'Honor Of A Lifetime:' House Speaker Charles McCall Looks Back At 12 Years Of Service

Charles McCall is the longest-serving Oklahoma House Speaker, elected to serve District 22 in 2012 and to his leadership role in 2016. Now, after more than a decade serving at the state Capitol, McCall is terming out, and starting the next chapter of his life.

“From the worst of economic times to now the best, this is a great time to be leaving office,” said House Speaker Charles McCall, (R) Atoka. “I could go down a list of things that have been achieved over the last eight years.”

McCall has been part of landmark education reform, statewide broadband expansion, multiple tax cuts, and dozens of issues in between.

“I think it's just as important that we represent the people here and Oklahoma values, and we spent a lot of time doing that, defining Oklahoma values,” he said.

The Oklahoma values are defined as service, honor, and kindness.

“There's only two paths in public service, there's only two paths in life. It boils down to this question: are you here to serve others, or are you here for others to serve you,” said McCall. “I'm here to serve others, help others.”

“In this building, there's a lot of noise; but you gotta remember there's four million people outside this building that we all represent in some form or fashion,” said McCall.

While his public service was important, it also meant the house speaker spent the four-month session more than 130 miles away from his home and family in Atoka.

“My family has sacrificed a lot for me to be here,” said McCall. 

It’s a sacrifice that the speaker never took for granted.

"The greatest thing about my speakership is my wife,” said McCall. “She's the best thing about me.”

After 12 years of serving in the state house, McCall is now terming out. 

“This has been a great experience, been a great journey, been some really tough challenges, but there's been some really great outcomes,” said McCall. “It's been an honor of a lifetime, now it's time for the next chapter to begin.”

As this chapter comes to an end, McCall says he is excited for the next legislature, and next house speaker.

“The 60th legislature will have a lot to work with and if they continue to be responsive and listen to the people,” said McCall. “If they've been listening to the people and come up here and take up the issues that are important to the people, it will be a good session and Oklahoma will be better for it.”

As far as the next leader of the house, Speaker Pro Tem Kyle Hilbert of Bristow was elected by the Republican caucus to be the 45th Oklahoma Speaker. At 30 years old, Hilbert will be the youngest speaker the state has seen.