{{Short description|American politician (born 1974)}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Greg McCortney |image = Greg McCortney.jpg |office = Majority Leader of the Oklahoma Senate |term_start = October 27, 2021 |term_end = November 12, 2024 |predecessor = Kim David |successor = Julie Daniels |state_senate1 = Oklahoma |district1 = 13th |term_start1 = November 17, 2016 |term_end1 = November 13, 2024 |predecessor1 = Susan Paddack |successor1 = Jonathan Wingard |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|5|30}} |birth_place = Ada, Oklahoma, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Republican |education = Oklahoma City University (BA)<br>Asbury Theological Seminary (MDiv) }} '''Greg McCortney''' (born May 30, 1974) is an American politician who served in the Oklahoma Senate representing the 13th district from 2016 to 2024.
Born in Ada, Oklahoma, McCortney was a Christian minister and the owner of healthcare businesses before he was elected to the Ada City Council in 2011. In 2012 and 2013, he was elected mayor. He left the city council in September 2016 and joined the Oklahoma Senate that November. He was elected majority floor leader in 2021 and was elected by the Republican caucus to succeed Greg Treat as President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate in 2024. He lost his reelection campaign later that June to Jonathan Wingard.
== Early life == Greg McCortney was born and raised in Ada, Oklahoma, where he graduated from Ada High School in 1992. He later earned a bachelor's degree from Oklahoma City University and a master's of divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary.<ref name="Senate announce-Ada" />
After college, McCortney ministered in Norman, Oklahoma, and for Oklahoma City Hospice. In 2004, he founded McCortney Family Hospice and in 2008 he founded McCortney Family In-home Care.<ref name="Senate announce-Ada" />
== Ada City Council and Mayor == McCortney ran against incumbent Ada City Councilor Roger Cupps in 2011.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mitchell |first1=Randy City |title=Cupps is running for Ada City Council seat |url=https://www.theadanews.com/news/local_news/cupps-is-running-for-ada-city-council-seat/article_356e4caf-7f2b-54f6-a693-1c90c5e58e60.html |access-date=June 23, 2024 |work=The Ada News |date=February 3, 2011 |language=en}}</ref> He defeated Cupps in the election with 73% of the vote.<ref name="2011 results">{{cite news |last1=Lofton |first1=Justin |title=And the winners are... |url=https://www.theadanews.com/news/local_news/and-the-winners-are/article_f292ddd3-2485-543b-ae21-ee61e05b4808.html |access-date=23 June 2024 |work=The Ada News |date=March 2, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240623230815/https://www.theadanews.com/news/local_news/and-the-winners-are/article_f292ddd3-2485-543b-ae21-ee61e05b4808.html |archive-date=June 23, 2024 |language=en}}</ref> He was reelected in 2013 over challenger Don Rice with 68% of the vote.<ref name="2013 results">{{cite news |last1=Swanson |first1=Eric |title=Two veteran councilmen, one newcomer elected |url=https://www.theadanews.com/news/local_news/two-veteran-councilmen-one-newcomer-elected/article_ef4b23c7-d186-5354-9c12-35579deebdd1.html |access-date=June 23, 2024 |work=The Ada News |date=March 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240623231144/https://www.theadanews.com/news/local_news/two-veteran-councilmen-one-newcomer-elected/article_ef4b23c7-d186-5354-9c12-35579deebdd1.html |archive-date=June 23, 2024 |language=en}}</ref> He was reelected to a third term in March 2015.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Swanson |first1=Eric |title=Draper wins first term on council; Morris, McCortney to return to office |url=https://www.theadanews.com/news/draper-wins-first-term-on-council-morris-mccortney-to-return-to-office/article_9485af0a-c215-11e4-b684-3fa02259b8e1.html |access-date=June 23, 2024 |work=The Ada News |date=March 3, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240623231432/https://www.theadanews.com/news/draper-wins-first-term-on-council-morris-mccortney-to-return-to-office/article_9485af0a-c215-11e4-b684-3fa02259b8e1.html |archive-date=June 23, 2024 |language=en}}</ref> He also served as mayor from 2012 to 2013.<ref name="Senate announce-Ada">{{cite news |title=McCortney announces candidacy for state Senate, District 13 |url=https://www.theadanews.com/news/mccortney-announces-candidacy-for-state-senate-district-13/article_c6645530-ea06-11e4-8782-9b113c6c756b.html |access-date=June 23, 2024 |work=The Ada News |date=April 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240623231724/https://www.theadanews.com/news/mccortney-announces-candidacy-for-state-senate-district-13/article_c6645530-ea06-11e4-8782-9b113c6c756b.html |archive-date=June 23, 2024 |language=en}}</ref> He officially resigned from the city council on September 20, 2016 to focus on his campaign for the Oklahoma Senate.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Swanson |first1=Eric |title=McCortney to step down from Ada City Council |url=https://www.theadanews.com/news/mccortney-to-step-down-from-ada-city-council/article_bc519f24-7099-11e6-a2f3-afdd3d2befb6.html |access-date=June 24, 2024 |work=The Ada News |date=September 2, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160903180120/https://www.theadanews.com/news/mccortney-to-step-down-from-ada-city-council/article_bc519f24-7099-11e6-a2f3-afdd3d2befb6.html |archive-date=September 3, 2016 |language=en}}</ref>
== Oklahoma State Senate == In 2016, McCortney ran to succeed term limited Democratic state senator Susan Paddack in the 13th district. He faced Shawn Howard and Jet McCoy in the Republican primary.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Swanson |first1=Eric |title=Five candidates seeking state Senate seat |url=http://www.theadanews.com/news/local_news/five-candidates-seeking-state-senate-seat/article_9a882b0d-6e04-5a86-8f96-5c732e5b1e75.html |access-date=June 24, 2024 |work=The Ada News |date=June 18, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160619135637/http://www.theadanews.com/news/local_news/five-candidates-seeking-state-senate-seat/article_9a882b0d-6e04-5a86-8f96-5c732e5b1e75.html |archive-date=June 19, 2016 |language=en}}</ref> McCoy led in the primary and advanced to a runoff alongside McCortney.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Swanson |first1=Eric |title=McCoy, McCortney set for runoff vote |url=https://www.theadanews.com/news/mccoy-mccortney-set-for-runoff-vote/article_4855c616-3da1-11e6-8fd4-774b5a5189f3.html |access-date=June 24, 2024 |work=The Ada News |date=June 28, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630181641/https://www.theadanews.com/news/mccoy-mccortney-set-for-runoff-vote/article_4855c616-3da1-11e6-8fd4-774b5a5189f3.html |archive-date=June 30, 2016 |language=en}}</ref> McCortney won the runoff with 52% of the vote.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Swanson |first1=Eric |title=With runoff win, McCortney advances to November ballot |url=https://www.theadanews.com/news/with-runoff-win-mccortney-advances-to-november-ballot/article_fc25bb60-6a51-11e6-8b98-d78467e3edc2.html |access-date=June 24, 2024 |work=The Ada News |date=August 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108175334/https://www.theadanews.com/news/with-runoff-win-mccortney-advances-to-november-ballot/article_fc25bb60-6a51-11e6-8b98-d78467e3edc2.html |archive-date=November 8, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> He defeated the Democratic candidate, Eric Hall, in the general election.<ref name="2016-General-Ada">{{cite news |last1=Swanson |first1=Eric |title=McCortney claims Oklahoma Senate seat |url=https://www.theadanews.com/news/local_news/mccortney-claims-oklahoma-senate-seat/article_20646876-6f67-51fb-bc04-1e1ae640faa8.html |access-date=June 20, 2024 |work=The Ada News |date=November 9, 2016 |language=en}}</ref>
In October 2021, McCortney was promoted to Majority Leader of the Oklahoma Senate because former Majority Leader Kim David was term limited from the Senate in 2022 and retiring from the position.<ref>{{cite news |title=Oklahoma Senate president pro tem announces new leadership |url=https://ktul.com/news/local/oklahoma-senate-president-pro-tem-announces-new-leadership |access-date=June 8, 2022 |publisher=KTUL |agency=Associated Press |date=October 27, 2021}}</ref> He was succeeded as Majority Leader by Julie Daniels on November 12, 2024.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gerard |first1=Jordan |title=Oklahoma Senate Republicans, Democrats name new leaders ahead of 2025 session |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2024/11/12/oklahoma-senate-republicans-democrats-tap-new-leaders-lonnie-paxton-julia-kirt/76222074007/ |access-date=November 13, 2024 |work=The Oklahoman |date=November 12, 2024}}</ref>
In February 2023, it was reported McCortney accepted money from the Oklahoma Gamefowl Commission, a pro-cockfighting political action committee.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=Mike |last2=Savage |first2=Tres |date=February 26, 2023 |title=Cockfighting fight turns back time at Oklahoma Capitol |url=https://nondoc.com/2023/02/26/oklahoma-cockfighting-fight-turns-back-time/ |access-date=April 9, 2023 |website=NonDoc |language=en-US}}</ref> Later that year in June, McCortney spoke in favor of compacts with tribal nations in Oklahoma.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Savage |first=Tres |date=June 6, 2023 |title=Stitt vetoes highlight reignited fight on state-tribal tobacco compacts |url=https://nondoc.com/2023/06/06/historic-fights-state-tribal-tobacco-compacts/ |access-date=June 8, 2023 |website=NonDoc |language=en-US}}</ref>
In February 2024, he was elected by his colleagues as the President pro tempore of the Oklahoma Senate designate for the following legislative secession, defeating senators Casey Murdock and David Bullard in the leadership election.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Savage |first1=Tres |title=GOP members choose Sen. Greg McCortney as president pro tempore designee |url=https://nondoc.com/2024/02/12/gop-members-choose-greg-mccortney-as-senate-president-pro-tempore-designee/ |access-date=June 20, 2024 |work=NonDoc |date=February 12, 2024}}</ref> That June he lost his primary election to Jonathan Wingard.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Savage |first1=Tres |title=Senate shake up: Greg McCortney, Jessica Garvin ousted |url=https://nondoc.com/2024/06/18/senate-shake-up-greg-mccortney-jessica-garvin-ousted/ |work=NonDoc |date=June 19, 2024}}</ref>
==Electoral history== {{expand section|with=election results|date=June 2024}} {{Election box begin no change | title = 2011 Ada City Council election<ref name="2011 results" /> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Nonpartisan politician | candidate = Greg McCortney | votes = 887 | percentage = 73.4% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Nonpartisan politician | candidate = Roger Cupps (incumbent) | votes = 321 | percentage = 26.6% }} {{Election box total no change |votes = 1,208 |percentage = 100 }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change | title = 2013 Ada City Council election<ref name="2013 results" /> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | party = Nonpartisan politician | candidate = Greg McCortney (incumbent) | votes = 409 | percentage = 67.9% }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | party = Nonpartisan politician | candidate = Don Rice | votes = 193 | percentage = 32.1% }} {{Election box total no change |votes = 602 |percentage = 100 }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin no change |title= 2024 Oklahoma Senate 13th district Republican primary<ref>{{cite web |title=June 18, 2024 Official Results |url=https://results.okelections.gov/OKER/?elecDate=20240618 |website=results.okelections.us |publisher=Oklahoma State Election Board |access-date=November 27, 2024}}</ref> }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Jonathan Wingard |votes = 3807 |percentage = 51.8% }}{{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Greg McCortney (incumbent) |votes = 3546 |percentage = 48.2% }}{{Election box total no change |votes = 7353 |percentage = 100% }}{{Election box end}}
==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20240529063337/https://oksenate.gov/senators/greg-mccortney Archived copy of Senate biography] from May 29, 2024.
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-ok-sen}} {{s-bef|before=Kim David}} {{s-ttl|title=Majority Leader of the Oklahoma Senate|years=2021–2024}} {{s-aft|after=Julie Daniels}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McCortney, Greg}} Category:1974 births Category:21st-century members of the Oklahoma Legislature Category:Asbury Theological Seminary alumni Category:Businesspeople from Oklahoma Category:Living people Category:Mayors of places in Oklahoma Category:Oklahoma city council members Category:Oklahoma City University alumni Category:Politicians from Ada, Oklahoma Category:Republican Party Oklahoma state senators