Starting his young political life as a Democrat,
he soon realized his values were more Republican.
he soon realized his values were more Republican.
OKLAHOMA CITY -- As soon as Chris Benge turned 18, he rushed to the election board and registered as a Democrat.
"I was very excited," he said.
Newly elected as Republican speaker of the House, Benge said he thinks hardly anybody knows he was once a Democrat and he's not about to bring it up in conversation.
"I came from a blue-collar family, and thought I had to register as a Democrat," Benge said.
That was in 1980, when Republican Ronald Reagan and Democrat Jimmy Carter were running for president.
Benge said he remembers watching a debate between Reagan and Carter. "I decided right there the person I wanted to support." He voted for Ronald Reagan.Four years later, Benge voted the same way.
"I found through the 1980s, that the Republican Party had more of my values."
So he changed parties.
After graduating from Webster High School, Benge said he was eager to go to work and make some money. "At the time I didn't understand the value of a college education," he said. But through his mid-20s, he started to regret that he hadn't gone to college.
Benge said he had married and started a family, and worked for many years in the family business, Benge Painting.
Only last summer, Benge, 45, received a college degree, although he has served as head of the House Budget and Appropriations Committee for the past three years.
The speaker said he and his wife, Allison, like to attend their daughter Hayden's basketball games. She is 11. On Saturday, their son Garrett, 13, started baseball practice. Benge said he will have to "loosen up the ol' arm" so he can play catch with his son.
Benge hopes to work in a few rounds of golf this spring, although that might not come until after the legislative session ends.
He was on his high school's golf team and was consistently picked for the No. 1 pairing representing the school.
For the past nine years, Benge has been playing golf with colleague Tad Jones, a state representative from Claremore.
"And I beat him only once," said Jones, who is determined to keep trying. "Maybe Chris will get so busy being speaker that he won't get to play as much, and I will have an advantage."
Fellow House members say Benge is the best golfer in the Legislature.
Benge said he hears there are a couple of senators who play a good game. He's ready to take them on.
"If they want to give me the title of best golfer, I will take it," Benge said with a smile.
No comments:
Post a Comment