Kendra Horn

Kendra Suzanne Horn (born June 9, 1976) is an American attorney and politician who served as the U.S. Representative for Oklahoma's 5th congressional district from 2019 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, her district included almost all of Oklahoma City.[1]

Kendra Horn
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Oklahoma's 5th district
In office
January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021
Preceded bySteve Russell
Succeeded byStephanie Bice
Personal details
Born
Kendra Suzanne Horn

(1976-06-09) June 9, 1976
Chickasha, Oklahoma, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of Tulsa (BA)
Southern Methodist University (JD)

Horn defeated Republican incumbent Steve Russell in the 2018 election, in what many political analysts considered an upset victory. She was the first Democrat to represent the state's 5th congressional district in 44 years and the first Oklahoma Democrat elected to Congress in eight years. She was the first Democratic woman elected to the House from Oklahoma.

Horn lost her 2020 re-election bid to Republican challenger Stephanie Bice, after serving one term.

Early life and education

Horn was a member of the Girl Scouts and received the Gold Award. Horn received her bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Tulsa in 1998. In 2001, Horn received her J.D. degree from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. She also studied at the International Space University in Strasbourg, France.[2]

Early career

Kendra Horn worked in private practice as a lawyer at a small firm in Dallas, Texas before opening a solo practice in 2002. Horn was hired on as press secretary to United States Congressman Brad Carson (OK-02) from 2004 to 2005. She went on to work for the Space Foundation first as Manager of Government Affairs at their D.C. office and later as the Manager of Communication and Media Relations until 2008. She also worked as a strategic consultant with Amatra, a communication technology firm, beginning in 2009. During the 2014 Oklahoma gubernatorial election, Horn managed the political campaign of Democratic nominee Joe Dorman. In addition, Horn co-founded and served as executive director of Sally's List, an Oklahoma-based organization that recruits and supports women candidates, and Women Lead Oklahoma, a nonpartisan nonprofit that trains and supports women to encourage community and civic action.[3][4][5][6]

U.S. House of Representatives
Freshman portrait of Kendra Horn, January 2019

Elections
2018
See also: 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Oklahoma § District 5

On July 3, 2017, Horn announced her candidacy for the Democratic nomination for United States House of Representatives to Oklahoma's fifth congressional district.[7] After receiving 44% of the vote in the Democratic primary on June 26, 2018, Horn and primary opponent Tom Guild advanced to the primary runoff.[8] During the August 28 primary, Horn received 76% of the vote, easily defeating Tom Guild and becoming the Democratic nominee.[9]

Horn defeated Republican Steve Russell in the November 6 general election with 50.7% to his 49.3% of the vote, in what was widely considered one of the biggest upset victories of the cycle.[10] Nearly every major rating organization believed Russell would win, and FiveThirtyEight only gave Horn a 14% percent chance of winning.[10] Ultimately, Horn won by defeating Russell in Oklahoma County, home to three-fourths of the district's population, by 9,900 votes, more than three times the overall margin of 3,300 votes.[11] She garnered support from female Republican voters in an election largely seen as a referendum against President Donald Trump.[12]

When Horn took office, she became the first Democrat to represent the district since John Jarman in 1974, who switched parties to become a Republican midway through what would be his final term.[10]

2020
See also: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Oklahoma § District 5

Horn won the Democratic nomination for her seat in the 2020 primary. She faced Republican Oklahoma State Senator Stephanie Bice in the 2020 general election.[13] Bice defeated Horn in the 2020 election, returning the seat to Republican control.

Tenure

On January 3, 2019, the first day of the 116th United States Congress,[14] Congresswoman Horn joined 219 other Democrats to support Nancy Pelosi in the chamber-wide election for Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.[15] When explaining her decision to support Pelosi, Horn mentioned that the Democratic and Republican nominees were Pelosi and Kevin McCarthy, respectively, and said that Pelosi's support for improving health care, strengthening Medicare and Social Security, and supporting public education aligned with her successful campaign platform in the 2018 election and therefore with her goals in Congress.[16] The admission of Horn to the New Democrat Coalition was announced on January 23.[17] On January 29, Horn announced she was joining the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of moderate and conservative Democrats.[18] Horn is considered to be a moderate Democrat.[19]

On December 18, 2019, Horn voted for both articles of impeachment against President Trump.[20]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Electoral history
Democratic primary results, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kendra Horn 34,857 43.8
Democratic Tom Guild 14,242 17.9
Democratic Elysabeth Britt 10,739 13.5
Democratic Eddie Porter 8,447 10.6
Democratic Leona Kelley-Leonard 6,693 8.4
Democratic Tyson Todd Meade 4,527 5.7
Total votes 79,505 100.0
Democratic primary runoff results, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kendra Horn 22,052 75.8
Democratic Tom Guild 7,039 24.2
Total votes 29,091 100.0
Oklahoma's 5th congressional district, 2018
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kendra Horn 121,149 50.7
Republican Steve Russell (incumbent) 117,811 49.3
Total votes 238,960 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican
Democratic primary results, 2020[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kendra Horn (incumbent) 60,168 85.69
Democratic Tom Guild 10,050 14.31
Total votes 70,218 100.0
Oklahoma's 5th congressional district, 2020
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Stephanie Bice 158,044 52.1
Democratic Kendra Horn (incumbent) 145,541 47.9
Total votes 303,585 100.0
Republican gain from Democratic

Personal life

Horn was born and raised in Chickasha, Oklahoma.[1] She is an Episcopalian.

See also

References
  1. "Kendra Horn's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  2. "Space Foundation names Kendra S. Horn manager of communication and media relations". Space Foundation. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  3. "Kendra Horn". Archives of Women's Political Communication. Iowa State University. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  4. "Mission & Vision". Women Lead Oklahoma. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  5. "At Oklahoma City event, Kendra Horn launches campaign for Democratic nomination in the Fifth Congressional District". The City Sentinel. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  6. "Pleading the 5th". OK Gazette. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
  7. McGuigan, Patrick B. "At Oklahoma City event, Kendra Horn launches campaign for Democratic nomination in the Fifth Congressional District". Capitol Beat OK. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  8. Wingerter, Justin (June 26, 2018). "Democratic congressional field narrows to Kendra Horn and Tom Guild in Oklahoma City district". NewsOK.com. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  9. Wingerter, Justin (August 28, 2018). "Kendra Horn cruises past Tom Guild in congressional runoff, will face Steve Russell". NewsOK.com. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  10. Wingerter, Justin (November 6, 2018). "Kendra Horn upsets Steve Russell in an Oklahoma City Stunner". The Oklahoman. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  11. Oklahoma House results from CNN
  12. Griffin, David. "News 9 Exclusive Poll: Kendra Horn, Stephanie Bice In Dead Heat 54 Days From Election". www.news9.com. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  13. Griffin, David. "News 9 Exclusive Poll: Kendra Horn, Stephanie Bice In Dead Heat 54 Days From Election". www.news9.com. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
  14. "Election of the Speaker". U.S. House of Representatives Roll Call Votes. Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.
  15. Haas, Karen. "FINAL RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 2: ELECTION OF THE SPEAKER". Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  16. Bowman, Bridget (January 4, 2019). "Vulnerable new Democrats savor first day as 2020 looms". Roll Call. FiscalNote. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  17. "New Democrat Coalition Inducts 9 Additional Members". New Democrat Coalition. January 23, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  18. "Blue Dogs Welcome Reps. Ed Case, Joe Cunningham, and Kendra Horn". Blue Dog Coalition. January 29, 2019. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  19. Frazin, Rachel (November 4, 2020). "Kendra Horn concedes to Stephanie Bice in Oklahoma, flipping seat back to GOP". The Hill. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  20. Panetta, Grace. "WHIP COUNT: Here's which members of the House voted for and against impeaching Trump". Business Insider. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  21. "Pelosi Announces New Appointments to Committees for the 116th Congress". Speaker Nancy Pelosi. January 15, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  22. "Pelosi Announces New Appointments to Committees for the 116th Congress". Speaker Nancy Pelosi. January 23, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  23. "Kendra Horn to chair space subcommittee". NewsOK.com. January 31, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  24. "Blue Dogs Welcome Reps. Ed Case, Joe Cunningham, and Kendra Horn". Blue Dog Coalition. January 29, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  25. "New Democrat Coalition Inducts 9 Additional Members". New Democrat Coalition. January 23, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2019.
  26. "OK Election Results". Oklahoma Secretary of State. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Steve Russell		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Oklahoma's 5th congressional district
2019–2021		 Succeeded by
Stephanie Bice
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