Democrats Support Hobson for Second Two-year Term as President Pro Tempore

Democrats Support Hobson for Second Two-year Term as
President Pro Tempore

Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson confirmed Tuesday that he has secured unanimous support from fellow Democrats for a second two-year term as the leader of the Oklahoma State Senate. The Lexington Democrat said that every member of the Democratic caucus has provided him with an official pledge card, promising to support his election to the top Senate post in January 2005.

“I am honored and humbled by the confidence the members of the majority party have shown in me,” Hobson said. “I have said before that this is the best job in Oklahoma. I am more convinced of that now than ever, having seen the hard work and dedication of our members from a new perspective during this most difficult session of my 25 years in the Legislature.”

Hobson was reelected to his fourth term in the Senate last year, after having won support of Senate Democrats a year earlier to serve as Senate President Pro Tempore for the 49th Oklahoma Legislature. The full Senate elected him President Pro Tempore in January.

His selection by Senate Democrats to continue in that roll will mean Hobson will lead the Senate until he leaves office at the end of the 50th Oklahoma Legislature in 2006.

The Senate President Pro Tempore serves as the leader of the State Senate, setting the agenda, appointing officers and committees and performing a variety of other leadership duties. When the Governor and Lieutenant Governor are out of the state, the State Constitution directs that the Senate President Pro Tempore serve as acting governor.

Before his election to the State Senate in 1990, Hobson served 12 years in the State House, rising to the influential position of chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. After his election to the Senate, Hobson was named vice-chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He has also served as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and the Judiciary and the position of chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education.