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Tom Adelson

American politician from Oklahoma

Tom Adelson
Member of the Oklahoma Senate from the 33rd district
In office November 2004 – November 2012
Preceded by	Penny Williams
Succeeded by	Nathan Dahm
Oklahoma Secretary of Health
In office 2003–2004
Governor	Brad Henry
Preceded by	Howard Hendrick As Secretary of Health and Human Services
Succeeded by	Terry Cline
Personal details
Born	1965 Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Spouse	Bernadette Adelson
Residence(s)	Tulsa, Oklahoma
Alma mater	Stanford University, Dedman School of Law
Profession	Attorney, educator, public administration

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.^[1]

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 SchoolinTulsa, 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.

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.^[2] 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.^[3] During his tenure he was the only Jewish member of the Oklahoma Senate.^[4]

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.^[5]

On July 1, 2009, Adelson announced his candidacy for mayor of Tulsa, after current Mayor Kathy Taylor (D) decided not to seek re-election.^[6] 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.^[7] 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.^[8] In the November 10 general election, Bartlett received about 45% of the vote to Adelson's 36% and 18% for independent Mark Perkins.^[9]

Democratic Primary Election September 8, 2009 ^[11]

General Election November 4, 2008^[12]

General Election November 2, 2004^[13]

Democratic Primary Election July 27, 2004

• Senator Tom Adelson - District 33 official State Senate website
• ProfileatProject Vote Smart
• Follow the Money - Tom Adelson
  • 2008 2006 2004 campaign contributions
• Tom Adelson, A healthy investment National Review, January 26, 2004