Senator Jim Inhofe Retires
SENATOR
JIM INHOFE
RETIRING
United States Sen. Jim Inhofe announced his intention to resign from the body he's served for the past 28 years. He'll serve through the end of 2022.
Inhofe was elected by Oklahomans to the Senate in 1994. He is the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Before his time in the U.S. Senate, Inhofe was a member of the House of Representatives. Before that, he was mayor of Tulsa -- and before that, he served in both chambers of the state Legislature.
November 17, 1934
James Mountain Inhofe is born.
1953
Inhofe graduates from Tulsa Central High School.
1957 - 1958
Inhofe serves in the United Stated Army.
1959
Inhofe marries Kay Kirkpatrick.
1967 -1969
Inhofe is elected to the Oklahoma State Legislature, becoming desk mates with Democrat David Boren.
1973
Inhofe graduates from the University of Tulsa with a B.A. in Economics.
1969 - 1977
Inhofe serves in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
"Let me tell you, it wasn't a red state then. We had a House of Representatives of 100 people and only seven of us were Republicans."
Jim Inhofe, from the U.S. Senate floor
1974
Inhofe runs for Oklahoma Governor, where he is defeated by former deskmate, David Boren.
1978 - 1984
After 10 years in the Statehouse, Inhofe became Tulsa’s 34th Mayor in 1978 beating Democrat Rodger Randle, 51% to 46%.
1987 - 1994
Inhofe, an avid aviator, set his political sights higher, running for Congress in 1987 then U.S. Senate in 1994.
1994 - Present
Inhofe serves as a member of the United States Senate. After the 2018 death of Sen. John McCain, Inhofe became chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee and was steadfast in pushing for increased military spending.
“No bill is more important to protecting our freedoms than the national defense authorization act.”
Jim Inhofe, 2021
