Doug Cox (born 1952) is an American politician from the state of

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

. A

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

, Cox served as a member of the

Oklahoma House of Representatives The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its members introduce and vote on bills and resolutions, provide legislative oversight for state agencies, and help to craft the state's b ...

, representing the 5th district from 2004 to 2016.

Early life and career

Cox earned his bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State University in 1974, and completed his medical degree at the University of Oklahoma in 1978. He works as an emergency room physician.

Political career

Cox was elected in 2004 with 56.39% of the vote. In the 2008 election, the Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee campaigned for Cox's Democratic opponent Kelly Kerr, wanting to punish Cox for being "too liberal" and referring to him as a "RINO – a Republican in name only". Cox was successfully re-elected with 71.66% of the vote. Cox identifies as

pro-life Anti-abortion movements, also self-styled as pro-life or abolitionist movements, are involved in the abortion debate advocating against the practice of abortion and its legality. Many anti-abortion movements began as countermovements in respons ...

, but does not support the abolition of abortion. He criticized his own party in 2014 for their proposal to ban

Medicaid Medicaid in the United States is a federal and state program that helps with healthcare costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid also offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, including nursing home care and pers ...

coverage for

emergency contraception Emergency contraception (EC) is a birth control measure, used after sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy. There are different forms of EC. Emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs), sometimes simply referred to as emergency contraceptives (ECs), o ...

. In 2016, Cox was term-limited and could not run for re-election.

Personal life

Cox and his wife, Susan, reside outside of

Grove, Oklahoma Grove is a city in Delaware County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 6,623 at the 2010 census, an increase of 27.6 percent over the figure of 5,131 recorded in 2000.

. Cox is of Creek ancestry.

References

1952 births 21st-century Native American politicians 21st-century American politicians Living people Republican Party members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives Muscogee (Creek) Nation state legislators in Oklahoma Physicians from Oklahoma People from Grove, Oklahoma Oklahoma State University alumni University of Oklahoma alumni {{Oklahoma-politician-stub