Regina Goodwin

Regina Goodwin
Member of the Oklahoma Senate
from the 11th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 13, 2024
Preceded byKevin Matthews
Member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
from the 73rd district
In office
July 21, 2015 – November 13, 2024
Preceded byKevin Matthews
Succeeded byRon Stewart
Personal details
Born (1962-09-22) September 22, 1962 (age 62)
Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic

Regina Goodwin (born September 22, 1962) is an American politician who has served in the Oklahoma Senate representing the 11th district since 2024. She represented the 73rd district of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 2015 to 2024.

Early life and family

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Regina Goodwin was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and raised in the city's historic Greenwood District, also known as Black Wall Street.[1][2] Her great-grandfather James Henri Goodwin, a native of Mississippi, moved to the Greenwood District in 1914 where he co-founded the Jackson Undertaking Company and managed the Tulsa Star. James Henri and his son Edward, Goodwin's grandfather, both survived the 1921 Tulsa race massacre.[2] Edward later founded The Oklahoma Eagle in 1936, which would become the state's longest running Black newspaper.[2][3] Her father, Edward Jr., also ran The Oklahoma Eagle.[2]

Goodwin graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa in 1980, and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Kansas. She completed coursework for her master's degree at Columbia College in Chicago, Illinois.[4]

She first ran for the Oklahoma Senate's 11th district in a 2015 special election to succeed Jabar Shumate, but narrowly lost the Democratic primary election to Kevin Matthews.[5]

Oklahoma State Legislature

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Oklahoma House

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Goodwin was elected to serve as State Representative, Tulsa House District 73 in a 2015 special election.[6] Goodwin is Assistant Minority Floor Leader and the Chair of the Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus, which is made of up seven members.[4][7]

Goodwin has worked on issues related to public education, housing, health care, and police reform. In 2019, she highlighted possible instances of excessive use of force by Tulsa police officers,[8] following the 2016 killing of Terrence Crutcher[9] by Tulsa police officer, Betty Shelby[10] and the 2017 Tulsa police killing of Joshua Barre.[11] In 2020, Goodwin and other members of the Black Caucus again called for police reform,[12] when, on June 4, 2020, Tulsa police stopped two African American boys walking down a street and detained them for jaywalking. Police body cam footage showed one officer sitting on one of the boys while holding the back of his neck and pressing his face to the ground.[12][13]

In June 2020, when Donald Trump announced that he would be holding a campaign rally on Juneteenth a few blocks from the Tulsa 1921 race massacre, Goodwin held a press conference with other members of the Black Caucus to register their concerns about heightened racial tensions and increased health risks related to COVID-19.[1] Trump subsequently rescheduled the rally to June 20, 2020.[14] Goodwin called Trump's choice to hold a rally "more provocative than productive."[15][16]

In June 2021, on the 100-year anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, Goodwin and other members of the Black Caucus called for reparations and other measures to ensure that massacre is never repeated.[17]

Goodwin is the author of the following bills that are now law:

  • HB 1357, the Caregiver Support Act, which provides resources and $360 vouchers for caregivers[18]
  • HB 3393, the Anti-Shackling Law, which bans the shackling of pregnant incarcerated women during labor and delivery[19]
  • HB 2253, which clarifies when voting rights are restored for people convicted of felonies[20]

State Senator

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In June 2024, Goodwin won the Democratic primary for the Oklahoma Senate's 11th district, defeating Joe Williams. Since no non-Democratic candidate filed for the election, Goodwin won the seat after the June election.[21] She was sworn in on November 13, 2024.[22]

Select awards

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Electoral history

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2015 Oklahoma Senate district 11 Democratic primary special election[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kevin Matthews 1,619 47.3%
Democratic Regina Goodwin 1,317 38.5%
Democratic Heather Nash 486 14.2%
Total votes 3,422 100.0
2015 Oklahoma House of Representatives district 73 Democratic primary special election[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Regina Goodwin 850 34.7%
Democratic Jonathan Townsend 673 27.4%
Democratic Joe Williams 499 20.3%
Democratic Jennettie P. Marshall 199 8.1%
Democratic Jeanetta D. Williams 155 6.3%
Democratic Robert Lewis 57 2.3%
Democratic Norris Minor 20 0.8%
Total votes 2,453 100.0
2016 Oklahoma House of Representatives district 72 Democratic primary election[28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Regina Goodwin (incumbent) 2,830 62.2%
Democratic Jonathan Townsend 1,720 37.8%
Total votes 4,550 100.0
2016 Oklahoma House of Representatives district 72 general election[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Regina Goodwin (incumbent) 9,697 88.6%
Republican Leland Cole 1,243 11.4%
Total votes 10,940 100.0

In 2018, Goodwin was reelected without opposition.[30]

In 2020, Goodwin was reelected without opposition.[31]

In 2022, Goodwin was reelected without opposition.[32]

References

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  1. ^ a b Michael, Martin; Goodwin, Regina (June 20, 2020). "Oklahoma State Rep. Regina Goodwin On Trump's Visit To Tulsa". NPR. All Things Considered. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Jackson, Lee Anna A. (May 31, 2021). "Tulsa, 100 Years Later: Black Wall Street Remembered". Essence. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  3. ^ Luckerson, Victor (March 1, 2020). "Michael Bloomberg's Black Agenda Gets Reviewed on Black Wall Street". The New Yorker. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Representative Regina Goodwin". okhouse.gov. Oklahoma House of Representatives. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  5. ^ Krehbiel, Randy (April 8, 2015). "Kevin Matthews wins three-way battle for state Senate". Tulsa World. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
  6. ^ Krehbiel, Randy (July 15, 2015). "Regina Goodwin wins House District 73 special election". Tulsa World. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  7. ^ Felder, Ben (January 21, 2019). "Growing black caucus in Oklahoma Legislature expands its voice". The Oklahoman. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  8. ^ Schlotthauer, Kelsy (October 17, 2019). "State Rep. Regina Goodwin questions use of force by Tulsa police officers". Tulsa World. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  9. ^ Blau, Max; Morris, Jason; Shoichet, Catherine E. (May 18, 2017). "Tulsa police shooting investigated by Justice Department". CNN. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  10. ^ Stack, Liam (March 1, 2019). "Tulsa Police Officer Who Killed Unarmed Black Man Won't Face Civil Rights Charges". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  11. ^ Juozapavicius, Justin (June 17, 2017). "Shooting of mentally ill man raises policing questions". AP News. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  12. ^ a b Olguin, Gustavo (June 13, 2020). "Protesters, law makers call for police reforms in Tulsa". KTUL. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  13. ^ Phillip, Abby (June 16, 2020). "Tulsa's black residents grapple with the city's racist history and police brutality ahead of Trump's rally". WRAL-TV. CNN. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  14. ^ Reston, Maeve (13 June 2020). "Trump makes a rare retreat by rescheduling Juneteenth rally" (Analysis). CNN. Retrieved 2020-07-13.
  15. ^ Heffernan, Virginia (June 19, 2020). "Column: Trump's Tulsa rally is shaping up to be a coronavirus petri dish" (Opinion). Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  16. ^ Kelley, Alexandra (June 19, 2020). "Trump's Tulsa rally raises concerns it will inflame racial tensions, become a coronavirus 'super-spreader' event". The Hill. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  17. ^ Jackson, Kimberly (May 31, 2021). "Oklahoma Black Caucus shows support for reparations and development". KTUL. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
  18. ^ "Rep. Regina Goodwin's 'Caregiver Support Act' goes to the governor's desk". capitolbeatok.worldsecuresystems.com. Retrieved 2020-07-13.[dead link‍]
  19. ^ Eaton, Kristi (July 18, 2018). "Oklahoma Has a New Law Banning the Shackling of Pregnant Women. Will It Make a Difference?". Rewire News Group. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  20. ^ Jones, Fred (May 2, 2019). "Clarifying Voting Rights For Felons, HB 2253, Was Signed Into Law". The Oklahoma Eagle. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  21. ^ Krehbiel, Randy (18 June 2024). "Oklahoma Senate leader toppled, while Guthrie, Reinhardt win local legislative races". Tulsa World. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  22. ^ Hoberock, Barbara (November 13, 2024). "Oklahoma state senators take oath of office". Oklahoma Voice. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  23. ^ Shelden, Darla (May 24, 2019). "Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women names state Rep. Regina Goodwin recipient of 2019 Guardian Award". City News OKC. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
  24. ^ Jones, Fred (March 23, 2018). "State Representative Regina Goodwin Honored As AARP 'Capitol Caregiver'". The Oklahoma Eagle. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  25. ^ "Women's Coalition Announce SHERO and Courage Award Winners". Oklahoma Women's Coalition. May 10, 2019. Retrieved July 13, 2020.[dead link‍]
  26. ^ "April 7, 2015 Oklahoma Official Results". results.okelections.us. Oklahoma State Election Board. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  27. ^ "July 14, 2015 Oklahoma Official Results". results.okelections.us. Oklahoma State Election Board. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  28. ^ "June 28, 2016 Oklahoma Official Results". results.okelections.us. Oklahoma State Election Board. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  29. ^ "November 8, 2016 Oklahoma Official Results". results.okelections.us. Oklahoma State Election Board. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  30. ^ Ziriax, Paul (April 17, 2018). "Oklahoma: Candidates for State Elective Office 2018" (PDF). Oklahoma State Election Board. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  31. ^ "Oklahoma State House - District 73 Election Results | Times Record News". Times Record News. November 17, 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  32. ^ Forman, Carmen (17 April 2022). "Who is and isn't running for the Oklahoma Legislature in 2022? What you should know". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
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