View source for Wes Watkins

{{Short description|American politician (1938–2025)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Wes Watkins
| image               = WesWatkins.jpg
| state               = [[Oklahoma]]
| district            = {{ushr|OK|3|3rd}}
| term_start          = January 3, 1997
| term_end            = January 3, 2003
| predecessor         = [[Bill Brewster (American politician)|Bill Brewster]]
| successor           = [[Frank Lucas (Oklahoma politician)|Frank Lucas]]
| term_start1         = January 3, 1977
| term_end1           = January 3, 1991
| predecessor1        = [[Carl Albert]]
| successor1          = Bill Brewster
| state_senate2       = Oklahoma
| district2           = 13th
| predecessor2        = George A. Miller
| successor2          = James W. McDaniel
| term_start2         = November 5, 1974
| term_end2           = 1976
| birth_name          = Wesley Wade Watkins
| birth_date          = {{Birth date|1938|12|15}}
| birth_place         = [[De Queen, Arkansas]], U.S.
| death_date          = {{Death date and age|2025|03|26|1938|12}}
| death_place         = [[Stillwater, Oklahoma]], U.S. 
| party               = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] (before 1994)<br>[[Independent politician|Independent]] (1994–1996)<br>[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] (1996–2025)
| education           = [[Oklahoma State University|Oklahoma State]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]], [[Master of Science|MS]])
| allegiance          = {{flag|United States}}
| branch              = [[United States Air Force]]
| branch_label        = Branch
| unit                = [[Oklahoma Air National Guard]]
| serviceyears        = 1960–1967
| serviceyears_label  = Service&nbsp;years
}}

'''Wesley Wade Watkins''' (December 15, 1938 – March 26, 2025) was an American politician from the [[U.S. state|state]] of [[Oklahoma]]. Watkins was a member of the [[United States House of Representatives]] where he represented {{ushr|OK|3}} for 14 years as a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] and then for six years as a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]].

==Early life and career==
Watkins was born in [[De Queen, Arkansas]], on December 15, 1938, but grew up in [[Bryan County, Oklahoma|Bryan County]]. He graduated from [[Oklahoma State University]] in 1960, receiving a [[Master's degree]] from that same school in 1961. While at OSU, he was the president of the student body and student senate.<ref name="EOHC">{{cite web |last1=Watkins |first1=Rebecca |title=Watkins, Wesley Wade (1938– ). |url=https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=WA042 |website=okhistory.org |publisher=[[Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture]] |access-date=March 27, 2025 |date=August 1, 2018}}</ref>

After a brief stint working for the [[United States Department of Agriculture]], he worked as an administrator at his alma mater from 1963 to 1966. During that time, he was initiated into [[Tau Kappa Epsilon]] fraternity as an honorary member while serving as their faculty advisor.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nndb.com/people/144/000129754/ |title = Wes Watkins}}</ref> From 1960 to 1967, he served in the [[Oklahoma National Guard]].<ref name="EOHC" />

==State senator and U. S. congressman==
Watkins was elected to the [[Oklahoma State Senate]] in 1974.<ref name="EOHC" /> Two years later, [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|U.S. House Speaker]] [[Carl Albert]] announced his retirement after 30 years representing the 3rd District.<ref name="Nondoc-obit" /> Based in the southeastern part of the state, an area known as [[Little Dixie (Oklahoma)|Little Dixie]], the 3rd was heavily Democratic in both local and national elections.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mullins |first1=William H. |title=Little Dixie |url=https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=LI013 |website=Oklahoma Historical Society |publisher=[[Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture]] |access-date=March 28, 2025 |language=en-us |date=January 15, 2010}}</ref>

Watkins faced a formidable opponent in Albert's popular longtime Chief of Staff and Administrative Assistant, Charles Ward. However, Watkins had closer local ties in the district, while Ward had spent decades in Washington. Watkins prevailed in the Democratic [[Primary election|primary]] [[Two-round system|runoff]] and he then gained Albert's endorsement and won the general election with 82% of the vote.<ref>{{cite news |title=Democrats in Oklahoma Voting Today to Choose Nominee for Albert Post |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1976/09/21/archives/democrats-in-oklahoma-voting-today-to-choose-nominee-for-albert.html |access-date=April 1, 2025 |agency=The Associated Press |work=The New York Times |date=September 21, 1976}}</ref>

He was later reelected six more times, always by close to 80% of the vote.<ref name="Nondoc-obit" /> For most of this time, he served on the [[U.S. House Committee on the Budget|Budget]] or [[U.S. House Committee on Appropriations|Appropriations]] Committees.<ref name="EOHC" />

==Gubernatorial campaigns==
===1990 campaign for governor as a Democrat===
Watkins did not seek an eighth term in 1990, instead [[1990 Oklahoma gubernatorial election|running for the Democratic nomination]] for [[Governor of Oklahoma|governor]] to succeed Republican [[Henry Bellmon]].<ref name="EOHC" /> He raised nearly $3 million for his campaign, at one point outspending his opponents by nearly $1.4 million in June 1990.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Zizzo |first1=David |title=Gubernatorial Campaign Fund Figures Vary Widely |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1990/06/17/campaign-fund-figures-vary-widely/62561769007/ |access-date=April 1, 2025 |publisher=The Oklahoman |date=June 17, 1990}}</ref> In the Democratic primary, he ran ahead of [[List of speakers of the Oklahoma House of Representatives|House Speaker]] [[Steve Lewis (politician)|Steve Lewis]], yet lost to eventual winner [[David Walters]], who had been the Democratic Gubernatorial nominee four years earlier in [[1986 Oklahoma gubernatorial election|1986]].<ref>{{cite web |title=1990 Results |url=https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/elections/election-results/1989-election-results/1990-results.pdf |website=oklahoma.gov |publisher=[[Oklahoma State Election Board]] |access-date=March 28, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Burke |first1=Bob |title=Walters, David Lee |url=https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=WA012 |website=okhistory.org |publisher=[[Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture]] |access-date=March 28, 2025 |language=en-us |date=January 15, 2010}}</ref>

===1994 campaign for governor as an independent===
Watkins was openly disappointed in the lack of support from the state Democratic hierarchy, and by 1994 began referring to the [[Oklahoma Democratic Party]] as an organization run by "arrogant [[political boss]]es".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Greiner |first1=John |date=January 8, 1994 |title=Watkins Officially Drops Party Tag |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1994/01/08/watkins-officially-drops-party-tag/62437649007/ |work=The Oklahoman |id=Archive ID: 562481 |access-date=April 1, 2025}}</ref> By later in 1994, Watkins [[1994 Oklahoma gubernatorial election|ran for governor again]], this time as an Independent. He only won 23% of the vote.<ref name="Nondoc-obit" /> However, his independent candidacy siphoned off enough votes from [[Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma|Lieutenant Governor]] [[Jack Mildren]], the Democratic candidate, to allow [[Frank Keating]], a [[Presidency of Ronald Reagan|Reagan administration]] official, to become only the third [[United States Republican Party|Republican]] governor in Oklahoma history at that point. Watkins tallied over 233,000 votes, far more than Keating's 171,000-vote margin over Mildren. He won by heavy margins in rural areas, particularly his former congressional district, winning many of the counties there by large margins.<ref>{{cite web |title=1994 Gubernatorial General Election Results - Oklahoma |url=https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=1994&fips=40&f=0&off=5&elect=0 |publisher=US Election Atlas |access-date=April 1, 2025}}</ref>

==Return to Congress==
In [[1996 United States House of Representatives elections#Oklahoma|1996]], Brewster decided to retire from Congress as it became known that Watkins wanted his seat back. The [[Republican Conference of the United States House of Representatives|Republican House leadership]] persuaded Watkins to run as a Republican, seeing a chance to win a seat where they had never made a serious bid since Oklahoma joined the Union in 1907. They promised Watkins a seat on the [[U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means|Ways and Means Committee]] with full seniority if he ran as a Republican and won. He went on to vote with the Republican majority 97% of the time, which was far more often than when he was a Democrat in prior years, usually voting with the Democratic caucus only 50% of the time from 1974 to 1990.<ref name="Casteel">{{cite news |last1=Casteel |first1=Chris |title=GOP Convert Life of Party Watkins Toed Line, Voting Analysis Shows |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1998/01/06/gop-convert-life-of-party-watkins-toed-line-voting-analysis-shows/62295568007/ |access-date=April 1, 2025 |publisher=The Oklahoman |date=January 6, 1998}}</ref>

Watkins initially planned to retire from office in [[1998 United States House of Representatives elections#Oklahoma|1998]] after undergoing back surgery, but was persuaded to run again, shocking many Democratic insiders who had expected him to retire.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Romano |first1=Lois |last2=White |first2=Ben |title=Rep. Watkins Won't Retire After All |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1998/06/14/rep-watkins-wont-retire-after-all/a26d1689-ecf8-4ab5-86b6-22f5a385f093/ |access-date=April 1, 2025 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=June 13, 1998}}</ref> He was handily re-elected that year, defeating Walt Roberts. He faced no major-party opposition when he ran for his third term in [[2000 United States House of Representatives elections#Oklahoma|2000]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Presidential Election, 2000, Districts of the 107th Congress - District Summary, President & Congress 2000 |url=https://www.polidata.org/pub/reports/40a0a0a.pdf |website=Polidata.org |access-date=April 1, 2025}}</ref>

Watkins's voting record in his first period in Congress had been characterized as somewhat [[centrist|moderate]]. During his second period, however, his voting record was strongly [[American conservatism|conservative]], usually receiving ratings in the high 90s from the [[American Conservative Union]].<ref name="Casteel" />

===Retirement from Congress===
Oklahoma lost a congressional seat after the [[2000 United States census|2000 census]] due to slower than expected population growth. The final map saw Watkins's district dismantled, with its territory split between three nearby districts, creating initial uncertainty as to which Republican incumbents would run again.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cilizza |first1=Chris |last2=Mercuri |first2=John |title=Domino Effect; Watkins' Departure May Lead To Redistricting Truce |url=https://archive.fairvote.org/redistricting/reports/remanual/oknews2.htm |access-date=April 1, 2025 |publisher=CNN |date=January 7, 2002}}</ref> His home in Stillwater (where he had lived since 1990) was drawn into the western Oklahoma-based 3rd district (the former 6th district), represented by fellow Republican [[Frank Lucas (Oklahoma politician)|Frank Lucas]]. Most of his old base in Little Dixie was merged into the [[Muskogee, Oklahoma|Muskogee]]-based [[Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district|2nd district]]. The western portion, including Watkins's former home in Ada, was drawn into the [[Norman, Oklahoma|Norman]]-based [[Oklahoma's 4th congressional district|4th district]]. Watkins therefore announced he would retire, in hopes that this would help prevent his fellow Republican incumbents from having to run against each other.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Plumberg Clay |first1=Diane |title=Oklahoma cases on redistricting lawsuits |url=https://archive.fairvote.org/redistricting/reports/remanual/oknews2.htm |access-date=April 1, 2025 |publisher=The Oklahoman |date=April 12, 2002}}</ref> In an indication of how much his politics had changed since leaving the House for the first time, Watkins served as honorary chairman for conservative [[United States Senate|Senator]] [[Jim Inhofe]]'s bid for a second full term.<ref>{{cite news |title=Watkins honored by Inhofe |url=https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/watkins-honored/article_edaae7b6-ec3f-5a01-b805-3bea61b76929.html |access-date=April 1, 2025 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=Stillwater News Press |date=November 10, 2009}}</ref>

===Post-congressional career===
After leaving Congress, he was hired as a senior legislative analyst at the [[Washington, D.C.]]–based lobbying and public relations firm [[Fleishman-Hillard]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1991/04/01/newsmakers/8860eb87-47f4-4984-832d-42b7305d3102/ | newspaper=[[Washington Post]] | title=Washington Post newsmakers column | date=April 1, 1991}}</ref>

Watkins died from a cardiac arrest in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on March 26, 2025, at the age of 86.<ref name="Nondoc-obit">{{cite news |last1=Hancock |first1=Andrea |title='He overcame so much': Former U.S. Rep. Wes Watkins dies at 86 |url=https://nondoc.com/2025/03/26/he-overcame-so-much-former-u-s-rep-wes-watkins-dies-at-86/ |access-date=March 27, 2025 |work=NonDoc |date=March 26, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hoberock |first1=Barbara |title=Former Oklahoma Congressman Wes Watkins remembered for his service, passion for OSU • Oklahoma Voice |url=https://oklahomavoice.com/2025/03/26/former-oklahoma-congressman-wes-watkins-remembered-for-his-service-passion-for-osu/ |access-date=March 27, 2025 |work=Oklahoma Voice |date=March 27, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Watkins |first1=Rebecca |title=Watkins, Wesley Wade (1938-2025) |url=https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=WA042 |website=The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture |publisher=Oklahoma Historical Society |access-date=April 1, 2025}}</ref>

==Legacy==
After retirement, Wes Watkins continued to focus on issues of economic development, global hunger, global trade, and utilizing innovative technologies to address these issues. He founded a non-profit ministry, Matthew 24.40 Foundation, to provide scholarships for students to install hydroponics systems in diverse global locations to address issues of hunger.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.okstate.edu/articles/communications/2015/twelve-students-receive-wes-and-lou-watkins-matthew-2540-scholarship.html|title = Twelve Students Receive Wes and Lou Watkins Matthew 25:40 Scholarship − Oklahoma State University|date = February 3, 2015}}</ref>

* The Wes Watkins Center for International Trade Development at Oklahoma State University was established in 1990 to increase the economic competitiveness of the state of Oklahoma and to assist Oklahoma-based businesses to engage in global trade. It is an extension unit within the School of Global Studies and Partnerships at Oklahoma State University.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://global.okstate.edu/partnerships/citd/about.html |title = About CITD {{!}} Oklahoma State University|date = January 23, 2020}}</ref>
* [[Wes Watkins Technology Center]].<ref name="Career tech HOF">{{cite web |title=Congressman Wes Watkins |url=https://oklahoma.gov/careertech/about/foundation/hall-of-fame/inductees/congressman-wes-watkins.html |website=oklahoma.gov |publisher=Oklahoma CareerTech |language=en}}</ref>
* Inducted into [[Oklahoma CareerTech Hall of Fame]] in 1991.<ref name="Career tech HOF" />
* [[Wes Watkins Reservoir]] in central Oklahoma was named in honor of him.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bean |first1=Covey |title=Waitin' and Wonderin' Wes Watkins Lake Set to Open Next Spring |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/1998/06/28/waitin-and-wonderin-wes-watkins-lake-set-to-open-next-spring/62277109007/ |access-date=March 28, 2025 |work=[[The Oklahoman]] |date=June 28, 1998}}</ref>
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Wes Watkins crashes van; couple die<ref>https://oklahoman.com/article/1899184/wes-watkins-crashes-van-couple-die {{Bare URL inline|date=May 2022}}</ref>
Watkins charged in fatal wreck<ref>https://oklahoman.com/article/1900439/watkins-charged-in-fatal-wreck {{Bare URL inline|date=May 2022}}</ref>
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==See also==
* [[Little Dixie (Oklahoma)|Little Dixie]]
* [[Oklahoma Democratic Party]]
* [[Oklahoma Republican Party]]
* [[Oklahoma's congressional districts]]
* [[Party switching in the United States]]
* [[Politics of Oklahoma]]
* [[Wes Watkins Reservoir]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=W000194 Wes Watkins at Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress]
* [http://www.okcareertech.org/foundation/hall%20of%20fame/weswatkins.htm Wes Watkins CareerTech Hall of Fame Bio]
* {{C-SPAN|19102}}
* [https://www.voicesofoklahoma.com/interview/watkins-wes/ Voices of Oklahoma interview.] First person interview conducted on March 1, 2017, with Wes Watkins.

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Carl Albert]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States Representatives from Oklahoma|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br />from [[Oklahoma's 3rd congressional district]]|years=1977–1991}}
{{s-aft|after=[[William K. Brewster|Bill Brewster]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[William K. Brewster|Bill Brewster]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States Representatives from Oklahoma|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br />from [[Oklahoma's 3rd congressional district]]|years=1997–2003}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Frank Lucas (Oklahoma legislator)|Frank Lucas]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{OKRepresentatives}}
{{USCongRep-start | congresses=95th–101st and 105th–107th [[United States Congress]]es |state=[[Oklahoma]]}}
{{USCongRep/OK/95}}
{{USCongRep/OK/96}}
{{USCongRep/OK/97}}
{{USCongRep/OK/98}}
{{USCongRep/OK/99}}
{{USCongRep/OK/100}}
{{USCongRep/OK/101}}
{{USCongRep/OK/105}}
{{USCongRep/OK/106}}
{{USCongRep/OK/107}}
{{USCongRep-end}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watkins, Wes}}
[[Category:1938 births]]
[[Category:2025 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the Oklahoma Legislature]]
[[Category:20th-century United States representatives]]
[[Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Democratic Party Oklahoma state senators]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Oklahoma independents]]
[[Category:Oklahoma State University alumni]]
[[Category:People from Bryan County, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:People from De Queen, Arkansas]]
[[Category:Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Oklahoma]]