Joe Dorman

Joseph E. Dorman (born September 18, 1970) is an American politician who served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, representing the 65th electoral district between 2002 and 2014. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

An Oklahoma State University alumni, Dorman served in numerous roles in the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature and worked in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, before being elected to represent the 65th electoral district in 2002.

Dorman was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Oklahoma in the 2014 gubernatorial election, eventually losing to incumbent Mary Fallin.

Early life and career Dorman was born on September 18, 1970, to Bill and Jan Dorman of Rush Springs, Oklahoma. He graduated from Rush Springs High School and Oklahoma State University.

During his time at Oklahoma State University, Dorman was a member of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and a member and chairman of the Oklahoma State University Student Government Association Student Senate. He also served in other leadership roles, including in various roles in the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature.

Dorman is the only person in the history of the organization to be elected to every senior leadership position in the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature, including governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house, and president pro tempore of the senate.

Prior to serving in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, he worked as a mail clerk and runner in the chamber in 1994. After serving in other staff positions, he served as an assistant to the executive director of the House Stand and helped create an educational component for the high school pages that rotate each week through the Capitol. The Pageville program remains a popular aspect of the page program for Oklahoma high school students.

Dorman worked in Washington, D.C. as the research director for the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee for one campaign cycle, before returning to serve as Special Projects Coordinator for the Oklahoma House of Representatives. During that time, he served as the lead staff member for the Legislator Back to School Week Program, International Student Awareness Day, and the Pageville Mock Legislature. He also prepared a daily bill summary for House lawmakers.

He is the CEO of Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA).

Political career

Oklahoma House of Representatives State Rep. Joe Dorman speaks to the members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives on March 14, 2013, in the House chamber. Dorman resigned as an employee of the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 2002 to seek a seat in the chamber, representing a western Oklahoma electoral district following the retirement of long-term member and Speaker Pro Tempore Emeritus Jim Glover.

He currently served as the vice chair of the Democratic caucus in the Oklahoma House of Representatives and a member of the Sportsmen's Caucus.

Major legislation

Enacted

2003–2004 Education – House Bill 1572 allowed money donated to schools to be accumulated from year to year, rather than force schools to spend that money in the same year it is received. Elections – House Bill 2677 modified candidate residency dates for elections. losing to Republican incumbent Mary Fallin.

Community work Dorman maintains an active role in the community. He is involved with the Lion's Club, Rotary International, Elks Club, the National Rifle Association of America, the OSU Alumni Association, the Oklahoma 4-H Board of Directors, O.I.L. Foundation Board, and Oklahoma YMCA Youth and Government Advisory Board. and is a former director of alumni relations for the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature (formerly the Oklahoma Inter-Collegiate and University Parliament).