Editing David Walters

{{Short description|American politician}}
{{about||the American swimmer|David Walters (swimmer)|the Zimbabwean rugby union player|Dave Walters (rugby union)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name        = David Walters
|image = David Walters.jpg
|order       = 24th [[Governor of Oklahoma]]
|lieutenant  = [[Jack Mildren]]
|term_start  = January 14, 1991
|term_end    = January 9, 1995
|predecessor = [[Henry Bellmon]]
|successor   = [[Frank Keating]]
|birth_name  = David Lee Walters
|birth_date  = {{birth date and age|1951|11|20}}
|birth_place = [[Canute, Oklahoma]], U.S.
|death_date  = 
|death_place = 
|spouse=
|children=4
|party       = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|education   = [[University of Oklahoma]] {{small|([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])}}<br>[[Harvard University]] {{small|([[Master of Business Administration|MBA]])}}
}}
'''David Lee Walters''' (born November 20, 1951) is an American businessman and politician who served as the 24th [[governor of Oklahoma]] from 1991 to 1995.

Born in [[Canute, Oklahoma]], Walters was  a project manager for Governor [[David Boren]] and the youngest executive officer working for the [[University of Oklahoma]] Health Sciences Center. He also worked in commercial [[real estate]]. As governor, he increased education funding, but his term was marred by controversies that ended with him pleading guilty to a [[misdemeanor]] election violation. He did not seek re-election and was defeated in a [[2002 United States Senate election in Oklahoma|2002]] campaign for the [[United States Senate]]. He is the [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] of Walters Power International, a global provider of local power.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.walterspower.com/|title=Home {{!}} Walters Power International|website=Walters Power Intern|language=en|access-date=2020-04-22}}</ref>

==Early life==
Walters was born near [[Canute, Oklahoma]], and graduated as [[valedictorian]] from Canute High School in 1969.<ref name="bburke">Burke, Bob. "[http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/W/WA012.html Walters, David Lee (1951- )] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105002138/http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/W/WA012.html |date=2013-11-05 }}," Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History. (accessed July 18, 2013)</ref> He earned a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from the [[University of Oklahoma]] in 1973 and a master's degree in business administration from [[Harvard University]] in 1977.<ref name="bburke"/>

He worked as the project manager for Governor [[David Boren]] and as the assistant and associate provost of the [[University of Oklahoma]] Health Sciences Center. At the age of 29, he was the youngest executive officer in the university’s history. In 1982, he joined The Burks Group, a commercial [[real estate]] company. He was appointed co-chairman of the governor's 100-member Reform Commission in 1984 and became the president of American Fidelity Property Company in 1985.

==Governor of Oklahoma==
In [[1986 Oklahoma gubernatorial election|1986]], Walters was the [[Democratic Party of the United States|Democratic]] nominee for [[governor of Oklahoma]], but was defeated by Republican [[Henry L. Bellmon]], who returned to the governorship after completing his first term 20 years earlier.

On November 6, 1990 Walters was elected governor, carrying 75 of the state’s 77 counties. During his term education funding increased by approximately 30 percent and a $350 million [[Bond (finance)|bond]] issue for [[higher education]] brought construction and renovation to every state college campus.

Walters planned on making the Blue Room, a large ceremonial hall in the [[Oklahoma State Capitol|State Capitol]], into his office.<ref>[http://newsok.com/walters-plans-to-convert-blue-room-into-his-office/article/2343734 Walters plans to convert Blue Room into his office], Newsok.com, January 10, 1991 (accessed April 6, 2013)</ref>

While in office he was accused of election violations in that he conspired to hide $18,000 in campaign donations by attributing them to someone else. At the end of procedures, Governor Walters asked prosecutors what they wanted to end the rather lengthy process. An agreement was reached that the governor would plead guilty to a misdemeanor offense and pay a fine, in return for which his record would be expunged in twelve months. Though Walters claimed his innocence of the charges, he said it was in the best interest of the state and his family to accept the plea agreement.  Twelve months later the charge was expunged from his record.<ref>[https://www.okhistory.org] | Oklahoma Historical Society | Walters, David Lee (1951-) | [https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=WA012]</ref><ref name=guilty>{{cite news | title = Guilty governor won't run | newspaper = [[Milwaukee Sentinel]] | page = 2 | date = 1993-11-02 }}</ref> He did not run for re-election in 1994, citing the pressure and negative publicity of political office, which he partly blamed for the suicide of his son in 1991.<ref name=guilty/>

===Cabinet===
*Secretary of State - John Kennedy (1991-1995)
*Secretary of Agriculture - [[Gary Sherrer (Oklahoma politician)|Gary Sherrer]] (1991–1995)
*Secretary of Education - [[Sandy Garrett]] (1991–1995)
*Secretary of Energy - [[Charles R. Nesbitt]] (1991–1995)
*Secretary of Human Resources - James Thomas (1991), [[Oscar B. Jackson Jr.]] (1991–1995)
*Secretary of Safety and Security - Robert Fitzpatrick (1991–1995)
*Secretary of Transportation - Delmas Ford (1991-1995)
*Secretary of Veterans Affairs - John Willis (1991-1995)

===U.S. Senate campaign===
In [[2002 United States Senate election in Oklahoma|2002]], Walters was the unsuccessful [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic]] nominee for the [[United States Senate]], losing to incumbent [[Jim Inhofe]].<ref name=senate>{{cite web| url = https://www.foxnews.com/story/senate-race-results | title = Senate Race Results | access-date = 2010-01-27 | date = 2002-11-06 | publisher = [[Fox News Channel]]}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{C-SPAN|16886}}


{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=[[George Nigh]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] nominee for [[Governor of Oklahoma]]|years=[[1986 Oklahoma gubernatorial election|1986]], [[1990 Oklahoma gubernatorial election|1990]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Jack Mildren]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[John D. Waiheʻe III|John Waiheʻe]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the [[Democratic Governors Association]]|years=1992–1993}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Evan Bayh]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[James Boren]]}}
{{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] nominee for [[List of United States Senators from Oklahoma|U.S. Senator]] from [[Oklahoma]]}}<br>([[Classes of United States Senators|Class 2]])|years=[[2002 United States Senate election in Oklahoma|2002]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Andrew Rice]]}}
|-
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Henry Bellmon]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Governor of Oklahoma]]|years=1991–1995}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Frank Keating]]}}
|-
{{s-prec|usa}}
{{s-bef|before=[[George Nigh]]|as=Former Governor}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[United States order of precedence|Order of precedence of the United States]]|years=}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Frank Keating]]|as=Former Governor}}
{{s-end}}

{{Governors of Oklahoma}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walters, David}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:Democratic Party governors of Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Harvard Business School alumni]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Washita County, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Oklahoma politicians convicted of crimes]]
[[Category:University of Oklahoma alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century Oklahoma politicians]]