Bob Ed Culver Jr.

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Bob Ed Culver Jr.

|image = Culver, Bob Ed.jpg

|caption =

|state_house = Oklahoma

|district = 4th

|term_start = November 16, 2020

|term_end =

|predecessor = Matt Meredith

|successor =

|birth_name = Bob Ed Culver Jr.

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1957|12|16}}

|birth_place = Tahlequah, Oklahoma, U.S.

|party = Republican

|spouse = {{marriage|Julie Arrington|1982}}

|children = 3

|education = University of Oklahoma (BAS)

}}

Bob Ed Culver Jr. (born December 16, 1957) is an American politician who has served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the 4th district since 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.okhouse.gov/members/District.aspx?District=4 |title=Representative Bob Culver |publisher=Okhouse.gov |access-date=2021-02-23}}{{cite web|last=Crawford |first=Grant D. |url=https://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/news/almost-over-area-races-conclude-with-voters-picking-two-newcomers-two-veterans/article_7fb9e9fe87e-52bd-b55f-59b1327182fd.html |title= Almost Over: Area races conclude with voters picking two newcomers, two veterans |publisher=Tahlequah Daily Press |date=2020-11-04 |access-date=2021-02-23}}

Early life

Culver was born on December 16, 1957, to Bob Ed Culver Sr. and Jo Ellen Culver (née Priest) in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.{{cite web|url=https://www.legistorm.com/person/bio/386291/Bob_Ed_Culver.html |title=Bob Ed Culver Bio |publisher=Legistorm.com |access-date=2021-02-23}}{{cite web|url=https://obits.oklahoman.com/obituaries/oklahoman/obituary.aspx?n=bob-culver&pid=167584764&fhid=11432 |title=Bob Culver Sr. Obituary |publisher=The Oklahoman |access-date=2021-02-23}} He graduated from Tahlequah High School in 1976. He then attended the University of Oklahoma, where he played as an offensive lineman for coach Barry Switzer.{{cite web|url=http://www.soonerstats.com/football/players/details.cfm?playerid=385 |title=Bob Ed Culver Player Stats |publisher=SoonerStats.com |access-date=2021-02-23}} Culver went on to graduate in 1981 with a bachelor's degree in psychology.{{cite web|url=https://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/state-house-district-4-bios/article_a4d7f78c-9d46-5b7c-92cc-af99f26637a1.html |title= State House District 4 Bios |publisher=Tahlequah Daily Press |date=2020-06-20 |access-date=2021-02-23}} After college, he went on to run an independent oil and gas company near Canadian, Texas. In 2015, Culver and his family moved back to Tahlequah.{{cite web|url=https://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/news/local_news/culver-seeking-to-unseat-d4-representative/article_0d7ee733-3428-5e4f-ae99-ec9270b8c7a8.html |title= Culver seeking to unseat D4 representative |publisher=Tahlequah Daily Press |date=2019-09-26 |access-date=2021-02-23}}

Political career

Culver first ran for the Oklahoma State House District 40 seat in 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/news/culver-announces-run-for-his-father-s-old-seat-in-house/article_6e91f1e2-ba11-11e5-a87b-df9745519906.html |title= Culver announces run for his father's old seat in House |publisher=Tahlequah Daily Press |date=2016-01-13 |access-date=2021-02-23}} After winning the Republican primary, he lost the general election to Democrat Matt Meredith by 325 votes.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/2016/results/oklahoma-state-house-district-4 |title= Oklahoma 4th District State House Results |work=New York Times |date=2017-08-01 |access-date=2021-02-23}} Culver ran for the seat again in 2020. He faced Rep. Meredith again in the general election, but Culver won this time by around 1,400 votes. With Meredith's defeat, Oklahoma Democrats had lost the last of their legislative seats in rural areas of the state.{{cite web|last=Murphy |first=Sean |url=https://apnews.com/article/legislature-oklahoma-city-oklahoma-elections-4506ca07b06a3b791271d6c2e103d3c1 |title= Rural Democrats become extinct species in Oklahoma |publisher=Associated Press |date=2020-11-04 |access-date=2021-02-24}} Culver was then sworn into office on November 16, 2020.{{cite web|last=Hoberock |first=Barbara |url=https://tulsaworld.com/news/new-re-elected-state-house-members-take-the-oath-of-office/article_969f7f7a-22bb-11eb-bc03-4b1c3096c291.html |title= New, re-elected state House members take the oath of office |publisher=Tulsa World |date=2020-11-12 |access-date=2021-02-23}}

As of 2021, Culver is the vice chair of the House Judiciary-Civil Committee. He also serves on the County and Municipal Government Committee, State and Federal Redistricting Northeast Oklahoma Subcommittee, and Transportation Committee.{{cite web|url=https://www.tahlequahdailypress.com/news/culver-named-vice-chair-of-judiciary-civil-committee/article_aba3f8df-5832-563f-bec1-e19a1c673d30.html |title= Culver named vice chair of Judiciary-Civil Committee |publisher=Associated Press |date=2021-01-21 |access-date=2021-02-24}}

In 2024, he voted against HB 3329 which still passed the house floor. It is intended to provide free menstrual products in school bathrooms.{{Cite web |title=House Votes |url=http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf/2023-24%20SUPPORT%20DOCUMENTS/votes/House/HB3329_VOTES.HTM |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us}}

Personal life

Culver and his wife, Julie, have three children and five grandchildren. He and his family attend Tahlequah First United Methodist Church. His father, Bob Ed Sr., served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives for District 4 from 1990 to 2000.

Electoral history

= 2016 Oklahoma House of Representatives =

{{Election box begin no change|title=Republican primary election{{cite web|url=https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/elections/documents/support/20160628-seb.pdf|title=2016 June Statewide Primary Results|website=Oklahoma.gov}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Bob Ed Culver Jr.|votes=878|percentage=65.0}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Mike Pope|votes=473|percentage=35.0}}

{{Election box begin | title=General election{{cite web|url=https://oklahoma.gov/elections/support/2016/20161108-seb.html#REP|title=State Election Results, General Election, November 8, 2016|website=Oklahoma.gov|access-date=February 24, 2021|archive-date=April 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210408195630/https://oklahoma.gov/elections/support/2016/20161108-seb.html#REP|url-status=dead}}}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Bob Ed Culver Jr.

|votes = 6,217

|percentage = 48.7

|change = +48.7

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Matt Meredith

|votes = 6,543

|percentage = 51.3

|change = -48.7

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 12,760

|percentage = 100.0

|change =

}}

{{Election box hold with party link

|winner = Democratic Party (US)

|loser = Republican Party (US)

|swing =

}}

= 2020 Oklahoma House of Representatives =

{{Election box begin | title=General election{{cite web|url=https://results.okelections.us/OKER/?elecDate=20201103|title=OK Election Results, November 3, 2020|website=Oklahoma.gov}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Bob Ed Culver Jr.

|votes = 7,499

|percentage = 55.2

|change = +6.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Matt Meredith

|votes = 6,095

|percentage = 44.8

|change = -6.5

}}

{{Election box total

|votes = 13,594

|percentage = 100.0

|change =

}}

{{Election box gain with party link

|winner = Republican Party (US)

|loser = Democratic Party (US)

|swing = +6.5

}}

References

External links

[https://www.okhouse.gov/members/District.aspx?District=4 Oklahoma State House Member's Page]
[https://www.bobedculver.com/ Campaign website]

Category:1957 births

Category:Living people

Category:Republican Party members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives

Category:21st-century members of the Oklahoma Legislature