James Lankford
Acting
Biography
James Paul Lankford (born March 4, 1968) is an American Baptist minister and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Oklahoma, a seat he has held since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he represented Oklahoma's 5th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015. From 1996 to 2009, Lankford was president of the Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center, a youth camp operated by the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. He is an ordained Southern Baptist minister. In 2010, Lankford ran for Oklahoma's 5th congressional district. In the Republican primary, he defeated state representative Kevin Calvey in a runoff, and he defeated Democratic nominee Billy Coyle in the general election. Lankford was reelected in 2012; shortly thereafter, he was named chair of the House Republican Policy Committee. In lieu of running for a third term in the House, Lankford announced he would run in the 2014 U.S. Senate special election following Senator Tom Coburn's planned resignation. He won the June 2014 primary with 57% of the vote, becoming the Republican nominee. Lankford won the special election with nearly 68% of the vote, defeating Democratic nominee Connie Johnson. He was reelected in 2016 with nearly 68% of the vote and in 2022 with 64% of the vote. Lankford became the state's senior senator in 2023, when Senator Jim Inhofe retired.
Known For
In advance of the 2020 Presidential election, Kill Chain: The Cyber War on America's Elections takes a deep dive into the weaknesses of today's election technology, investigating the startling vulnerabilities in America's voting systems and the alarming risks they pose to our democracy.
Kill Chain: The Cyber War on America's Elections
How is it we know so little about something so widespread? None of us are more than a family member or neighbor away from autism. The disorder has been growing so fast it has been described as a tsunami - one of which our state and federal government and social agencies are woefully unprepared. The challenges don’t happen in a vacuum, and children with adults grow into adults with autism. Sounding the Alarm follows autism families as they negotiate tangled rules and regulations, and steadfastly fight to find and afford the right care and treatment for their loved ones throughout their lives. As the film reveals, even a rock star, a wounded warrior and the president of one of the world’s most powerful media and entertainment companies can struggle to get the help they need.
Sounding the Alarm: Battling the Autism Epidemic
Through interviews and real-life examples, Hari Sreenivasan and Dr. Haass explore how Americans are working towards strengthening democracy and renewing the spirit of a more informed and engaged citizenry.