13 things about Oklahoma City’s James Lankford

James Paul Lankford is a resident of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States. The city is around 207 miles away from Dallas, Texas, USA.

Lankford was born in Dallas to James Wesley Lankford and Linda Joyce House, who was born in Dallas to Arthur Hansel House and Bessie Mae House. James Wesley and Linda have another son named Brian Wesley Lankford, who is married to Dana Lankford.

James Wesley and his parents owned a dairy farm. Arthur and Bessie owned a dry-cleaning business.

In 1980, Linda married David Livingston Garrett. Born in Pilot Point, Texas, he turned 69 on January 3, 1997 and died in Dallas on August 24, 1997.

Garrett and Linda have two sons together namely Kevin Garrett and David Garrett Jr. David Jr. married Tanya Garrett.

BIOGRAPHY

James Paul is an American politician who is also an ordained Southern Baptist minister. Here are 13 more things about him:

1. In July 1971, his father died.
2. In 1990, he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in Austin, Texas with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education with a specialization in speech and history.
3. In 1992, he and Cindy Hennessey got married.
4. In 1994, he graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas with a master’s degree in divinity.
5. In 1995, he moved from Texas to Oklahoma.
6. From 1996 to 2009, he was the president of the Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center in the Arbuckle Mountains of Oklahoma.
7. From January 3, 2011 to January 3, 2015, he was a member of the U.S. Representatives from Oklahoma’s fifth district.
8. From January 3, 2013 to January 3, 2015, he was the chair of the U.S. House Republican Policy Committee.
9. In 2014, he won the special election for U.S. senator from Oklahoma.
10. He was reelected as a U.S. senator from Oklahoma in 2016 and 2022 and became the state’s senior senator in 2023.
11. From February 3, 2021 to January 3, 2025, he was the vice chair of the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee.
12. From December 19, 2019 to February 3, 2021, he was the chair of the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee.
13. On March 4, 2025, he turned 57.

TIMELINE

James attends the Qual Springs Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. He and Cindy have two daughters together namely Hannah Lankord and Jordan Lankford.

2022

• His mother turned 79 on June 4, 2022 and died in Oklahoma City on July 4, 2022.

2023

• On May 11, 2023, he spoke on border security  during a press conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., USA.

2024

• On November 13, 2024, he was elected the Republican Conference vice chair for the 119th U.S. Congress.

2025

• On January 3, 2025, he assumed office as the chair of the U.S. Senate Ethics Committee and the vice chair of the U.S. Senate Republican Conference.