Oklahoma's Kevin Hern running for Speaker: What to know about his background, voting record

Oklahoma US Rep. Kevin Hern is one of nine candidates hoping to be elected as Speaker of the House.

If elected, it would only be the second time a representative from Oklahoma held the position. The first and only time was when Carl Albert held the speakership from 1971 to 1975.

Kevin Hern announces bid for House Speaker

Though he previously said he wouldn't run for Speaker on Oct. 7, Hern announced Oct. 20 that he would be seeking the post after all, hoping to bring the unity he said the House GOP needs.

"I've spoken to every member of the conference over the last few weeks," Hern said via X. "We need a different type of leader who has a proven track record of success, which is why I'm running for Speaker of the House."

With the House GOP caucus determining a nominee for Speaker of the House Monday evening, Here's what you need to know about Oklahoma Rep. Kevin Hern.

Who is Oklahoma US Rep. Kevin Hern?

Hern, a businessman-turned-politician, bought his first McDonald's restaurant in North Little Rock, Arkansas in 1997, with money he had saved from several small business ventures.

His move to becoming a fast-food franchisee came after a career as an aerospace engineer, before the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster rocked the industry and left him without a job.

Two years later he purchased two McDonald's restaurants in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and moved his family to the state. He eventually owned 24 of the restaurants in northeast Oklahoma.

Hern was sworn into Congress on Nov. 13, 2018. Hern has since sold his McDonald's franchises, but in a financial disclosure earlier this year, Hern reported having between $36 million and $111 million in assets.

He and his wife Tammy live in Tulsa and have three children and three grandchildren.

Is Kevin Hern an election denier? How he responded to 2020 election, Jan. 6

Hern is one of 147 Republican congress members who voted to overturn the 2020 election results, citing objections to the electoral college results.

"I have a duty to stand firm with the millions of Americans across the country who share deep and legitimate concerns about the integrity of our election system and the unconstitutional changes to the election laws in certain states during the presidential election," Hern said in a statement on Jan. 7, 2021.

In response to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack — during which rioters disrupted lawmakers who were voting whether or not to certify the election results — Hern condemned the incident and said he supported "the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of those involved in the violent acts to the full extent of the law."

Kevin Hern voting record

Hern's voting record can be found on his website.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Who is Kevin Hern? What to know about the Speaker of the House candidate