conservative voting record in the House. He has consistently voted anti-abortion and for gun rights. He holds pro-business views and supports free trade, the military, and veterans. Another one of his priorities is educating other members of Congress on American Indian issues. He favors loosening immigration restrictions and imposing stricter limits on campaign funds. In 2012, he sponsored H.R. 5912, which would prohibit public funds from being used for political party conventions. This legislation passed the House in September, but died in the Senate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr5912 |title=H.R. 5912: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to prohibit the use of public funds for political party conventions |access-date=12 October 2012}}</ref> During his tenure, Cole has been a leading voice for strengthening protections for Native American women under the [[Violence Against Women Act]].<ref name="amp.oklahoman.com"/>

In June 2013, after another failure of the [[United States farm bill]] in Congress, Cole called the failure inexcusable. His district in [[Oklahoma]] includes some of the state's farming communities, and if the Farm Bill passed, it would have saved $40 billion over a ten-year period.<!-- Needs explanation --><ref>{{cite web |url=http://newsok.com/oklahoma-reps.-tom-cole-jim-bridenstine-disagree-on-farm-bill/article/3854974 |title=Oklahoma Reps. Tom Cole, Jim Bridenstine Disagree on Farm Bill |last1=Casteel |first1=Chris |date=June 21, 2013 |publisher=NewsOK |access-date=20 July 2013}}</ref>

As chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch, Cole was responsible for introducing the [[Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2015 (H.R. 4487; 113th Congress)]].<ref name=4487allactions>{{cite web|title=H.R. 4487 – All Actions|url=http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/4487/all-actions/|publisher=United States Congress|access-date=2 May 2014}}</ref> The bill would appropriate $3.3 billion to the legislative branch for FY 2015, about the same amount it received in FY 2014.<ref name=nextweek25ap>{{cite news|last=Marcos|first=Cristina|title=Next week:Appropriations season begins|url=https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/scheduling/204424-next-week-appropriations-season-begins/|access-date=1 May 2014|newspaper=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|date=25 April 2014}}</ref> According to Cole, the bill meets its goals "in both an effective and efficient manner, and has done so in a genuinely bipartisan, inclusive and deliberative fashion."<ref name=RCHess2Ap>{{cite news|last=Hess|first=Hannah|title=Legislative Branch Bill Keeps House Spending in Check|url=http://www.rollcall.com/news/legislative_branch_bill_keeps_house_spending_in_check-231875-1.html|access-date=14 May 2014|newspaper=[[Roll Call]]|date=2 April 2014}}</ref>

In 2013, Cole introduced the Home School Equity Act for Tax Relief. The bill would allow some [[Homeschooling|homeschool]] parents to take [[tax credits]] for purchasing classroom materials.<ref>Jim East, [http://riponadvance.com/news/legislation-would-give-home-school-families-access-to-education-tax-deduction/ "Legislation would give home school families access to education tax deduction"] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130828221405/http://riponadvance.com/news/legislation-would-give-home-school-families-access-to-education-tax-deduction/ |date=2013-08-28 }}, ''The Ripon Advance'', August 28, 2013. (Retrieved August 28, 2013)</ref>

Cole expressed his intention in 2018 to push his Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act into the spending bill as an omnibus. The bill would "make clear that the [[National Labor Relations Board]] has no jurisdiction over businesses owned and operated by an Indian tribe and located on tribal land."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Wong|first1=Scott|title=Five things lawmakers want attached to the $1 trillion funding bill|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/377682-five-things-lawmakers-want-attached-to-the-1-trillion-funding-bill/|website=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|access-date=10 March 2018}}</ref>

[[Richard Lugar#The Lugar Center|The Lugar Center]] ranked Cole the ninety-first most bipartisan member of the House during the [[114th United States Congress]].<ref>{{Citation|url=http://www.thelugarcenter.org/assets/htmldocuments/The%20Lugar%20Center%20-%20McCourt%20School%20Bipartisan%20Index%20114th%20Congress%20House%20Scores.pdf|title=The Lugar Center - McCourt School Bipartisan Index|publisher=[[Richard Lugar#The Lugar Center|The Lugar Center]]|date=March 7, 2016|access-date=April 30, 2017}}</ref>

=== 2016 House speakership election ===
In the contest for House Speaker that followed the resignation of [[John Boehner]], Cole supported the claims of [[Paul Ryan]], saying:

"Anyone who attacks Paul Ryan as being insufficiently conservative is either woefully misinformed or maliciously destructive. . . . Paul Ryan has played a major role in advancing the conservative cause and creating the Republican House majority. His critics are not true conservatives. They are radical populists who neither understand nor accept the institutions, procedures, and traditions that are the basis of constitutional governance."<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/13/us/politics/latest-unease-on-right-ryan-is-too-far-left.html|title = Latest Unease on Right – Is Ryan Too Far to the Left?|last = Steinhauer|first = Jennifer|date = 12 October 2015|work = New York Times|access-date = 13 October 2015}}</ref>

===Political positions===

Cole supported President [[Donald Trump]]'s 2017 [[Executive Order 13769|executive order]] to impose a temporary ban on entry to the U.S. to citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries.<ref name="Blake1">{{cite web|last1=Blake|first1=Aaron|title=Coffman, Gardner join Republicans against President Trump's travel ban; here's where the rest stand|url=http://www.denverpost.com/2017/01/29/republicans-on-trump-travel-ban/|website=[[Denver Post]]|date=29 January 2017|access-date=30 January 2017}}</ref>

In January 2021, Cole voted against the [[2021 United States Electoral College vote count#Joint session of Congress|certification of the Electoral College results]] in the [[2020 United States presidential election|2020 presidential election]].<ref>{{Cite web|title='I'm just furious': Relations in Congress crack after attack|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/29/congress-frustrations-capitol-riot-463619|access-date=2021-01-29|website=[[Politico]]|date=29 January 2021}}</ref> He subsequently voluntarily gave up an honorary degree from [[Grinnell College]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Choi |first1=Joseph |title=GOP lawmaker gives up honorary college degree in wake of Electoral College vote |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/house/534018-gop-lawmaker-gives-up-honorary-college-degree-in-wake-of-electoral-college/ |access-date=January 13, 2021 |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|date=13 January 2021 }}</ref> In May 2021, Cole voted against the creation of a bipartisan commission to investigate the [[January 6 United States Capitol attack|January 6 insurrection]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Gorman
|first1=Reese|date=19 May 2021|title=Cole votes against bipartisan Jan. 6 Commission|work=The Norman Transcript
|url=https://www.normantranscript.com/news/cole-votes-against-bipartisan-jan-6-commission/article_0b03a5d6-b906-11eb-98bd-dbda6e873647.html|access-date=July 28, 2021}}</ref>

In 2021, Cole joined a majority of Republican representatives in signing onto an ''amicus'' brief to overturn ''[[Roe v. Wade]]''.<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.wicker.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/91b4f962-785b-4a88-b298-908ae76dd297/dobbs-v-jwho-amicus-brief-moc.pdf |title=Court document|website=senate.gov|access-date=24 July 2023}}</ref> Following the [[Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization|Supreme Court's decision to overrule ''Roe'' in June 2022]], Cole celebrated the outcome, saying in part "not only is this a monumental win for states’ rights, but also the rights of unborn children."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cole |first1=Tom |title=A Monumental Decision |url=https://cole.house.gov/media-center/weekly-columns/monumental-decision |access-date=January 13, 2021 |work=Congressman Tom Cole's Weekly Column |date=11 July 2022}}</ref>

Cole voted to provide Israel with support following [[October 7 attacks]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Demirjian |first=Karoun |date=2023-10-25 |title=House Declares Solidarity With Israel in First Legislation Under New Speaker |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/25/us/politics/house-israel-vote.html |access-date=2023-10-30 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Washington |first=U. S. Capitol Room H154 |last2=p:225-7000 |first2=DC 20515-6601 |date=2023-10-25 |title=Roll Call 528 Roll Call 528, Bill Number: H. Res. 771, 118th Congress, 1st Session |url=https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2023528 |access-date=2023-10-30 |website=Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives |language=en}}</ref>

====Iraq====
In June 2021, Cole was one of forty-nine House Republicans to vote to repeal the [[Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002|AUMF]] against Iraq.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/house-set-repeal-2002-iraq-war-authorization-n1271107|title = House votes to repeal 2002 Iraq War authorization|website = [[NBC News]]| date=17 June 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url=https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2021/roll172.xml|title=Final vote results for roll call 172|website=house.gov|access-date=24 July 2023}}</ref>

====Big Tech====
In 2022, Cole was one of thirty-nine Republicans to vote for the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022, an antitrust package that would crack down on corporations for anti-competitive behavior.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/29/house-passes-antitrust-bill-raising-ma-fees.html | title=House passes antitrust bill that hikes M&A fees as larger efforts targeting tech have stalled | website=[[CNBC]] | date=29 September 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/117-2022/h460 | title=H.R. 3843: Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022 -- House Vote #460 -- Sep 29, 2022 }}</ref>

===Committee memberships===
* [[United States House Committee on Appropriations|Committee on Appropriations]] (chair). He is the first Native American and the first Oklahoman to be chair of this committee.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kosu.org/race-culture/2024-04-24/congressman-tom-cole-dwells-on-role-as-first-native-american-to-lead-house-appropriations-committee|title=Congressman Tom Cole dwells on role as first Native American to lead House Appropriations Committee|date=April 24, 2024|website=KOSU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/09/u-s-rep-tom-cole-of-oklahoma-tapped-by-gop-as-house-appropriations-chairman/|title=U.S. Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma tapped by GOP as House Appropriations chairman • Nebraska Examiner|first=Jennifer|last=Shutt|date=April 10, 2024}}</ref>

=== Caucus membership ===
* [[Congressional Caucus on Turkey and Turkish Americans]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Members of the Caucus on U.S. - Türkiye Relations & Turkish Americans|author=|url=https://www.tc-america.org/in-congress/caucus.htm|format=|publisher=Turkish Coalition of America|date=|accessdate=25 March 2025}}</ref>
* [[Republican Study Committee]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Member List|url=https://rsc-walker.house.gov/|access-date=21 December 2017|publisher=Republican Study Committee|archive-date=22 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222002744/http://rsc-walker.house.gov/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Electoral history==
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
|+ {{ushr|Oklahoma|4|}}: Results 2002–2024<ref name="clerkresults">{{cite web |url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/index.html |title=Election Statistics |access-date=2008-01-10 |publisher=Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=NOVEMBER 05 2024 Official Results |url=https://results.okelections.gov/OKER/?elecDate=20241105 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241118044457/https://results.okelections.gov/OKER/?elecDate=20241105 |archive-date=November 18, 2024 |access-date=February 3, 2025 |publisher=[[Oklahoma State Election Board]]}}</ref>
!|Year
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|3rd Party
!|Party
!|Votes
!|Pct
|-
|[[U.S. House election, 2002|2002]]
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |'''Tom Cole'''
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |106,452
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |53.83%
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |{{nowrap|Darryl Roberts}}
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |91,322
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |46.17%
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[U.S. House election, 2004|2004]]
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |'''Tom Cole''' '''(incumbent)'''
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |198,985
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |77.77%
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |''(no candidate)''
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |
|
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |Charlene K. Bradshaw
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |[[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
|{{Party shading/Independent}} align="right" |56,869
|{{Party shading/Independent}} align="right" |22.23%
|-
|[[U.S. House election, 2006|2006]]
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |'''Tom Cole''' '''(incumbent)'''
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |118,266
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |64.61%
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Hal Spake
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |64,775
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |35.39%
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[U.S. House election, 2008|2008]]
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |'''Tom Cole''' '''(incumbent)'''
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |180,080
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |66.02%
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Blake Cummings
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |79,674
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |29.21%
|
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |David E. Joyce
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |[[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
|{{Party shading/Independent}} align="right" |13,027
|{{Party shading/Independent}} align="right" |4.78%
|-
|[[U.S. House election, 2010|2010]]*
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |'''Tom Cole''' '''(incumbent)'''
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |32,589
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |77.26%
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |''(no candidate)''
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |RJ Harris
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |9,593
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |22.74%
|-
|[[United States House of Representatives elections, 2012|2012]]
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |'''Tom Cole''' '''(incumbent)'''
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |176,561
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |67.89%
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Donna Marie Bebo
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |71,155
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |27.60%
|
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |RJ Harris
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |[[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
|{{Party shading/Independent}} align="right" |11,725
|{{Party shading/Independent}} align="right" |4.51%
|-
|[[United States House of Representatives elections, 2014|2014]]
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |'''Tom Cole''' '''(incumbent)'''
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |117,721
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |70.80%
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Bert Smith
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |40,998
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |24.66%
|
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |Dennis B. Johnson
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |[[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
|{{Party shading/Independent}} align="right" |7,549
|{{Party shading/Independent}} align="right" |4.54%
|-
|[[United States House of Representatives elections, 2016|2016]]
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |'''Tom Cole''' '''(incumbent)'''
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |203,942
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |69.64%
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Christina Owen
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |76,308
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |26.08%
|
|{{Party shading/Libertarian}} |Sevier White
|{{Party shading/Libertarian}} |[[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian]]
|{{Party shading/Libertarian}} align="right" |12,548
|{{Party shading/Libertarian}} align="right" |4.28%
|-
|[[United States House of Representatives elections, 2018|2018]]
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |'''Tom Cole''' '''(incumbent)'''
|{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |149,127
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |63.07%
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Mary Brannon
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |78,022
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |33.00%
|
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |Ruby Peters
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |[[Independent (politician)|Independent]]
|{{Party shading/Independent}} align="right" |9,310
|{{Party shading/Independent}} align="right" |3.94%
|-
|[[2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Oklahoma|2020]]
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} | '''Tom Cole''' '''(incumbent)'''
|{{Party shading/Republican}} | 213,096
|{{Party shading/Republican}} | 67.80%
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} | Mary Brannon
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} | 90,459
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} | 28.80%
|
|{{Party shading/Libertarian}} | Bob White
|{{Party shading/Libertarian}} |[[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian]]
|{{Party shading/Libertarian}} | 10,803
|{{Party shading/Libertarian}} | 3.40%
|-
|[[2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Oklahoma|2022]]
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} | '''Tom Cole''' '''(incumbent)'''
|{{Party shading/Republican}} | 149,879
|{{Party shading/Republican}} | 66.75%
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} | Mary Brannon
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} | 74,667	
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} | 33.25%
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|[[2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Oklahoma|2024]]
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |'''Tom Cole (incumbent)'''
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |199,962
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |65.25%
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Mary Brannon
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |86,641
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |28.27%
|
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |James Stacy
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |[[Independent politician|Independent]]
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |19,870
|{{Party shading/Independent}} |6.48%
|-
|}
* In 2010, no Democrat or independent candidate filed to run in OK-4. The results printed here are from the Republican primary, where the election was decided.

==Personal life==
Cole and his wife, Ellen, have one son. Cole is a member of the [[United Methodist Church]] and lives in Moore.

Cole has said, "I was raised to think of myself as Native American and, most importantly, as [[Chickasaw]]."<ref name="LOCNativeAmericanKeynoteAddress">{{cite speech
 | title = Native American Heritage Month Keynote Address
 | date = 2007-11-06
 | location = Library of Congress
 |url=https://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=4216
 | access-date = 2008-09-01
}}</ref> Cole has said that a great-aunt of his was the Native American storyteller [[Te Ata Fisher|Te Ata]].<ref name="LOCNativeAmericanKeynoteAddress" /> Describing his heritage, he said his "mother Helen Cole<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.usao.edu/usao-news/spring-04/Obit_Sen_Helen_Cole.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531083131/http://www.usao.edu/usao-news/spring-04/Obit_Sen_Helen_Cole.htm|url-status=dead|title=Helen Cole|archive-date=31 May 2010}}</ref> was . . . extraordinarily proud of [their] Native American history and was, frankly, the first Native American woman ever elected to state senate in Oklahoma."<ref name="LOCNativeAmericanKeynoteAddress" /> She was the first Native American of any gender elected to the state senate in Oklahoma.<ref name="amp.oklahoman.com"/><ref name="auto"/>

Cole sits on the [[Smithsonian Institution]] Board of Regents and the National Fulbright Association.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tom Cole Full Biography|url=http://cole.house.gov/about-me/full-biography|website=Tom Cole U.S. Congressman|date=11 December 2012|access-date=3 December 2014}}</ref> Cole is featured in the play ''[[Sliver of a Full Moon]]'' by [[Mary Kathryn Nagle]] for his role in the reauthorization of the [[Violence Against Women Act]] in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sliverofafullmoon.org/#!/6|title=sliver of a full moon|website=sliver of a full moon|access-date=2016-12-12}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Native Americans in the United States Congress]]
* [[List of Native American politicians]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://cole.house.gov/ Congressman Tom Cole] official U.S. House website
* [http://www.tomcoleforcongress.com Tom Cole for Congress]
* {{C-SPAN|1003609}}
* {{CongLinks | congbio=c001053 | votesmart=46034 | fec=H2OK04055 | congress=tom-cole/1742 }}
* [http://www.chickasaw.tv/home/list/thomas-jeffery-cole Biography and Videos] – Chickasaw.TV

{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
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{{s-ttl|title=[[Oklahoma Secretary of State|Secretary of State of Oklahoma]]|years=1995–1999}}
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|-
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{{s-ttl|title=[[Seniority in the United States House of Representatives|United States representatives by seniority]]|years=38th}}
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{{US House Appropriations chairs}}
{{US House Rules chairs}}
{{OKRepresentatives}}
{{Frank Keating cabinet}}
{{USCongRep-start |congresses=108th–present [[United States Congress]]es |state=[[United States congressional delegations from Oklahoma|Oklahoma]]}}
{{USCongRep/OK/108}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cole, Tom}}
[[Category:1949 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century Native American politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century Oklahoma politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century members of the Oklahoma Legislature]]
[[Category:21st-century United States representatives]]
[[Category:21st-century Native American politicians]]
[[Category:American United Methodists]]
[[Category:Chickasaw Nation state legislators in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Chickasaw people of Choctaw descent]]
[[Category:Grinnell College alumni]]
[[Category:Methodists from Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Native American Christians]]
[[Category:Native American members of the United States Congress]]
[[Category:People from Moore, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Politicians from Shreveport, Louisiana]]
[[Category:Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Republican Party Oklahoma state senators]]
[[Category:Secretaries of state of Oklahoma]]
[[Category:University of Oklahoma alumni]]
[[Category:Watson Fellows]]
[[Category:Yale University alumni]]