{{short description|American politician from Oklahoma|bot=PearBOT 5}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Tom Adelson | image = Tomadelson.JPG | state_senate = Oklahoma | district = 33rd | term_start = November 2004 | term_end = November 2012 | predecessor = Penny Williams | successor = Nathan Dahm | party = Democratic | birth_date = 1965 | birth_place = Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. | alma_mater = Stanford University,<br />Dedman School of Law | profession = Attorney,<br />educator,<br />public administration | height = 5 ft 10 in | spouse = Bernadette Adelson | office2 = Oklahoma Secretary of Health | governor2 = Brad Henry | predecessor2 = Howard Hendrick<br /><small>As Secretary of Health and Human Services</small> | successor2 = Terry Cline | term_start2 = 2003 | term_end2 = 2004 }}
'''Tom Adelson''' is an American politician from Oklahoma. He was an Oklahoma State Senator representing the 33rd Senate District, located in Tulsa County, from 2004 to 2012. Adelson is a Democrat who was first elected in 2004. Prior to his election, Adelson served Governor of Oklahoma Brad Henry's first Oklahoma Secretary of Health from 2003 to 2004.
Adelson was the Democratic nominee for mayor of Tulsa in the 2009 election, but lost the general election to Republican nominee Dewey F. Bartlett Jr.
Adelson currently serves as the Vice President for Innovation at The University of Tulsa.<ref>[https://utulsa.edu/about/executive-staff/ "Executive staff], The University of Tulsa", Retrieved 2022-11-10.</ref>
==Biography== Before running for the state senate, Adelson served as Oklahoma's Secretary of Health under Governor Brad Henry. He is an adjunct teacher at Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, where he teaches political philosophy. He has four children: Emily, Andrew, Sam and Jack. His father is Dr. Stephen Adelson, a Tulsa pediatrician. He graduated from Edison High School, Stanford University and SMU's Dedman School of Law.
==State senate== Adelson was first elected in 2004 to replace outgoing Senator Penny Williams. He defeated Republican Dewey F. Bartlett, Jr. by less than 1,000 votes. During the 2007 session, Adelson passed notable health care legislation. Adelson's 'All Kids Act' covers children whose families' income is between 185 and 300 percent more than the federal poverty rate.<ref name="Governor signs health insurance bills">{{cite web | date=June 4, 2007 | url=http://newsok.com/article/3062400| title=Governor signs health insurance bills | publisher=Oklahoman | author=Jennifer Mock | accessdate=2007-06-14}}</ref> The expanded Medicaid coverage would help about 42,000 children in Oklahoma gain access to health care. The program signed into law by Governor Henry will be funded by revenue from the increase in the tobacco tax.<ref name="Henry signs 2 health laws">{{cite web|date=June 5, 2007 |url=http://tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=070605_1_A9_hTheg36814 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110807100517/http://tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=070605_1_A9_hTheg36814 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-08-07 |title=Henry signs 2 health laws |publisher=Tulsa World |author=Barbara Hoberock |accessdate=2007-06-14 }}</ref> During his tenure he was the only Jewish member of the Oklahoma Senate.<ref>{{cite news |title=Do religious beliefs influence lawmakers' decisions? |url=https://journalrecord.com/2008/05/27/do-religious-beliefs-influence-lawmakers8217-decisions063/ |access-date=1 October 2023 |work=The Journal Record |date=May 27, 2008}}</ref>
===Leadership roles=== In January 2009, Adelson was an Assistant Minority Floor Leader. He is a member of the Business and Labor Committee, the Finance Committee, and the Health and Human Services Committees.
On April 12, 2012, Adelson announced that he will not run for re-election when his current term expires.<ref>[http://newsok.com/tulsa-senator-says-he-wont-seek-re-election/article/3665737 "Tulsa senator says he won't seek re-election"], Associated Press in ''The Oklahoman'', April 12, 2012.</ref>
==2009 Tulsa mayoral election== On July 1, 2009, Adelson announced his candidacy for mayor of Tulsa, after current Mayor Kathy Taylor (D) decided not to seek re-election.<ref>P.J. Lassek, [http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20090701_11_0_Democr250049 "Democratic senator announces Tulsa mayoral candidacy"], ''Tulsa World'', July 1, 2009.</ref> Adelson was considered the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination, while 11 candidates sought the Republican nomination, including Dewey F. Bartlett Jr., whom Adelson had narrowly beat in the 2004 state senate election.<ref>P.J. Lassek & Brian Barber, [http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20090719_11_A11_Tulsas228679 "GOP battle may mark race: Eleven candidates will face each other in the Republican mayoral primary"], ''Tulsa World'', July 19, 2009.</ref> On September 8, 2009, Adelson received 94% of the vote in the Democratic primary, setting him up to face Bartlett (who got 54% of the Republican primary vote) and two independents in the November general election.<ref>Brian Barber, [http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=262&articleid=20090909_11_A1_Rpbiaa983428 "Bartlett, Adelson advance: Two candidates will join ballot with independents"], ''Tulsa World'', September 9, 2009.</ref> In the November 10 general election, Bartlett received about 45% of the vote to Adelson's 36% and 18% for independent Mark Perkins.<ref name="TW20091110">[http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=262&articleid=20091110_11_0_Democr679277 Bartlett to be Tulsa's next mayor], ''Tulsa World'', November 10, 2009.</ref>
==Election results==
===2009 Tulsa mayoral election=== {{Election box begin no change | title=2009 Tulsa Mayoral General Election November 10, 2009<ref name="2009GeneralResults_Unofficial">{{cite web|title=Election Results November 10, 2009 (Summary) |date=2009-11-10 |url=http://www.tulsacounty.org/electionboard/EB_PDF/Election_Results/Election%20Results%20November%2010,%202009%20(Summary).pdf |publisher=Tulsa County Election Board |accessdate=2009-11-11 |archivedate=November 11, 2009 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5lCt2oKfM?url=http://www.tulsacounty.org/electionboard/EB_PDF/Election_Results/Election%20Results%20November%2010%2C%202009%20%28Summary%29.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Democratic Party (US) |candidate = Tom Adelson |votes = 24,211 |percentage = 36.34 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change |party = Republican Party (US) |candidate = '''Dewey F. Bartlett, Jr.''' |votes = 29,948 |percentage = 44.95 }} {{Election box candidate no change |party = Independent |candidate = Mark Perkins |votes = 11,913 |percentage = 17.88 }} {{Election box candidate no change |party = Independent |candidate = Lawrence Kirkpatrick |votes = 560 |percentage = 0.84 }} {{Election box total no change |votes = 66,843 |percentage = 100 }} {{Election box turnout no change |percentage = 29.84}} {{Election box end}}
'''Democratic Primary Election September 8, 2009''' <ref name="2009 Tulsa County Election Board Primary Results (Unofficial)">{{cite web | url=http://www.tulsacounty.org/electionboard/EB_PDF/Election_Results/Election%20Results%20September%208,%202009%20(Summary).pdf| title= 2009 Primary Results| publisher= Tulsa County Election Board| accessdate=2009-09-09}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" |- ! colspan="2" rowspan="1" align="center" valign="top" | '''Candidate''' ! valign="top" | '''Votes''' ! valign="top" | '''%''' |- | style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" | |'''Tom Adelson''' |12,588 |93.86% |- | style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" | |A. Burns |274 |2.04% |- | style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" | |Paul C. Tay Jr. |192 |1.43% |- | style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" | |Robert Arizona Gwin Jr. |190 |1.42% |- | style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" | |Prophet Kelly Lamar Clark Sr. |168 |1.25% |}
===State senate elections=== '''General Election November 4, 2008'''<ref name="2008 State Election Results">{{cite web|url=http://www.ok.gov/~elections/08gen.html |title=2008 General Results |publisher=State Election Board |accessdate=2008-11-09 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081107232420/http://www.ok.gov/~elections/08gen.html |archivedate=November 7, 2008 }}</ref> {| class="wikitable" |- ! colspan="2" rowspan="1" align="center" valign="top" | '''Candidate''' ! valign="top" | '''Votes''' ! valign="top" | '''%''' |- | style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" | |'''Tom Adelson''' |18,311 |63.14% |- | style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" | |Gary Casey |10,688 |36.86% |} '''General Election November 2, 2004'''<ref name="2004 State Election Results">{{cite web|url=http://www.ok.gov/~elections/04gen.html |title=2004 General Results |publisher=State Election Board |accessdate=2007-04-08 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070402075001/http://www.ok.gov/~elections/04gen.html |archivedate=2007-04-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref> {| class="wikitable" |- ! colspan="2" rowspan="1" align="center" valign="top" | '''Candidate''' ! valign="top" | '''Votes''' ! valign="top" | '''%''' |- | style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" | |'''Tom Adelson''' |15,836 |51.48% |- | style="background-color:{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}" | |Dewey F. Bartlett, Jr. |14,926 |48.52% |} '''Democratic Primary Election July 27, 2004''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! colspan="2" rowspan="1" align="center" valign="top" | '''Candidate''' ! valign="top" | '''Votes''' ! valign="top" | '''%''' |- | style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" | |'''Tom Adelson''' |3,234 |52.28% |- | style="background-color:{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}" | |Tim Gilpin |2,952 |47.72% |}
==References== {{reflist|1}}
==External links== *[http://www.oksenate.gov/Senators/biographies/adelson_bio.html Senator Tom Adelson - District 33] ''official State Senate website'' *[http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=46111 Profile] at Project Vote Smart *''Follow the Money'' - Tom Adelson **[http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=106057 2008] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=78983 2006] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=70197 2004] campaign contributions *Tom Adelson, [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_1_56/ai_112493417 A healthy investment] ''National Review'', January 26, 2004
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{succession box |title=Oklahoma Secretary of Health<br><small>Under Governor Brad Henry</small>| before=Howard Hendrick<br><small>As Secretary of Health and Human Services</small> | after=Terry Cline| years=2003–2004}}
{{succession box |title=Oklahoma State Senator| before=Penny Williams | after=Nathan Dahm| years=2004–2012}} {{s-ppo}} {{succession box |title=Democratic nominee for Mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma| before=Kathy Taylor| after=Most recent| years=2009}} {{s-end}}
{{Brad Henry cabinet}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adelson, Tom}} Category:Democratic Party Oklahoma state senators Category:21st-century members of the Oklahoma Legislature Category:State cabinet secretaries of Oklahoma Category:Educators from Oklahoma Category:Politicians from Tulsa, Oklahoma Category:1965 births Category:Living people Category:Oklahoma lawyers Category:Lawyers from Tulsa, Oklahoma Category:Dedman School of Law alumni Category:Edison Preparatory School alumni Category:Jewish American people in Oklahoma politics