{{Short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Sherrie Conley | image = Sherrie Conley.jpg | caption = Official portrait | state_house = Oklahoma | district = 20th | term_start = November 16, 2018 | term_end = November 20, 2024 | predecessor = Bobby Cleveland | successor = Jonathan Wilk | party = Republican | alma_mater = University of Central Oklahoma<br />Southwestern Oklahoma State University }}
'''Sherrie Conley''' is an American politician who served as a Republican representing District 20 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 2018 to 2024.
==Early life and career== Conley moved to Central Oklahoma in the 1970s and grew up in southwest Oklahoma City. She attended Moore Public Schools and graduated from Moore High School in 1981. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Central Oklahoma, received her teaching certification in 1991, and earned a master's degree in education administration from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 2016. She worked as a teacher in the 1990s and 2000s and was an Oklahoma City Public Schools administrator before her election to the Oklahoma House of Representatives.<ref name="House Bio" />
== Political career == In 2018, Conley ran to represent the 20th district in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. She defeated incumbent Bobby Cleveland in the Republican primary runoff, and went on to win the general election against the Democratic candidate Steve Jarman. She faced a Republican primary challenge in 2020 and 2022, but won re-election both times.<ref name="ballotpedia">{{cite web |title=Sherrie Conley |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Sherrie_Conley |website=Ballotpedia |accessdate=21 June 2020}}</ref>
In 2023, she was an author of SB 126, "which would require districts be notified if a student is arrested for a serious offense."<ref>{{Cite web |last=World |first=Randy Krehbiel Tulsa |title=Senate education bills kept alive in Oklahoma House committee votes |url=https://tulsaworld.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/senate-education-bills-kept-alive-in-oklahoma-house-committee-votes/article_1a4e1f26-d885-11ed-aea6-9f2c338554e0.html |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=Tulsa World |language=en}}</ref>
===HB 1775=== In 2021, Conley helped author Oklahoma HB 1775, which prohibits teaching eight concepts about race and gender. The bill was advanced by proponents as preventing teaching critical race theory. The bill generated controversy in 2023 after it was criticized for effecting lessons on the Tulsa Race Massacre. Conley, reacting to the controversy and in reference to the Tulsa massacre, said: {{Blockquote|text=“it’s just a terrible tragedy in our state, and whether or not it was actually racism that caused the thoughts of the people that started it — we can try to speculate but to know for sure, I don’t think that we can.”<ref>{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Jillian |title=After a state law banning some lessons on race, Oklahoma teachers tread lightly on the Tulsa Race Massacre |url=https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/after-a-state-law-banning-some-lessons-on-race-oklahoma-teachers-tread-lightly-on-the-tulsa-race-massacre/ |access-date=4 August 2023 |work=The Frontier |date=August 3, 2023}}</ref>}} The remarks were compared to similar remarks by Ryan Walters made a week earlier by the Tulsa-based ''The Black Wall Street Times''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Morris |first1=Nate |title=Another Republican says racism didn’t cause Tulsa Race Massacre |url=https://theblackwallsttimes.com/2023/08/03/another-republican-says-racism-didnt-cause-tulsa-race-massacre/ |access-date=4 August 2023 |work=The Black Wall Street Times |date=August 3, 2023}}</ref> She released a press release the next day clarifying: {{Blockquote|text="it is a well-established historical fact that the Tulsa Race Massacre was motivated by race. I was attempting to convey that I can never know another individual’s true intent because I cannot think their thoughts, nor was I alive during the time this event happened. I would like to apologize for any hurt caused by my statements; that was never my intent."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bailey |first1=Brianna |title=Rep. Sherrie Conley apologies for her remarks on the Tulsa Race Massacre |url=https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/rep-sherrie-conley-apologies-for-her-remarks-on-the-tulsa-race-massacre/ |access-date=4 August 2023 |work=The Frontier |date=August 4, 2023}}</ref>}}
===Leadership and committees=== Conley serves as the Majority Caucus Secretary. She currently sits on the following committees:<ref name="House Bio">{{cite web |title=Representative Sherrie Conley |url=https://www.okhouse.gov/representatives/sherrie-conley |website=Oklahoma State Legislature |accessdate=4 August 2023}}</ref> * A&B Education * Common Education * Health Services and Long-Term Care * Higher Education and Career Tech * State Powers * Transportation
== Electoral history == {{expand section|date=August 2023}} {{Election box begin no change|title=2018 Republican primary: Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 20<ref name="ballotpedia" />}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Bobby Cleveland|votes=2,226|percentage=43.0%}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Sherrie Conley|votes=860|percentage=16.6%}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Tina Swayze|votes=833|percentage=16.1%}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Jimmy Smith|votes=791|percentage=15.3%}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Anthony Mackey|votes=463|percentage=9.0%}} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=2018 Republican primary runoff: Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 20<ref name="ballotpedia" />}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Sherrie Conley|votes=1,951|percentage=50.9%}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Bobby Cleveland|votes=1,884|percentage=49.1%}} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=2018 general election: Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 20<ref name="ballotpedia" />}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (US)|candidate=Sherrie Conley|votes=8,890|percentage=72.2%}} {{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Democratic Party (US)|candidate=Steve Jarman|votes=3,417|percentage=27.8%}} {{Election box end}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Conley, Sherrie}} Category:Living people Category:Republican Party members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives Category:21st-century members of the Oklahoma Legislature Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:University of Central Oklahoma alumni Category:Southwestern Oklahoma State University alumni Category:Women state legislators in Oklahoma
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