Stephanie Bice

Stephanie Irene Bice (née Asady; born November 11, 1973)^[1][2] is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Oklahoma's 5th congressional district since 2021. She is the first Iranian American to be elected to Congress. A member of the Republican Party, Bice previously represented the 22nd district in the Oklahoma Senate from 2014 to 2020.

Stephanie Bice
Official portrait, 2021
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 5th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2021
Preceded by	Kendra Horn
Member of the Oklahoma Senate from the 22nd district
In office November 18, 2014 – December 31, 2020
Preceded by	Rob Johnson
Succeeded by	Jake Merrick
Personal details
Born	Stephanie Irene Asady (1973-11-11) November 11, 1973 (age 50) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Geoffrey Bice ​ (m. 1996)​
Children	2
Education	Oklahoma State University, Stillwater (BS)
Signature
Website	House Website

Early life, education, and early career

Bice was born in Oklahoma City to an American mother, Paula Sue Vanhooser and a half Iranian and half Pakistani father, Hosein "Joe" Asady. Asady came to California from Zahedan, Iran, via Karachi, Pakistan, at a young age to study computer science.^[3]

Bice graduated from Putnam City High School in Oklahoma City.^{[4][failed verification]} After graduating from Oklahoma State University with a bachelor's degree in marketing and a minor in international business,^[5] Bice worked for eight years in financial oversight, business strategy, and marketing for her family's technology company in Oklahoma City. She later helped lead a boutique digital marketing agency in Oklahoma City as vice president of business development.^[6][7]

Oklahoma Senate

Elections

Bice was first elected to the Oklahoma Senate in 2014.^[8] She was reelected in 2018 with 73% of the vote in the Republican primary and 68% of the vote in the general election.^[9][10][11]

Tenure

Bice represented the 22nd district in the Oklahoma Senate from 2014 to 2020.^[12][13][14] She served on the Subcommittee on General Government and Transportation, and the Business, Commerce & Tourism, Finance, Public Safety committees.^[14] In 2016, the Senate Republican Caucus elected Bice Assistant Majority Floor Leader.^[15]

Bice was the Senate sponsor of House Bill 1269, a law that provided relief to people who were serving felony prison sentences for crimes that are now misdemeanors.^[16] Instead of automatically granting retroactive relief to all eligible inmates, state lawmakers directed the Pardon and Parole Board to establish an accelerated, single-stage commutation docket to review eligible cases.

Bice sponsored SB 142, a measure that deals with the overuse of powerful antipsychotic drugs for nursing home patients who have not received a psychiatric diagnosis or given informed consent. The action was signed into law in May 2019.

Bice sponsored State Question 792, overhauling Oklahoma's liquor laws by allowing grocery stores to sell full-strength beer and wine.^[17]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2020

See also: 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Oklahoma § District 5

In April 2019, Bice announced her candidacy for Oklahoma's 5th congressional district in the 2020 election.^[18] The 5th district had been a Republican stronghold for over 40 years until Democrat Kendra Horn was elected in 2018.^[19]

In June 2020, Oklahoman.com reported that the Bice campaign sent a mailer including the Oklahomans for Life logo without the organization's permission. Bice said, "I understand Oklahomans for Life wasn't endorsing in this race and wanted to make clear that I am pro-life and have stood with Oklahomans for Life".^[20]

Bice placed second in the June 30 Republican primary behind Terry Neese, a businesswoman who was the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor of Oklahoma in 1990. As no candidate won 50% of the vote, Bice and Neese advanced to a runoff.^[21][22] Bice defeated Neese in the runoff and Horn in the general election.^[23][24] She focused her campaign on immigration and affordable healthcare.^[12]

Bice is the first Iranian American elected to Congress.^[25]

2022

See also: 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Oklahoma § District 5

Bice defeated primary challenger Subrina Banks in the Republican primary and Democratic candidate Joshua Harris-Till and Independent David Frosch in the general election.

2024

See also: 2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Oklahoma § District 5

Bice drew no Republican primary challengers in 2024 and will face Democratic candidate Madison Horn in the November election.^[26]

Tenure

In late 2020, Bice was identified as a participant in the Freedom Force, a group of incoming Republican members of the House of Representatives who "say they're fighting against socialism in America".^[27][28][29]

On January 6, 2021, Bice voted to object to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election.^[30]

On January 20, the day of Joe Biden's inauguration, Bice was one of 17 newly elected House Republicans to sign a letter congratulating him and expressing hope of bipartisan cooperation.^[31]

In March 2021, Bice voted against the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.^[32]

On May 19, 2021, Bice was one of 35 Republicans who joined all Democrats in voting to approve legislation to establish the January 6, 2021 commission meant to investigate the storming of the U.S. Capitol.^[33]

Bice voted to provide Israel with support following 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.^[34][35]

Committee assignments

• House Committee on Armed Services^[36]
  • Military Personnel Subcommittee
  • Cyber, Innovative Technologies, and Information Systems Subcommittee
• House Committee on Science, Space and Technology^[36]
  • Environment Subcommittee (ranking member)

Caucus Membership

• Congressional Coalition on Adoption^[37]

Appointments

• National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology^[38]

Personal life

She married Geoffrey Bice in 1996.^[39] They have two daughters and live in Edmond, Oklahoma.^[4] Bice is Catholic and attends St. Eugene Catholic Church also in Oklahoma City. She converted to Catholicism before her marriage.^[40] Bice was the commencement speaker in 2024 at Oklahoma State University, her alma mater.

Electoral history

2022 congressional election

2022 general election results, Oklahoma's 5th congressional district

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Stephanie Bice (incumbent)	152,699	59.0
	Democratic	Joshua Harris-Till	96,799	37.4
	Independent	David Frosch	9,328	3.6
Total votes			258,826	100.0

2022 Republican primary results, Oklahoma's 5th congressional district

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Stephanie Bice (incumbent)	51,612	68.4
	Republican	Subrina Banks	23,891	31.6
Total votes			75,503	100.0

2020 congressional election

2020 general election results, Oklahoma's 5th congressional district^[41]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Stephanie Bice	158,191	52.1
	Democratic	Kendra Horn (incumbent)	145,658	47.9
Total votes			303,849	100.0

2020 Republican primary runoff results, Oklahoma's 5th congressional district^[42]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Stephanie Bice	27,402	52.9
	Republican	Terry Neese	24,369	47.1
Total votes			51,771	100.0

2020 Republican primary results, Oklahoma's 5th congressional district^[43]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Terry Neese	24,822	36.5
	Republican	Stephanie Bice	17,289	25.4
	Republican	David Hill	12,915	19.0
	Republican	Janet Barresi	6,796	10.0
	Republican	Jake A. Merrick	1,736	2.6
	Republican	Michael Ballard	1,689	2.5
	Republican	Miles V. Rahimi	966	1.4
	Republican	Shelli Landon	912	1.3
	Republican	Charles Tuffy Pringle	907	1.3
Total votes			68,032	100.0

2018 Oklahoma State Senate election

2018 general election results, Oklahoma Senate District 22^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Stephanie Bice	24,465	68.3%	N/A
	Democratic	William Andrews	11,377	31.7%	N/A
Total votes			35,842	100%	N/A

2014 Oklahoma Senate election

Bice was unopposed in the 2014 general election.^[44]

2014 Republican runoff primary results, Oklahoma Senate District 22^[45]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Stephanie Bice	2,693	53.1
	Republican	Mark Thomas	2,381	46.9
Total votes			5,074	100.0

2014 Republican primary results, Oklahoma Senate District 22^[46]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Stephanie Bice	3,191	37.1
	Republican	Mark Thomas	2,845	33.2
	Republican	Leif Francel	2,537	29.6
Total votes			8,573	100.0

See also

• Women in the United States House of Representatives
• List of Arab and Middle Eastern Americans in the United States Congress
• List of Asian Americans and Pacific Islands Americans in the United States Congress

References

1. "Rep.-elect Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.-05)". November 30, 2020.
2. "Rep. Stephanie Bice". LegiStorm. Retrieved January 18, 2021. Full Name: Stephanie Irene Bice ... Alternate Name: Stephanie Irene Asady
3. Azma, Sheeva (January 21, 2023). "Stephanie Bice and A Tale of Two Iranian-Oklahomans". Fancy Comma, LLC.
4. "About | Stephanie Bice for Congress". BiceforCongress.com. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
5. Snyder, Dan (June 17, 2020). "Meet the candidate: Stephanie Bice (R-OK5)". KOKH.
6. Forman, Carmen (April 12, 2020). "Outlook 2020: Bice played a crucial role in bringing Oklahoma into the modern liquor era". Oklahoman.com. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
7. "Bice announces bid". Yukon Progress. April 26, 2019. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
8. "State Sen. Bice to challenge Oklahoma US Rep. Horn in 2020". KJRH. April 24, 2019.
9. "Stephanie Bice". Ballotpedia. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
10. "State Election Results, General Election, November 6, 2018". www.ok.gov.
11. OFFICIAL RESULTS - Primary Election, Oklahoma Secretary of State, June 26, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2021.
12. Stabile, Angelica (November 9, 2020). "13 GOP women join the House, dominating congressional elections, making history". FOX News. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
13. "Oklahoma District 5 election results: Stephanie Bice beats Kendra Horn for House seat". Oklahoman.com. November 4, 2020.
14. "Senator Stephanie Bice - District 22". Oksenate.gov. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
15. "Bice gets GOP leadership role". edmondlifeandleisure.com. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
16. "How Oklahoma enacted the largest commutation in US history". Washington Examiner. November 15, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
17. "Oklahoma State Question 792 alcohol ballot measure approved". Oklahoman. November 8, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
18. Scavelli, Melissa (April 24, 2019). "Stephanie Bice to run against Horn in 2020". KOKH. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
19. "Kendra Horn upsets Steve Russell in an Oklahoma City stunner". Oklahoman.com. November 6, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
20. "Anti-abortion group claims mail pieces misleading in 5th District primary". Oklahoman.com. June 18, 2020. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
21. "Live Primary Election Results: Races in Colorado, Oklahoma and Utah". The New York Times. June 30, 2020. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
22. Adger, Patrina (July 1, 2020). "Terry Neese, Stephanie Bice advance to Republican House runoff election". KOCO. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
23. Axelrod, Tal (August 25, 2020). "Bice wins Oklahoma GOP runoff to face Horn in November". The Hill. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
24. "Bice defeats Horn, wins back Oklahoma's lone Democratic seat". AP News. November 3, 2020.
25. Firozi, Paulina (November 7, 2020). "House GOP chipped away at Democratic majority. They can thank female candidates". The Washington Post.
26. Patterson, Matt (April 6, 2024). "Corporation Commission seat draws 5, congressional incumbents find opponents". NonDoc. Retrieved June 2, 2024.
27. Jankowicz, Mia. "A group of incoming GOP House members, calling themselves the 'Freedom Force,' are trying to counter Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's 'Squad'". Business Insider.
28. Parke, Caleb (December 1, 2020). "GOP Congresswoman-elect on forming 'Freedom Force': Left is 'totally out of line' with mainstream". Fox News.
29. "The 'Freedom Force': Republican group takes on the Squad and 'evil' socialism". The Guardian. November 30, 2020.
30. Polansky, Chris (January 7, 2021). "After Attack, All 5 Oklahoma US Representatives Still Vote To Oppose Certified Election Results". Public Radio Tulsa. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
31. Walsh, Deirdre (January 20, 2021). "17 House GOP Freshmen Write To Biden About Working Together". NPR. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
32. "FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 49". clerk.house.gov. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
33. LeBlanc, Paul (May 19, 2021). "Here are the 35 House Republicans who voted for the January 6 commission". CNN. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
34. Demirjian, Karoun (October 25, 2023). "House Declares Solidarity With Israel in First Legislation Under New Speaker". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
35. Washington, U. S. Capitol Room H154; p:225-7000, DC 20515-6601 (October 25, 2023). "Roll Call 528 Roll Call 528, Bill Number: H. Res. 771, 118th Congress, 1st Session". Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved October 30, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
36. "Committees". Representative Stephanie Bice. January 3, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
37. "About Us". www.ccainstitute.org.
38. "Lawmakers name appointees to new emerging biotech panel | InsideDefense.com". insidedefense.com. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
39. "OSCN Case Details". www.oscn.net.
40. "Oklahoma senator is named 'Friend of Faith'". The Oklahoman. September 22, 2018. Retrieved September 19, 2020.
41. "Oklahoma State Election Board Official Results, November 3, 2020". Results.OKElections.us. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
42. "Oklahoma State Election Board Official Results, August 25, 2020". Results.OKElections.us. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
43. "Oklahoma State Election Board Official Results, June 30, 2020". Results.OKElections.us. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
44. Holp, Karen (November 5, 2014). "Now Official: In Many Uncontested Races, Candidates Have Been Winners For Awhile". KGOU.
45. "Oklahoma State Election Board - 20140826 Runoffprimaryelections". www.ok.gov.
46. "Oklahoma State Election Board - 20140624 Primaryelections". www.ok.gov.

External links

• Representative Stephanie Bice official U.S. House website
• Campaign website
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
• Profile at Vote Smart
• Appearances on C-SPAN

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Kendra Horn	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 5th congressional district 2021–present	Incumbent
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by Cliff Bentz	United States representatives by seniority 293rd	Succeeded by Lauren Boebert