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Gene Whisnant
Gene Whisnant
Member of the Oregon House of Representatives; from the 53rd district
	In office; January 2003 – January 14, 2019
Preceded by	Ben Westlund
Succeeded by	Jack Zika
Personal details
Born	Cleatus Gene Whisnant; December 8, 1943 (age 81); Caroleen, North Carolina, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Josie Whisnant
Children	1
Education	University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (BA); University of Arkansas, Fayetteville (MA)

Cleatus Gene Whisnant (born December 8, 1943) is a Republican politician from the US state of Oregon. He served in the Oregon House of Representatives representing District 53, which encompasses most of Deschutes County, including the cities of Redmond and Sisters, and portions of the city of Bend.

Early life and military career

Whisnant was born Cleatus Gene Whisnant in North Carolina,^[1] and attended West Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, later graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1966 with a bachelor's degree in journalism. He later received a master's degree in International Affairs from the University of Arkansas in 1976.^[2]^[3]^[4]^{[self-published source]}

In 1966, Whisnant was commissioned to the United States Air Force from the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, attending Air Command and Staff College and National Defense University. He served in the Vietnam War, where he flew 32 missions as a combat cameraman. Whisnant also served on American bases in Germany and Yugoslavia, where he served in various command and staff positions before his retirement as a colonel in the early 1990s.^[2]^[3]^[4]^{[self-published source]}

Political career

Following his retirement from the military, Whisnant moved to Oregon and became involved in politics in Deschutes County, serving as the treasurer and later chairman of the Deschutes County Republican Party. In 2003, he was appointed to fill the vacant seat in the Oregon House of Representatives created when Ben Westlund was appointed to a seat in the Oregon Senate.^[5] and has been re-elected four times, most recently in 2010. He served as the deputy Republican whip and was Republican whip in 2007.^[6]

Whisnant is a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), serving as Oregon state leader.^[7] In August 2011, he was given ALEC's 2011 Legislator of the Year Award. His support and advocacy in animal-related measures saw him labeled as a 2011 "Top Dog" by the Oregon Humane Society.^[8]

Personal life

Whisnant's wife is Josie Whisnant. They have one son. Whisnant and his family live in Sunriver.^[2]

Electoral history

2004 Oregon State Representative, 53rd district^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Gene Whisnant	25,106	83.5
	Constitution	Mark M. Francis	4,624	15.4
	Write-in		325	1.1
Total votes			30,055	100%

2006 Oregon State Representative, 53rd district^[10]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Gene Whisnant	16,527	59.1
	Democratic	Bill A. Smith	11,406	40.8
	Write-in		31	0.1
Total votes			27,964	100%

2008 Oregon State Representative, 53rd district^[11]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Gene Whisnant	22,058	67.1
	Democratic	Conrad Ruel	10,753	32.7
	Write-in		50	0.2
Total votes			32,861	100%

2010 Oregon State Representative, 53rd district^[12]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Gene Whisnant	21,532	72.8
	Democratic	John Huddle	8,012	27.1
	Write-in		52	0.2
Total votes			29,596	100%

2012 Oregon State Representative, 53rd district^[13]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Gene Whisnant	21,675	97.9
	Write-in		460	2.1
Total votes			22,135	100%

2014 Oregon State Representative, 53rd district^[14]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Gene Whisnant	20,173	97.7
	Write-in		482	2.3
Total votes			20,655	100%

2016 Oregon State Representative, 53rd district^[15]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Gene Whisnant	24,425	67.5
	Democratic	Michael Graham	11,727	32.4
	Write-in		60	0.2
Total votes			36,212	100%

References

^ Staver, Anna (August 1, 2014). "The politics of candidates' names". Statesman Journal. Retrieved August 25, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Representative Gene Whisnant". Oregon State Legislature. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
^ ^a ^b "Gene Whisnant". Project VoteSmart. Archived from the original on May 21, 2011. Retrieved October 30, 2008.
^ ^a ^b "Air Force Record". GeneWhisnant.com. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved October 30, 2008.
^ Hortsch, Dan; Dave Hogan; Janie Har (September 5, 2003). "Political notebook: Whisnant appointed to fill Westlund's House seat". The Oregonian.
^ Cole, Michelle (August 31, 2007). "Hanna elected new leader of House Republican caucus". The Oregonian.
^ "State Chairs - American Legislative Exchange Council". Archived from the original on April 1, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
^ 2011 Oregon Humane Society Legislative Scorecard Archived June 28, 2012, at the Wayback Machine at the Oregon Humane Society
^ "Official Results | November 2, 2004". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ "Official Results | November 7, 2006". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ "Official Results | November 4, 2008". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ "Official Results November 2, 2010". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ "Official Results | November 6, 2012". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ "November 4, 2014, General Election, Official Abstract of Votes". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
^ "November 8, 2016, General Election Abstract of Votes". Oregon Secretary of State. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.