Jim Olsen

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Jim Olsen

|image = Jim_Olsen_official_portrait.jpg

|state_house = Oklahoma

|district = 2nd

|term_start = 2019

|term_end =

|predecessor = John R. Bennett

|successor =

|birth_name =

|birth_date =

|birth_place =

|death_date =

|death_place =

|spouse = Becky

|children = 7

|party = Republican

|education = Nassau Community College (AA)
State University of New York (BA)

|signature =

}}

Jim Olsen is an American politician who serves in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the 2nd district as a member of the Republican Party. He was elected to the state house in the 2018 election to succeed John R. Bennett. During his tenure he has been criticized by other members of the state house for his positions and statements on abortion, slavery, and education.

Early life

Jim Olsen graduated from Nassau Community College with an associate of arts degree, the University at Albany, SUNY with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and the Free Gospel Bible Institute. He married Becky, with whom he had seven children. He worked as a Sunday School teacher at Watts Holiness Church.{{Cite news |date=April 27, 2018 |title=Olsen |page=5 |work=Sequoyah County Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78654204/sequoyah-county-times/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210531050006/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78654204/sequoyah-county-times/ |archive-date=May 31, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{Cite news |title=Rep. Jim Olsen |work=Oklahoma Legislature |url=http://ddcapp.oklegislature.gov/legislatordetail.aspx?LegisID=OLSEXJIMXXXXXXOK |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211221094135/http://ddcapp.oklegislature.gov/legislatordetail.aspx?LegisID=OLSEXJIMXXXXXXOK |archive-date=December 21, 2021}}

Oklahoma House of Representatives

File:Oklahoma House of Representatives 2nd district.svg

Olsen ran for the Republican nomination in the 2018 election to succeed retiring Representative John R. Bennett for a seat in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the 2nd district.{{Cite news |date=April 27, 2018 |title=Olsen enters District 2 race |page=1 |work=Sequoyah County Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78654062/sequoyah-county-times/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210531045541/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78654062/sequoyah-county-times/ |archive-date=May 31, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}} During the campaign he was endorsed by U.S. Representative Markwayne Mullin, Senator Mark Allen, and Representative Bennett.{{Cite news |date=October 31, 2018 |title=Olsen enters District 2 race |page=1 |work=Sequoyah County Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78654577/sequoyah-county-times/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210531050831/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78654577/sequoyah-county-times/ |archive-date=May 31, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}} He defeated Democratic nominee Tom Stites in the general election.{{Cite news |url=https://results.okelections.us/OKER/?elecDate=20181106 |title=2018 Oklahoma election results |work=Oklahoma State Election Board |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211221090335/https://results.okelections.us/OKER/?elecDate=20181106 |archive-date=December 21, 2021}} He was reelected without opposition in the 2020 election.{{Cite news |date=April 10, 2020 |title=More than 40 Oklahoma legislators re-elected by default |work=NonDoc |url=https://nondoc.com/2020/04/10/46-oklahoma-legislators-re-elected-by-default/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325212322/https://nondoc.com/2020/04/10/46-oklahoma-legislators-re-elected-by-default/ |archive-date=March 25, 2023}}

During his tenure he has served on the Administrative Rules, A&B Public Safety, Judiciary, and State and Federal Redistricting committees. He has served as chair of the Elections and Ethics committee.{{Cite news |title=Representative Jim Olsen |work=Oklahoma Legislature |url=https://www.okhouse.gov/members/District.aspx?District=2 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211221091157/https://www.okhouse.gov/members/District.aspx?District=2 |archive-date=December 21, 2021}} He is an assistant majority whip.{{Cite news |date=December 23, 2020 |title=Oklahoma House, Senate Republicans Urge Congressional Delegation to Challenge Election Result |work=KWGS |url=https://www.publicradiotulsa.org/local-regional/2020-12-23/oklahoma-house-senate-republicans-urge-congressional-delegation-to-challenge-election-result |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211221093542/https://www.publicradiotulsa.org/local-regional/2020-12-23/oklahoma-house-senate-republicans-urge-congressional-delegation-to-challenge-election-result |archive-date=December 21, 2021}}

Political positions

During the 2018 election Olsen was endorsed by the NRA Political Victory Fund and the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association, with the association giving him an A rating.{{Cite news |date=October 12, 2018 |title=NRA and Oklahoma Second Amendment Association Endorse |page=7 |work=Sequoyah County Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78654743/sequoyah-county-times/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210531051536/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78654743/sequoyah-county-times/ |archive-date=May 31, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |author1=Jamison Faught |title=NRA, OK2A endorse Jim Olsen in OK House District 2 |url=https://www.muskogeepolitico.com/2018/10/nra-ok2a-endorse-jim-olsen-in-ok-house.html |access-date=19 September 2023 |work=Muskogee Politico |date=October 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181014012649/https://www.muskogeepolitico.com/2018/10/nra-ok2a-endorse-jim-olsen-in-ok-house.html |archive-date=October 14, 2018 |language=en-US}} He was one of four members of the Oklahoma legislature to receive a 100% rating from the Oklahoma Constitution's Conservative Index.{{Cite news |date=August 14, 2019 |title=Olsen achieves perfect score on OK Constitution Conservative Index |page=14 |work=Sequoyah County Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78655158/sequoyah-county-times/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210531052742/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78655158/sequoyah-county-times/ |archive-date=May 31, 2021 |via=Newspapers.com}} He has received a lifetime score of 75% from the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.{{Cite news |title=Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs Legislative Scorecard |work=Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs |url=https://scorecard.ocpathink.org/#/legislator/23087 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211221095505/https://scorecard.ocpathink.org/%23/legislator/23087 |archive-date=December 21, 2021}}

Olsen opposed Governor Kevin Stitt's commutation of Julius Jones's death sentence to life without parole stating that "It is with great sadness and grief that I reflect on the events of yesterday. Justice was not carried out." and that "The death penalty serves the interests of justice, order and peace in our society".{{Cite news |date=November 18, 2021 |title=Oklahoma leaders react to Gov. Stitt's commutation of Julius Jones' death sentence to life in prison without parole |work=KFOR-TV |url=https://kfor.com/news/local/oklahoma-leaders-react-to-gov-stitts-commutation-of-julius-jones-death-sentence-to-life-in-prison-without-parole/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211218222133/https://kfor.com/news/local/oklahoma-leaders-react-to-gov-stitts-commutation-of-julius-jones-death-sentence-to-life-in-prison-without-parole/ |archive-date=December 18, 2021}}

Olsen is against abortion and has compared abortion to the Holocaust.{{Cite news |date=April 7, 2021 |title=Democratic Party Demands Apology, Censure For Lawmaker Comparing Fights Against Abortion And Slavery |work=KWGS |url=https://www.publicradiotulsa.org/post/democratic-party-demands-apology-censure-lawmaker-comparing-fights-against-abortion-and-slavery#stream/0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210531053813/https://www.publicradiotulsa.org/post/democratic-party-demands-apology-censure-lawmaker-comparing-fights-against-abortion-and-slavery%23stream/0 |archive-date=May 31, 2021}} In 2021, Olsen introduced legislation to prohibit abortion by making it a felony to perform abortions. During the bill's committee hearing he compared the movement to prohibit abortion to the slavery abolitionist movement and stated "the context that I was addressing that, none of us would like to be killed. None of us would like to be a slave. If I had my choice, I guess I’d be a slave. At least the slave has his life. Once your life is gone, it’s gone," in response to Representative Ajay Pittman. The legislation was approved by the public health committee by a vote of eight to one.{{Cite news |date=April 7, 2021 |title=Oklahoma House Rep makes controversial comparison of abortion to slavery |work=KFOR-TV |url=https://kfor.com/news/local/oklahoma-house-rep-makes-controversial-comparison-of-abortion-to-slavery/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210530200822/https://kfor.com/news/local/oklahoma-house-rep-makes-controversial-comparison-of-abortion-to-slavery/ |archive-date=May 30, 2021}} He has co-authored legislation to ban the distribution of drugs used for abortion.{{Cite news |date=February 23, 2024 |title=As more women leave Oklahoma to end pregnancies or order pills online, lawmakers seek tougher laws |work=The Frontier |url=https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/as-more-women-leave-oklahoma-to-end-pregnancies-or-order-pills-online-lawmakers-seek-tougher-laws/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240223145312/https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/as-more-women-leave-oklahoma-to-end-pregnancies-or-order-pills-online-lawmakers-seek-tougher-laws/ |archive-date=February 23, 2024}}

Olsen was among twenty-four members of the state house and fifteen members of the state senate who sent a letter to Oklahoma's delegation to the United States Congress asking from them to not certify the electoral college results of the 2020 presidential election. After the 2021 United States Capitol attack he stated that he did not regret supporting challenges to the election and falsely claimed that antifa was responsible for the attack.{{Cite news |date=January 8, 2021 |title=After Capitol Siege, Pro-Trump Legislators in Oklahoma Stand By Election Challenge |work=Oklahoma Watch |url=https://oklahomawatch.org/2021/01/08/after-capitol-siege-pro-trump-legislators-in-oklahoma-stand-by-election-challenge/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211221095223/https://oklahomawatch.org/2021/01/08/after-capitol-siege-pro-trump-legislators-in-oklahoma-stand-by-election-challenge/ |archive-date=December 21, 2021}}

Olsen proposed legislation to limit the teaching of slavery by state agencies and public school districts and prohibit the usage of The 1619 Project. Representative Forrest Bennett stated that the legislation was "embarrassing" and Representative Monroe Nichols criticized Olsen "for his denial & romanticizing of American slavery".{{Cite news |date=December 17, 2021 |title=Oklahoma Republican introduces bill to limit how slavery is taught in schools |work=KWGS |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/republican-oklahoma-lawmaker-introduces-bill-limit-slavery-taught-scho-rcna9132 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20211218220947/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/republican-oklahoma-lawmaker-introduces-bill-limit-slavery-taught-scho-rcna9132 |archive-date=December 18, 2021}}

Electoral history

{{Election box begin no change|title = 2018 Oklahoma House of Representatives 2nd district election}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Jim Olsen

|votes = 5,178

|percentage = 52.85%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Tom Stites

|votes = 4,620

|percentage = 47.15%

}}

{{Election box total no change

|votes = 9,798

|percentage = 100.00%

}}

{{election box begin no change|title=2024 Oklahoma House of Representatives 2nd district Republican primary{{cite web|url=https://results.okelections.gov/OKER/?elecDate=20240618|title=June 18 2024 Official Results|website=Oklahoma State Election Board|accessdate=1 April 2025}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Jim Olsen

|votes = 1,936

|percentage = 58.24%

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = E.O. Smith Jr.

|votes = 1,388

|percentage = 41.76%