Dewey Follett Bartlett Jr. (born March 16, 1947) is an American politician and businessman who served as the 39th Mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma.Dewey Bartlett Jr. Takes Helm as Tulsa Mayor, KJRH, December 7, 2009. An oil industry executive and political figure in Tulsa, Bartlett was the Republican nominee for mayor of Tulsa in the 2009 election, and was elected as Tulsa's 39th mayor on November 10, 2009. He was re-elected in 2013, but was defeated in his second reelection bid in 2016.Bartlett to be Tulsa's next mayor , Tulsa World, November 10, 2009.
Background
Bartlett's father, Dewey F. Bartlett, was Oklahoma's second Republican governor from 1967 to 1971, and a United States senator from 1973 to 1979.Gary Percefull, "A Family Affair: What's in a Name? Oklahoma's Political Heritage Lives in a New Generation" , Tulsa World, February 5, 1989. His mother, Ann Bartlett, is a former First Lady of Oklahoma. The younger Bartlett attended Bishop Kelley High School in Tulsa, then received a B.S. in accounting from Regis University and an M.B.A. from Southern Methodist University.Dewey Bartlett for Tulsa Mayor at Facebook (retrieved September 9, 2009)."Voter Guide: 2004" , Tulsa World, October 24, 2004.Biography of Dewey F. Bartlett Jr. at Keener Oil & Gas Company website (June 20, 2011)."Dewey Bartlett Announces for Tulsa Mayor" , KOTV, June 25, 2009. He is the President of the Keener Oil & Gas Company, the successor to a family business previously run by his father,"Bartlett to run for Tulsa mayor" , KJRH.com, June 25, 2009. and has served as the chairman of the Oklahoma Energy Resources BoardDewey F. Bartlett Jr., Chairman at OERB website (retrieved September 10, 2009). and the National Stripper Well Association,Philip Sherwell, "Oklahoma residents unplug oil wells in the backyard: Small oil wells that were uneconomic are back in action in Oklahoma", The Daily Telegraph, August 25, 2008. as well as a member of the board of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority.
Political career
Bartlett served on the Tulsa City Council from 1990 to 1994, and ran unsuccessfully for mayor in a 1992 special election. The Tulsa World newspaper suggested that Bartlett lost the race due to extremely negative campaigning. In 2004 he ran against former state health secretary Tom Adelson for Oklahoma Senate district 33, losing by less than 1,000 votes.Brian Barber, "Adelson narrowly wins District 33" , Tulsa World, November 3, 2004.
In 2009 he ran again for mayor of Tulsa.Brian Barber, "Bartlett announces candidacy for mayor" , Tulsa World, June 25, 2009 On September 8, 2009, Bartlett won 54% of the Republican primary vote, setting him up for another match against Adelson (who received 94% of the vote in the Democratic primary) and two independents in the November general election.Brian Barber, "Bartlett, Adelson advance: Two candidates will join ballot with independents" , Tulsa World, September 9, 2009. In the November 10 general election, Bartlett received about 45% of the vote, to 36% for Adelson and 18% for independent Mark Perkins. Bartlett took office on December 7, 2009.Shannon Muchmore and Brian Barber, Tulsa mayor-elect, newly elected councilors sworn in , Tulsa World, December 7, 2009.
In May 2011, the Tulsa city auditor issued a report stating that Bartlett had violated two sections of the city's ethics rules by accepting free legal advice from a lawyer who had also represented the city."Tulsa Mayor Dewey Bartlett Violated Ethics Code, Report Says", KOTV, May 19, 2011. Bartlett and his lawyer have disputed this finding.P. J. Lassek, "Mayor calls the ethics finding against him 'dead wrong'" , Tulsa World, May 24, 2011.
In the 2013 mayoral election, Bartlett faced challenges from his Democratic predecessor, Kathy Taylor,"Former Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor To Run Again", KOTV-DT, January 28, 2013. as well as from another Republican, city councilman Bill Christiansen, and several other candidates. In the mayoral primary election on June 11, 2013, the city used a new non-partisan election system for the first time, and Bartlett finished second, with 34.2%, behind Taylor's 42.1% but ahead of Christiansen's 23.1%. Taylor and Bartlett then met in a runoff election on November 12, 2013,"Taylor, Bartlett Advance to November Election for Tulsa Mayor", KTUL, June 11, 2013. and Bartlett won reelection with 55.7% of the vote."2013 Tulsa Municipal Election" , Tulsa City-County Library (accessed 2014-03-12).
In 2016, Bartlett lost reelection to city councilor and fellow Republican G. T. Bynum, who received about 56 percent of the vote while Bartlett had about 38 percent. "GT Bynum Defeats Incumbent Bartlett For Tulsa Mayor", KOTV, June 28, 2016
Electoral history
References
External links Bio - Mayor Dewey F. Bartlett Jr. at City of Tulsa website