View source for Biography:Jim Inhofe

{{short description|American politician}}
{{pp-semi-blp|small=yes}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name         = Jim Inhofe
|image        = Jim Inhofe official portrait.jpg
|jr/sr        = United States Senator
|state        = Oklahoma
|alongside    = James Lankford
|term_start   = November 16, 1994
|term_end     = 
|predecessor  = David Boren
|successor    = 
|office1      = Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee
|term_start1  = September 6, 2018{{efn|Served as acting chairman in the absence of John McCain from December 2017 – September 6, 2018.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/how-the-oldest-senate-ever-is-taking-a-toll-on-the-operations-of-washington/2017/12/16/349f27b8-e1b3-11e7-89e8-edec16379010_story.html How the oldest Senate ever is taking a toll on the business of Washington]</ref>}}
|term_end1    = 
|predecessor1 = John McCain
|successor1   = 
|office2      = Chair of the Senate Environment Committee
|term_start2  = January 3, 2015
|term_end2    = January 3, 2017
|predecessor2 = Barbara Boxer
|successor2   = John Barrasso
|term_start3  = January 3, 2003
|term_end3    = January 3, 2007
|predecessor3 = Jim Jeffords
|successor3   = Barbara Boxer
|state4       = Oklahoma
|district4    = {{ushr|OK|1|1st}}
|term_start4  = January 3, 1987
|term_end4    = November 15, 1994
|predecessor4 = James R. Jones
|successor4   = Steve Largent
|office5      = 32nd Mayor of Tulsa
|term_start5  = May 9, 1978
|term_end5    = May 8, 1984
|predecessor5 = Robert LaFortune
|successor5   = Terry Young
|state_senate6= Oklahoma
|district6    = 35th     
|term_start6  = January 7, 1969
|term_end6    = January 4, 1977
|preceded6    = L. Beauchamp Selman
|succeeded6   = Warren Green
|state_house7 = Oklahoma
|district7    = 70th     
|term_start7  = January 7, 1967
|term_end7    = January 7, 1969
|preceded7    = Joseph McGraw
|succeeded7   = Richard Hancock
|birth_name   = James Mountain Inhofe
|birth_date   = {{nowrap|{{birth date and age|1934|11|17}}}}
|birth_place  = Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
|death_date   =
|death_place  =
|party        = Republican
|spouse       = {{marriage|Kay Kirkpatrick|1959}}
|children     = 4
|education    = [[Organization:University of Tulsa|University of Tulsa]] (BA)
|website      = {{url|inhofe.senate.gov|Senate website}}
|allegiance   = {{flag|United States}}
|branch       = {{army|United States}}
|serviceyears = 1956–1958
|rank         = [[File:Army-USA-OR-04b.svg|18px]] Specialist 4
}}
'''James Mountain Inhofe''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɪ|n|h|ɒ|f}}; born November 17, 1934) is an American politician serving as the senior United States Senator from Oklahoma, a seat he was first elected to in 1994. A member of the Republican Party, he chaired the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) from 2003 to 2007 and again from 2015 to 2017. Inhofe served as the U.S. Representative for {{ushr|OK|1}} from 1987 to 1994 and as mayor of Tulsa from 1978 to 1984.

Inhofe is known for his [[Earth:Climate change denial|rejection]] of the [[Earth:Global warming|scientific consensus on climate change]].<ref name="OUP Dryzek"/> He supports a constitutional amendment to ban [[Social:Same-sex marriage|same-sex marriage]] and has proposed the Inhofe Amendment to make [[Social:English language|English]] the [[Social:National language|national language]] of the United States.

Inhofe served as acting chairman of the Armed Services Committee while John McCain fought cancer in 2018. After McCain's death, he became chairman.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/jim-inhofe-named-chairman-of-senate-armed-services-committee |title=Jim Inhofe named chairman of Senate Armed Services Committee, replacing John McCain|date=September 5, 2018|accessdate=September 5, 2018|work=Washington Examiner|first=Travis J.|last=Tritten}}</ref>

==Early life, education, and business career==
Inhofe was born in Des Moines, Iowa, the son of Blanche (née Mountain) and Perry Dyson Inhofe.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/geo/OK/presbyterian.html|title=The Political Graveyard: Presbyterian Politicians in Oklahoma |first=Lawrence|last=Kestenbaum|website=politicalgraveyard.com}}</ref> He moved with his family to Tulsa, Oklahoma, as a child. He was a member of the Class of 1953 at Tulsa Central High School,<ref name="Eger">Andrea Eger, [http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?no=subj&articleid=L111200106&archive=yes "Central grads to be honored"], ''Tulsa World'', November 12, 2000.</ref> and served in the United States Army from 1957 to 1958.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=I000024|title=INHOFE, James Mountain - Biographical Information |website=bioguide.congress.gov}}</ref> Inhofe received a B.A. in economics from the [[Organization:University of Tulsa|University of Tulsa]] in 1973.<ref>{{cite news |last=Grenier |first=John |date=September 17, 1994 |title=Degree Disparity Surprises Inhofe |url=https://newsok.com/article/2477871/degree-disparity-surprises-inhofe |work=The Oklahoman |location=Oklahoma City, OK |ref={{sfnRef|"Degree Disparity Surprises Inhofe"}}}}</ref> Until his 1994 campaign for the U.S. Senate, Inhofe's official biographies and news articles about him indicated that he had graduated in 1959.{{sfn|"Degree Disparity Surprises Inhofe"}} Inhofe initially denied the stories that uncovered the discrepancy,{{sfn|"Degree Disparity Surprises Inhofe"}} but later acknowledged them.<ref>{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=September 17, 1994 |title=Senate Candidate Got Degree in '73, not '59 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/141688385/ |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |location=St. Louis, MO |url-access=subscription  |via=Newspapers.com |page=6A |ref={{sfnRef|"Senate Candidate Got Degree in '73, not '59"}}}}</ref> After admitting that the stories were true, Inhofe explained that he had been allowed to take part in graduation ceremonies in 1959 though he was a few credits short of completing his degree, and did not finish his coursework until 1973.{{sfn|"Senate Candidate Got Degree in '73, not '59"|page=6A}}

Inhofe worked as a businessman for 30 years before becoming a full-time politician.<ref name="OHS">{{cite web|last=Everett |first=Dianna |title=Jim Inhofe |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture |publisher=Oklahoma Historical Society |url=http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/I/IN024.html |accessdate=October 2, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101018203304/http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/I/IN024.html |archivedate=October 18, 2010}}</ref> He worked in aviation, as a real estate developer, and in insurance, eventually becoming the president of Quaker Life Insurance Company. During his curatorship, the company went into [[Social:Receivership|receivership]]; it was [[Finance:Liquidation|liquidated]] in 1986.<ref>[http://www.cmsynergy.com/Insurance/Rehab%20&%20Liquidations/Insurance_Company_Failures.htm Hyde Mulvihill APC Lawyers – "Insurers in Liquidation, Rehabilitation and under Conservation/Supervision"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060509112131/http://www.cmsynergy.com/Insurance/Rehab%20%26%20Liquidations/Insurance_Company_Failures.htm |date=May 9, 2006 }}</ref>

==Early political career==
[[File:Reagan Contact Sheet BW 6088 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Inhofe greeting President Ronald Reagan in 1982]]

===State legislature===
Inhofe became active in Oklahoma Republican politics in the mid-1960s. He was a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1967 to 1969, and a member of the Oklahoma Senate from 1969 until 1977, the last four of those years as minority leader.

===1974 gubernatorial election===
In 1974, he ran for governor of Oklahoma. In October 1974, then President Gerald Ford visited Oklahoma to campaign for him.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kPJGAAAAIBAJ&sjid=j_MMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1150,3320540&dq=jim+inhofe&hl=en|title=Lewiston Evening Journal - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/644857232.html?dids=644857232:644857232&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Oct+23%2C+1974&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Democratic+Election+Gains+Could+Jeopardize+Peace%2C+Ford+Asserts&pqatl=google |first=Rudy |last=Abramson |title=Democratic Election Gains Could Jeopardize Peace, Ford Asserts |date=October 23, 1974}}</ref> A late October poll by the Daily Oklahoman showed Boren leading 74%–25%.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bvhDAAAAIBAJ&sjid=NLAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5894,1464552&dq=jim+inhofe&hl=en|title=The Daily Sentinel - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}</ref> He lost to Democratic State Representative David Boren 64%–36%. Inhofe won only four counties in the election.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=225343|title=Our Campaigns - OK Governor Race - Nov 05, 1974 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> He lost 57&nbsp;pounds during the campaign and was down to 148&nbsp;pounds.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lqNHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cv8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=3363,3786080&dq=jim+inhofe&hl=en|title=The Morning Record - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}</ref>

===1976 congressional election===
In 1976 Inhofe ran for Oklahoma's 1st congressional district. In the Republican primary, he defeated State Senator Frank Keating and Mary Warner, 67%–25%–8%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=441270|title=Our Campaigns - OK District 1 - R Primary Race - Aug 24, 1976|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> In the general election, he lost to incumbent Democrat James R. Jones, 54%–45%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=31540|title=Our Campaigns - OK District 1 Race - Nov 02, 1976|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref>

===Mayor of Tulsa===
In 1978 Inhofe was elected mayor of Tulsa, defeating Democrat Rodger Randle, 51%–46%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=494283|title=Our Campaigns - Mayor - Tulsa, OK Race - Apr 04, 1978 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> In 1980 he won reelection unopposed<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=494284|title=Our Campaigns - Mayor - Tulsa, OK Race - Mar 04, 1980 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> and in 1982 he was reelected with 59% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=494285|title=Our Campaigns - Mayor - Tulsa, OK Race - Apr 06, 1982 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref>

==U.S. House of Representatives==
===Elections===
In 1986, when Representative Jones decided to retire to run for the U.S. Senate, Inhofe ran for the 1st District and won the Republican primary with 54%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=734194|title=Our Campaigns - OK District 1 - R Primary Race - Aug 26, 1986|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> In the general election, he defeated Democrat Gary Allison 55%–43%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=52163|title=Our Campaigns - OK District 1 Race - Nov 04, 1986 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> In 1988 he won reelection against Democrat Kurt Glassco, Governor George Nigh's legal counsel, 53%–47%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=37724|title=Our Campaigns - OK District 1 Race - Nov 08, 1988|website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> In 1990 he defeated Glassco again, 56%–44%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=34428|title=Our Campaigns - OK District 1 Race - Nov 06, 1990 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref> After redistricting, the 1st District contained only two counties, all of Tulsa and some parts of Wagoner. In 1992 Inhofe was reelected with 53% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=28352|title=Our Campaigns - OK District 1 Race - Nov 03, 1992 |website=www.ourcampaigns.com}}</ref>

===Tenure===
In 1987 Inhofe voted against President Ronald Reagan's budget, which included tax increases and no increase in defense spending.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YUBDAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XK0MAAAAIBAJ&pg=2822,26744&dq=james+inhofe&hl=en|title=Daily Leader - Google News Archive Search|website=news.google.com}}</ref>

He first came to national attention in 1993, when he led the effort to reform the House's [[Social:Discharge petition|discharge petition]] rule, which the House leadership had long used to bottle up bills in committee.

==U.S. Senate==
[[File:Neil_Gorsuch_and_Jim_Inhofe.jpg|thumb|right|Inhofe meeting with Neil Gorsuch in March 2017]]

=== Elections ===
In 1994, incumbent Senator David Boren, who had been serving in the Senate since 1979, agreed to become president of the [[Organization:University of Oklahoma|University of Oklahoma]] and announced he would resign as soon as a successor was elected. Inhofe was elected Boren's successor in an election cycle that saw the Republican Party take both houses of Congress and the Oklahoma governorship (the latter for only the third time in state history). Inhofe took office on November 16, giving him more seniority than the incoming class of senators. After serving the last two years of Boren's term, he won his first full term in 1996. He was reelected in 2002, 2008 and 2014.

===Tenure===
;Fundraising
In the 2008 election cycle, Inhofe's largest campaign donors represented the oil and gas ($446,900 in donations), leadership PACs ($316,720) and electric utilities ($221,654) industries/categories.<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/industries.php?cycle=2008&cid=N00005582&type=I Top Industries Senator James M Inhofe 2003-2008] at [http://www.opensecrets.org OpenSecrets.org, Center for Responsive Politics] . Retrieved April 21, 2010.</ref><ref name=Krehbiel/>
In 2010, his largest donors represented the oil and gas ($429,950) and electric ($206,654) utilities.<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/industries.php?cycle=Career&cid=N00005582&type=I Top Industries Senator James M Inhofe] at [http://www.opensecrets.org OpenSecrets.org, Center for Responsive Politics] . Retrieved April 21, 2010.</ref>

The primary PACs donating to his campaigns were Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association  ($55,869), [[Company:United Parcel Service|United Parcel Service]] ($51,850), National Association of Realtors ($51,700), National Rifle Association ($51,050) and American Medical Association ($51,000). Additionally, if company-sponsored PACs were combined with employee contributions, Koch Industries would be Inhofe's largest contributor, with $90,950 (less than 0.6% of total contributions), according to the Center for Responsive Politics.<ref name=Krehbiel>{{cite news|title=Stances mark differences in Senate race: Energy, national defense, the economy – the contrasts are stark in this race for the U.S. Senate|first=Randy |last=Krehbiel|work=McClatchy – Tribune Business News|location=Washington|date=October 26, 2008}}</ref><ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.php?cycle=Career&cid=N00005582&type=I Top Contributors Senator James M Inhofe] at [http://www.opensecrets.org OpenSecrets.org, Center for Responsive Politics]. Retrieved April 21, 2010.</ref>{{Undue weight inline|reason=All these numbers are out of the $16+ million for total federally reportable contributions since 1989. Even the $90,950 claimed for Koch Industries is less than 0.6%. (resolved if my edit holds, but there are still other "undue" problems)|date=August 2011}}

;Armed Services Committee
As a member of the Armed Services Committee, Inhofe was among the panelists questioning witnesses about the 2004 Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse, saying he was "outraged by the outrage" over the revelations of abuse. Although he believed that the individuals responsible for mistreating prisoners should be punished, he said that the prisoners "are not there for traffic violations ... they're murderers, they're terrorists, they're [[Chemistry:Iraqi insurgency (Iraq War)|insurgents]]".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/05/11/inhofe.abuse/index.html|title=GOP senator labels abused prisoners 'terrorists' |publisher=CNN |date=May 4, 2004 |accessdate=May 6, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/05/11/politics/main616896.shtml |title=GOP Sen.: 'Outraged' At Outrage |publisher=CBS News |date=May 11, 2004}}</ref> In 2006, Inhofe was one of only nine senators to vote against the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005, which prohibits "cruel, inhuman or degrading" treatment of individuals in U.S. Government custody.<ref>[http://uscode.house.gov/download/pls/42C21D.txt Text of the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090805042122/http://uscode.house.gov/download/pls/42C21D.txt |date=August 5, 2009 }} (Department of Defense, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations to Address Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, and Pandemic Influenza Act, 2006/Division A/Title X), SEC. 1003. Prohibition on Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment of Persons Under Custody of the United States Government: In this section, the term "cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment" means the cruel, unusual, and inhumane treatment or punishment prohibited by the Fifth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, as defined in the United States Reservations, Declarations and Understandings to the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/05/AR2005100502062.html|work=The Washington Post|title=Senate Supports Interrogation Limits|first1=Charles|last1=Babington|first2=Shailagh|last2=Murray|date=October 6, 2005|accessdate=May 6, 2010}}</ref>
 
When chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee John McCain was absent seeking medical treatment for brain cancer from December 2017, Inhofe became acting chairman of the committee. During this time, Inhofe helped secure the passage of the record $716 billion National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019.<ref>{{cite news |title=Trump backer Inhofe in line to chair powerful Senate Armed Services panel |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-mccain-defense/trump-backer-inhofe-in-line-to-chair-powerful-senate-armed-services-panel-idUSKCN1LC298 |work={{wipe|Reuters}} |accessdate=August 28, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Demirjian |first1=Karoun |title=John McCain's death marks a new era for congressional checks on Trump |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/mccains-death-marks-a-new-era-for-congressional-checks-on-trump/2018/08/25/c754a2a8-a4a5-11e8-8fac-12e98c13528d_story.html |newspaper={{wipe|Los Angeles Times}} |accessdate=August 28, 2018}}</ref> McCain died in August 2018, and Inhofe lauded him as his "hero".
Inhofe also said that McCain was "partially to blame for" the White House's controversial decision to raise flags back to full mast after less than two days, as McCain previously "disagreed with the President in certain areas and wasn't too courteous about it".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Killough |first1=Ashley |title=GOP senator praises McCain but says he's 'partially to blame' for White House flag controversy |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/08/27/politics/james-inhofe-john-mccain-white-house-flag/index.html |publisher=CNN |accessdate=August 28, 2018}}</ref>

On March 6, 2019, Inhofe said he intends to put language in the next defense authorization act to reinforce Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear agreement and reintroduce severe sanctions on Tehran.<ref>[https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/mar/6/jim-inhofe-seeks-to-drive-stake-through-iran-nucle/ Sen. Jim Inhofe seeks to drive stake through Iran nuclear deal]</ref>

'''Committee assignments'''[[File:CODEL James Inhofe visit to Kyiv, Ukraine, October 27-28, 2014 01.jpg|thumbnail|CODEL James Inhofe during a visit to [[Place:Kiev|Kiev]], {{wipe|Ukraine}}, October 27–28, 2014]]
Inhofe, as of the 115th Congress, is a member of the following committees:
* '''Committee on Armed Services'''
** Subcommittee on Airland
** Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
** Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
*'''Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation'''
* '''Committee on Environment and Public Works'''
* '''Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship'''

'''Caucus memberships'''

* International Conservation Caucus
* Senate Army Caucus
* Senate Diabetes Caucus
* Senate General Aviation Caucus
* Senate Rural Health Caucus
* Senate Tourism Caucus
* Sportsmen's Caucus

==Ideology and opinions==
Inhofe is the most conservative member of both the House and Senate, according to the 2017 GovTrack report card.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/report-cards/2017/senate|title=Report Cards for 2017 - All Senators - GovTrack.us|website=GovTrack.us|language=en|access-date=May 24, 2018}}</ref>

==Environmental issues==
===Early years; 2003 Chair of Environment and Public Works committee===
Before the Republicans regained control of the Senate in the November 2002 elections, Inhofe had compared the United States Environmental Protection Agency to a Gestapo bureaucracy,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Myers|first=Jim|title=Critics point to Inhofe's record|newspaper=Tulsa World|location=Tulsa, OK|date=November 30, 2002|accessdate=January 17, 2015 |url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?no=subj&articleid=021130_To_a1_criti&archive=yes|archive-url=https://archive.today/20110505010803/http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?no=subj&articleid=021130_To_a1_criti&archive=yes |url-status=dead|archive-date=May 5, 2011}}</ref><ref name="Mooney 16 April 2004">{{cite web |author=Chris Mooney |title=Earth Last: James Inhofe proves "flat Earth" doesn't refer to Oklahoma|website=The American Prospect|date=April 16, 2004  |url=http://prospect.org/article/earth-last-0|accessdate=January 17, 2015}}</ref>  and EPA Administrator Carol Browner to Tokyo Rose.<ref>"I think we have got a Tokyo Rose running the EPA." – Inhofe's remarks to the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, as reported in the Tulsa World, November 18, 1997.</ref> In January 2003, he became Chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and continued challenging mainstream science in favor of what he called "sound science", in accordance with the [[Biography:Frank Luntz#Global warming|Luntz memo]].<ref name="Mooney 16 April 2004" />

===Climate change denial===
Since 2003, when he was first elected Chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Inhofe has been the foremost Republican promoting arguments for [[Earth:Climate change denial|climate change denial]] in the [[Earth:Global warming controversy|global warming controversy]]. He famously said in the Senate that global warming is a hoax, and  has invited contrarians to testify in Committee hearings, and spread his views via the Committee website run by Marc Morano, and through his access to conservative media.{{sfn|Kutney|2014|p=107}}<ref name="OUP Dryzek">{{cite book|ref=harv|author1=John S. Dryzek|author2=Richard B. Norgaard|author3=David Schlosberg|title=The Oxford Handbook of Climate Change and Society|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JihhbdpO-yoC&pg=PA153|date=August 18, 2011|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-956660-0|p=153|quote=The single most prominent Republican when it comes to climate change denial is Oklahoma Senator James Inhofe, famous for claiming in a Senate speech that global warming is 'the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.'}}</ref> In 2012, Inhofe's ''The Greatest Hoax: How the Global Warming Conspiracy Threatens Your Future'' was published by WorldNetDaily Books, presenting his [[Earth:Global warming conspiracy theory|global warming conspiracy theory]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Inhofe |first=James|title=The greatest hoax : how the global warming conspiracy threatens your future|publisher=WND Books |location=Washington, D.C.|isbn=978-1936488490|edition=1st|year=2012}}</ref> He said that, because "God's still up there",  the "arrogance of people to think that we, human beings, would be able to change what He is doing in the climate is to me outrageous."{{sfn|Kutney|2014|p=112}}<ref>[http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/james-inhofe-says-bible-refutes-climate-change Inhofe on Voice of Christian Youth America's radio program] March 8, 2012, James Inhofe Says the Bible Refutes Climate Change.</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Congratulations, Voters; You Just Made This Climate Denier the Most Powerful Senator on the Environment |last=Leber |first=Rebecca |date=November 5, 2014 |publisher=NewRepublic.com |url=https://newrepublic.com/article/120134/climate-change-denier-james-inhofe-lead-environment-committee |accessdate=December 17, 2014}}</ref> However, he says he appreciates that this does not win arguments, and he has "never pointed to Scriptures in a debate, because I know this would discredit me." His opposition to climate action is as much based on concerns about over-regulation of businesses, and he has shown ability to work with his Senate opponents on other issues: in 2003 he co-sponsored legislation to protect the [[Biology:Kemp's ridley sea turtle|Kemp's ridley sea turtle]].<ref name="Washington Post 2015">{{cite web |title=Jim Inhofe is a small-plane-flying, global-warming-denying senator. And now he's got a gavel.|author=Ben Terris |website=Washington Post |date=January 7, 2015|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/the-senates-top-climate-change-denier-is-flying-high-with-a-committee-chairmanship/2015/01/07/bf625fe0-9365-11e4-ba53-a477d66580ed_story.html|accessdate=January 11, 2015}}</ref>

As Environment and Public Works chairman, Inhofe gave a two-hour Senate floor speech on July 28, 2003, in the context of discussions on the McCain-Lieberman Bill.<ref name="revkin August 5, 2003">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/05/science/politics-reasserts-itself-in-the-debate-over-climate-change-and-its-hazards.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm |title=Politics Reasserts Itself in the Debate Over Climate Change and Its Hazards|date=August 5, 2003 |newspaper=New York Times|quote=In a two-hour speech on July 28 on the Senate floor, Senator James M. Inhofe |accessdate=January 13, 2014 |first=Andrew C. |last=Revkin}}</ref> He said he was "going to expose the most powerful, most highly financed lobby in Washington, the far left environmental extremists", and laid out in detail his opposition to [[Earth:Attribution of recent climate change|attribution of recent climate change]] to humans, using the word "hoax" four times, including the statement that he had "offered compelling evidence that catastrophic global warming is a hoax" and his conclusion that "manmade global warming is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people".{{sfn|Kutney|2014|pp=107–108}}<ref name="climate">{{cite web|title=Congressional Record, Volume 149 Issue 113 (July 28, 2003) |website=U.S. Government Publishing Office Home Page |date=July 28, 2003  |url=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CREC-2003-07-28/html/CREC-2003-07-28-pt1-PgS10012.htm |accessdate=January 13, 2015}}</ref>
He supported what he called "sound science", citing contrarian scientists such as Patrick Michaels, [[Biography:Fred Singer|Fred Singer]], [[Biography:Richard Lindzen|Richard Lindzen]] and Sallie Baliunas as well as some mainstream scientists. Two of these, Tom Wigley and Stephen Schneider, later issued statements that Inhofe had misrepresented their work.<ref name="climate" /><ref name="Mooney 84–86">{{citation|author=Chris Mooney|title=The Republican War on Science|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jr5e7Tz5VNQC&pg=PT83 |year=2007|publisher=Basic Books|isbn=978-0-465-00386-0|pages=84–86}}</ref>

On July 29, the day after his Senate speech, Inhofe chaired an Environment and Public Works hearing with contrarian views represented by Baliunas and David Legates, and praised their "1,000-year climate study", then involved in the [[Earth:Soon and Baliunas controversy|Soon and Baliunas controversy]], as "a powerful new work of science". Against them, [[Biography:Michael E. Mann|Michael E. Mann]] defended mainstream science and specifically his work that they and the Bush administration disputed in the [[Earth:Hockey stick controversy|hockey stick controversy]].<ref name="revkin August 5, 2003" /><ref name="Mooney2007">{{citation|author=Chris Mooney|title=The Republican War on Science |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jr5e7Tz5VNQC&pg=PT86|year=2007|publisher=Basic Books|isbn=978-0-465-00386-0|pages=86–91}}</ref> During the hearing Senator Jim Jeffords read out an email from Hans von Storch saying he had resigned as editor-in-chief of the journal that published the Soon and Baliunas paper, as the peer review had "failed to detect significant methodological flaws in the paper" and the critique by Mann and colleagues was valid.<ref name="Mooney2007" /><ref name="mona2003">{{cite journal |last=Monastersky|first=Richard|title=Storm Brews Over Global Warming|journal=The Chronicle of Higher Education|date=September 2003|volume=50|issue=2|pages=A16|url=http://chronicle.com/article/Storm-Brews-Over-Global/27779/}}</ref>

In a continuation of these themes, Inhofe had a 20-page brochure published under the Seal of the United States Senate reiterating his "hoax" statement and comparing the [[Organization:Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change|Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change]] (IPCC) to a "Soviet style trial". In a section headed "The IPCC Plays Hockey" he attacked what he called "Mann's flawed, limited research."{{sfn|Kutney|2014|p=108}}<ref name=". 2003">{{cite web|website=US Senate, Environment and Public Works|year=2003 |url=http://epw.senate.gov/repwhitepapers/ClimateChange.pdf |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050427025748/http://epw.senate.gov/repwhitepapers/ClimateChange.pdf |archivedate=April 27, 2005 |title=The Facts and Science of Climate Change |accessdate=January 19, 2015}}</ref> The brochure restated themes from Inhofe's Senate speech, and in December 2003 he distributed copies of it in Milan at a meeting about the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, where he met "green activists" with posters quoting him as saying that global warming "is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people". He signed a poster for them,<ref name="Mooney 16 April 2004" /> and thanked them for quoting him correctly. In an October 2004 Senate speech he said, "Global warming is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people. It was true when I said it before, and it remains true today. Perhaps what has made this hoax so effective is that we hear over and over that the science is settled and there is a consensus that, unless we fundamentally change our way of life by limiting greenhouse gas emissions, we will cause catastrophic global warming. This is simply a false statement."{{sfn|Kutney|2014|p=108}}<ref name="CongressCongress2009">{{citation|author1=Congress|author2=U S Congress|title=Congressional Record, V. 150, PT. 17, October 9, 2004 to November 17, 2004|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KCR3Vw0pUJkC&pg=PA23365|date=November 2009|publisher=Government Printing Office|pages=23365–23371|id=GGKEY:03HFGXC06SY|isbn=9780160844164}}</ref> In January 2005 Inhofe told {{wipe|Bloomberg News}} that global warming was "the second-largest hoax ever played on the American people, after the separation of church and state", and that [[Chemistry:Carbon dioxide|carbon dioxide]] would not be restricted by the Clear Skies Act of 2003.<ref>{{cite web | publisher = {{wipe|Bloomberg News}} | url = https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aPGjQ7xW7vJY | author = Jay Newton-Small | title = Bush Plans Pollution Rules by March, Disappointing Utilities | date = January 21, 2005 | accessdate = November 11, 2014}}</ref><ref>Charles P. Pierce. [http://prospect.org/article/praise-oklahoma "In Praise of Oklahoma"]. ''The American Prospect''. February 23, 2005.</ref><ref name="Nicks 2009" /> In a Senate Floor "update", he extended his argument against Mann's work by extensively citing [[Biography:Michael Crichton|Michael Crichton]]'s fictional thriller ''[[Earth:State of Fear|State of Fear]]'', mistakenly describing Crichton as a "scientist".<ref name="Mooney Jan05">{{Citation|date= January 11, 2005|last1= Mooney |first1= Chris |title= Warmed Over|publisher= CBS News |url= http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/01/11/opinion/main666190.shtml |accessdate= January 19, 2015}}. Reprinted from The American Prospect, January 10, 2005.<br>{{cite web|date=January 4, 2005|last1=Inhofe|first1=James M. |title=Climate Change Update Senate Floor Statement|publisher=U.S. Senator James M. Inhofe |url=https://inhofe.senate.gov/pressreleases/climateupdate.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050112011423/http://inhofe.senate.gov/pressreleases/climateupdate.htm |archivedate=January 12, 2005 |accessdate=January 19, 2015}}</ref> On August 28, 2005, at Inhofe's invitation, Crichton appeared as an expert witness at a hearing on climate change, disputing Mann's work.{{sfn|Kutney|2014|p=108}}

In his 2006 book ''[[Earth:The Republican War on Science|The Republican War on Science]]'', Chris Mooney wrote that Inhofe "politicizes and misuses the science of climate change".<ref>Chris Mooney, ''[[Earth:The Republican War on Science|The Republican War on Science]]'', Basic Books, 2006, page 227.</ref>
During a July 2006 [[Earth:Heat wave|heat wave]] Inhofe said that the environmentalist movement reminded him of "the Third Reich, the Big Lie": "You say something over and over and over and over again, and people will believe it, and that's their strategy."<ref name="Nicks 2009">{{cite web|last=Nicks|first=Denver|title=The Craziest Senator |website=The Daily Beast|date=July 29, 2009|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2009/07/29/the-craziest-senator.html |accessdate=January 22, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Myers|first=Jim|title=Heat wave has senator sticking to beliefs|newspaper=Tulsa World|location=Tulsa, OK|date=July 22, 2006|url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=060722_Ne_A1_Heatw72040 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100526113359/http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=060722_Ne_A1_Heatw72040 |archivedate=May 26, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In a September 2006 Senate speech Inhofe argued that the threat of global warming was exaggerated by "the media, Hollywood [[Philosophy:Elitism|elites]] and our pop culture". He said that in the 1960s the media had switched from warning of global warming to warning of [[Earth:Global cooling|global cooling]] and a coming [[Earth:Ice age|ice age]], then in the 1970s had returned to warming to promote "climate change fears".<ref>[http://epw.senate.gov/speechitem.cfm?party=rep&id=263759 Text of speech by James Inhofe in the Senate on September 25, 2006, on global warming] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070328212224/http://epw.senate.gov/speechitem.cfm?party=rep&id=263759 |date=March 28, 2007 }}. Retrieved September 28, 2006.</ref> In February 2007 he told ''Fox News'' that mainstream science increasingly attributed climate change to natural causes, and only "those individuals on the far left, such as Hollywood liberals and the United Nations", disagreed.{{sfn|Kutney|2014|p=109}}

In 2006 Inhofe introduced Senate Amendment 4682 with Kit Bond (R-MO), which would have modified oversight responsibility of the Army Corps of Engineers. The League of Conservation Voters, an environmentalist group, said analyses for corps projects "have been manipulated to favor large-scale projects that harm the environment."<ref name=autogenerated1>[http://www.lcv.org/images/client/pdfs/LCV_2006_Scorecard_final.pdf LCV Scorecard] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061101211219/http://www.lcv.org/images/client/pdfs/LCV_2006_Scorecard_final.pdf |date=November 1, 2006 }}</ref> During the 109th Congress Inhofe voted to increase [[Engineering:Offshore drilling|offshore oil drilling]], to include provisions for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in the House Budget Amendment, and to deny funding for both low-income energy assistance and environmental stewardship, citing heavy costs and unproven programs.<ref name=autogenerated1 />

In May 2009 Inhofe gave support to the idea that black carbon is a significant contributor to global warming.<ref name="Goldenberg">{{cite news|last=Goldenberg|first=Suzanne|title=US climate change denier James Inhofe joins Al Gore in fight against soot|newspaper={{wipe|The Guardian}}|location=London|publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited |date=May 5, 2009 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/may/05/inhofe-black-carbon-bill|accessdate=September 25, 2018}}</ref>

Inhofe has received monies from the fossil fuel industry. For example: "Exxon's beneficiaries in Congress include the Oklahoma senator Jim Inhofe, who called global warming a hoax, and who has received $20,500 since 2007, according to the Dirty Energy Money database maintained by Oil Change International." <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/jul/15/exxon-mobil-gave-millions-climate-denying-lawmakers|title=ExxonMobil gave millions to climate-denying lawmakers despite pledge|first=Suzanne|last=Goldenberg|date=July 15, 2015|website=the Guardian}}</ref><ref>http://dirtyenergymoney.com/view.php?searchvalue=Inhofe%2C+Jim&com=&can=N00005582&zip=&search=1&type=search#view=connections{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

===Climatic Research Unit email controversy===
On November 23, 2009, as the [[Earth:Climatic Research Unit email controversy|Climatic Research Unit email controversy]] emerged, Inhofe said the emails confirmed his view that scientists were "cooking the science".{{sfn|Gerald Kutney|2014|p=109}}<ref name="Inhofe 23 Nov">{{cite web |url=http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=2188feb3-802a-23ad-4de4-3fbc0a92e126&Issue_id |last=Dempsey|first=Matt|title=Listen: Inhofe Says He Will Call for Investigation on "Climategate" on Washington Times Americas Morning Show|date=November 23, 2009|work=The Inhofe EPW Press Blog|publisher=U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works|accessdate=November 29, 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091124234129/http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.Blogs&ContentRecord_id=2188feb3-802a-23ad-4de4-3fbc0a92e126&Issue_id |archivedate=November 24, 2009}}</ref> On December 7 on the CNN program ''The Situation Room'', Inhofe said that the emails showed that the science behind climate change "has been pretty well debunked"; the [[Philosophy:Fact checking|fact checking]] organization PolitiFact concluded that Inhofe's statement was false.<ref>{{cite web|last=Richert|first=Catharine |title=James Inhofe claims that emails 'debunk' science behind climate change|work=Politifact|publisher=St. Petersburg Times |date=December 11, 2009|url=http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2009/dec/11/james-inhofe/inhofe-claims-cru-e-mails-debunk-science-behind-cl/|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref> On the same day, Inhofe said he would lead a three-man "truth squad" consisting of himself and fellow senators Roger Wicker and John Barrasso to the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in [[Place:Copenhagen|Copenhagen]]. Inhofe was unable to secure meetings with any negotiators or delegations to the conference and only met with a small group of reporters.<ref>{{cite web |last=O'Brien |first=Michael|title=Wicker joins Inhofe's 'truth squad'|work=The Hill|date=December 7, 2009|url=http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/70869-wicker-joins-inhofes-truth-squad-to-copenhagen |accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Roug |first=Louise |title=Jim Inhofe gets cool reception in Denmark |work=Politico|date=December 19, 2009 |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30769.html|accessdate=December 23, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/12/18/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5997040.shtml|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120724051628/http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/12/18/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5997040.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 24, 2012|work=CBS News|title=Sen. James Inhofe Called "Ridiculous"|first=Brian|last=Montopoli|date=December 18, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Domenico Montanaro writes |url=http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/12/18/2156671.aspx |title=First Read – Inhofe a world hit -no |publisher=Firstread.msnbc.msn.com|accessdate=August 29, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091223080327/http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/12/18/2156671.aspx |archivedate=December 23, 2009}}</ref> The minority group of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works prepared a report on "the CRU Controversy", published in February 2010, which listed as "Key Players" 17 scientists including Mann and Phil Jones. Inhofe said it showed that the controversy was "about unethical and potentially illegal behavior by some of the world's leading climate scientists."{{sfn|Kutney|2014|pp=109–111}}<ref name="Inhofe Feb2010">{{cite web|title=Senate EPW Minority Releases Report On CRU Controversy|website=U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works :: Minority Page : Press Releases |date=February 23, 2010|archivedate=February 27, 2010|url=http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=fb6d4083-802a-23ad-46e8-c5c098e22aa1&Region_id=&Issue_id= |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100227021434/http://epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Minority.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=fb6d4083-802a-23ad-46e8-c5c098e22aa1&Region_id=&Issue_id=|accessdate=January 22, 2015}}<br>{{cite web|url=http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Files.View&FileStore_id=7db3fbd8-f1b4-4fdf-bd15-12b7df1a0b63|author=Minority Staff|title=United States Senate Report; 'Consensus' Exposed: The CRU Controversy|date=February 2010|accessdate=January 22, 2015}}</ref> On May 26 Inhofe formally requested that the Inspector General of the United States Department of Commerce investigate how the [[Organization:National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] (NOAA) had dealt with the emails, and whether the emails showed any wrongdoing; it found no major issues or inappropriate actions.{{sfn|Gerald Kutney|2014|p=111}}<ref name="cbc.ca 110224">{{Cite news|title=U.S. scientists cleared in 'climategate' – Technology &amp; Science |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2011/02/24/science-climategate-noaa.html|publisher=CBC News|date=February 24, 2011 |accessdate=January 3, 2012 }}</ref>

===Global warming temperatures===
In July 2010 Inhofe said, "I don't think that anyone disagrees with the fact that we actually are in a cold period that started about nine years ago. Now, that's not me talking, those are the scientists that say that." The [[Organization:Union of Concerned Scientists|Union of Concerned Scientists]] said that Inhofe was wrong, pointing to a NOAA report indicating that the summer of 2010 had so far been the hottest on record since 1880. Inhofe added, "People on the other side of this argument back in January, they said, 'Inhofe, it has nothing to do with today's or this month or next month. We're looking at a long period of time. We go into twenty year periods.'"<ref name="UCS – Senator Inhofe Erroneously Claims We Are In A Nine-Year Cooling Trend – July 23, 2010">{{cite web |url=http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/senator-inhofe-erroneously-cooling-trend-0427.html |title=Senator Inhofe Erroneously Claims We Are In A Nine-Year Cooling Trend |date=July 23, 2010 |publisher=[[Organization:Union of Concerned Scientists|Union of Concerned Scientists]] |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002193525/http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/senator-inhofe-erroneously-cooling-trend-0427.html |archivedate=October 2, 2013 }}</ref><ref name="ABC News – Inhofe: 'Global Warming Is Not Occurring' – July 23, 2010">{{cite video|url=http://abcnews.go.com/WN/video/inhofe-global-warming-occurring-11237688| title = Inhofe: 'Global Warming Is Not Occurring'|date=July 23, 2010|publisher=ABC News}}</ref><ref name="ABC News – Amid Heat Wave, Senator Talks 'Global Cooling' – July 23, 2010">{{cite web |url=http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/amid-heat-wave-senator-talks-global-coolilng/story?id=11237381 |title=Amid Heat Wave, Senator Talks 'Global Cooling'|date=July 23, 2010|publisher=ABC News}}</ref>

During a House committee hearing in 2011, Inhofe testified, "I have to admit—and, you know, confession is good for the soul ... I, too, once thought that catastrophic global warming was caused by anthropogenic gases—because everyone said it was."<ref name=tnr031611>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.tnr.com/article/environment-energy/83196/epa-regulations-congress-inhofe-upton|title=Is This What The Climate-Change Debate Has Come To?|first=Bradford|last=Plumer|magazine=The New Republic|date=February 10, 2011|accessdate=March 16, 2011}}</ref> Under questioning from committee member Jay Inslee, Inhofe dismissed the notion that he was less knowledgeable than climate scientists, saying that he'd already given "five speeches on the science."<ref name=tnr031611/>

===2015: Chair of Environment and Public Works committee===
[[File:Inhofe holding snowball.jpg|thumb|right|Inhofe holding a snowball on the U.S. Senate floor.]]
On January 21, 2015, Inhofe returned to chairing the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works as part of a new Republican majority in the Senate. In response to NOAA and NASA reports that 2014 had been the warmest year globally in the temperature record, he said, "we had the coldest in the western hemisphere in the same time frame", and attributed changes to a 30-year cycle, not human activities.<ref name="Cama 2101 2015">{{cite web|last=Cama|first=Timothy|title=Sen. Inhofe takes charge of Environment Committee|website=TheHill|date=January 21, 2015|url=http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/230254-sen-inhofe-takes-charge-of-environment-committee|accessdate=January 22, 2015}}</ref> In a debate on the same day about a bill for the Keystone XL pipeline, Inhofe endorsed an amendment proposed by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, "Climate change is real and not a hoax", which passed 98–1. Inhofe clarified his view that "Climate is changing and climate has always changed and always will. There is archaeological evidence of that, there is biblical evidence of that, there is historical evidence of that", but added, "there are some people who are so arrogant to think they are so powerful they can change climate."<ref name="Tulsa 21012015">{{cite web|author=Dina Cappiello, The Associated Press|title=Senate says climate change real, but doesn't agree on cause|website=Dayton Daily News|date=January 21, 2015|url=http://www.daytondailynews.com/ap/ap/top-news/senate-republicans-climate-change-not-a-hoax/njsm7/ |accessdate=January 26, 2015}}</ref>

On February 26, 2015, Inhofe brought a snowball to the Senate floor and tossed it before delivering remarks in which he said that environmentalists keep talking about global warming even though it keeps getting cold.<ref>Chris Casteel [http://www.tulsaworld.com/sen-inhofe-throws-snowball-on-u-s-senate-floor/article_af064ad5-1c04-5c9d-8f48-0b7866280464.html "Sen. Inhofe throws snowball on U.S. Senate floor"] ''Tulsa World'', February 26, 2015, retrieved April 14, 2015.</ref>

=== Hydraulic fracturing ===
On March 19, 2015, Inhofe introduced S.828, "The Fracturing Regulations are Effective in State Hands (FRESH) Act." The bill would transfer regulatory power over hydraulic fracturing from the federal government to state governments. In his announcement of the bill, Inhofe said that hydraulic fracturing has never contaminated ground water in Oklahoma.<ref>{{cite web|title=.: U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works :: Majority Page :. |url=http://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Majority.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=31c63566-c7a1-79fe-3f39-761a806c1ad2|website=www.epw.senate.gov|accessdate=April 6, 2015}}</ref> The U.S. senators from seven states (Arkansas, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, South Dakota and Texas) cosponsored the bill.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cosponsors – S.828 – 114th Congress (2015-2016): Fracturing Regulations are Effective in State Hands Act {{!}} Congress.gov {{!}} Library of Congress |url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/senate-bill/828/cosponsors|website=www.congress.gov|accessdate=April 6, 2015}}</ref>

===Paris Agreement===
Inhofe co-authored and was one of 22 senators to sign a letter<ref>{{cite web|title=Senator James Inhofe |url=https://www.inhofe.senate.gov/download/?id=E1E34574-5655-42AA-92E8-0D23DC8C33BA&download=1|accessdate=June 7, 2017}}</ref> to President Donald Trump urging him to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Inhofe has received over $529,000 from the oil and gas industry since 2012.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jun/01/republican-senators-paris-climate-deal-energy-donations|accessdate=June 1, 2017 |newspaper=The Guardian|date=June 1, 2017|title=The Republicans who urged Trump to pull out of Paris deal are big oil darlings}}</ref>

==Political positions and controversies==
===Immigration===
Inhofe wrote the Inhofe Amendment to the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006, which was debated in Congress in May 2006. The amendment would make [[Social:English language|English]] the [[Social:National language|national language]] of the United States and require that new citizens take an English proficiency test. The amendment was passed on May 18, 2006, with 32 Democrats, one independent, and one Republican dissenting. The measure had 11 cosponsors, including one Democrat.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2006/05/19/senate-votes-english-as-national-language-span-classbankheadbill-keeps-in-place-multilingual-lawsspan/3454e593-db85-43b7-8659-f455a6c8134e/|title=Senate Votes English as 'National Language' Bill Keeps in Place Multilingual Laws|last=|first=|date=|website=|access-date=}}</ref>

===LGBT rights===
[[File:Inhofefamily-noglbt.png|thumb|right|Inhofe pointing at a large photograph of his family, proclaiming none have been divorced or LGBT]]
Inhofe has generally been seen as overtly hostile by LGBT advocacy groups, earning a 0% in every one of his terms on Human Rights Campaign's position scorecard.<ref>[http://www.hrc.org/your_community/your_elected_officials.asp?state=OK&x=20&y=11&view=myofficials&zip= HRC profile of James Inhofe] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319211702/http://www.hrc.org/your_community/your_elected_officials.asp?state=OK&x=20&y=11&view=myofficials&zip= |date=March 19, 2012 }}</ref>  Inhofe is in favor of a constitutional amendment banning [[Social:Same-sex marriage|same-sex marriage]], against adding [[Social:Sexual orientation|sexual orientation]] to the definition of hate crimes, and voted against prohibiting job discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.<ref>[http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/James_Inhofe.htmJames Inhofe On the Issues]{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Inhofe's office has said he "does not hire openly gay staffers due to the possibility of a conflict of agenda."<ref>[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2001976967_gays11.html Reprinted in Seattle Times] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918075623/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2001976967_gays11.html |date=September 18, 2008 }}, "Senate takes up fight on banning gay marriages" Chicago Tribune – Chicago, Ill. Jill Zuckman and Anastasia Ustinova, Washington Bureau. July 11, 2004</ref>

Inhofe campaigned for his Senate seat in 1994 using the phrase "God, guns, and gays."<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=7hqCYMRDMWQC&lpg=PR12&dq=inhofe%20god%20guns%20gays&lr=&client=firefox-a&pg=PR12#v=onepage&q=inhofe%20god%20guns%20gays&f=falseThe Freshmen: What Happened to the Republican Revolution?], Linda Killian, 1999. Basic Books. "From there it was on to Hominy, where Inhofe walked up and down Main Street and stopped by the local coffee shop to shake some hands.  He told the morning customers the Senate race could be summed up by the "three Gs – God, gays, and guns." Inhofe asserted Dave McCurdy was a liberal Washington insider out of touch with what Oklahomans care about, who was against prayer in schools, for gays in the military and [[Engineering:Gun control|gun control]], and who voted with Bill Clinton more than 80 percent of the time."</ref><ref>Jacob Weisberg. "[https://books.google.com/books?id=WuMCAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA41&dq=inhofe%20god%20guns%20gays&lr=&client=firefox-a&pg=PA41#v=onepage&q=inhofe%20god%20guns%20gays&f=falseWhy It's Even Worse For Clinton Than You Think]," New York Magazine, November 21, 1994, page 41.  Inhofe describes how the phrase came to be in The Associated Press via [https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-09-18-2881050521_x.htm USA Today], Ron Jenkins, September 18, 2008.  "Inhofe, in a telephone interview from Washington, recalled that 14 years ago he was told by a small group in Hugo that he would carry McCurtain County, a Democratic stronghold in southeastern Oklahoma.  He said he asked the Hugo residents why he would win, "and they said because of the three G's. They're the ones who came up with that and it became almost a chant out there."</ref> In 2008, his campaign was noted by the Associated Press for running an ad with "anti-gay overtones" featuring a wedding cake with two male figures on top, fading into his opponent's face.<ref>{{cite news|last=Jenkins|first=Ron|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-09-18-2881050521_x.htm|title=Oklahoma's Inhofe on attack again in Senate race|publisher=Associated Press|date=September 18, 2008|accessdate=May 16, 2015}}</ref>

===GI Bill reform===
[[File:Inhofe Gilday handshake (48423570207).jpg|thumb|Inhofe (left) shakes hands with Navy Vice Admiral Michael M. Gilday while chairing the House Armed Services Committee in 2019]]
Inhofe, an initial sponsor of Senator Jim Webb's Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, subsequently withdrew support for this bill to support S 2938, a competing bill that would have provided benefits beyond those offered in Webb's bill.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/05/military_gibill_showdown_050608w/|title=Senate prepares for GI Bill showdown- Army News, opinions, editorials, news from Iraq, photos, reports – Army Times|accessdate=September 25, 2018}}</ref> However, Inhofe voted to enact Webb's legislation in June 2008.<ref>[https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=2&vote=00162United States Senate Roll Call Votes, 110th Congress, 2nd Session]. Retrieved September 1, 2009.</ref>

Inhofe agreed to support legislation allowing military mental health specialists to talk with veterans about private firearms in an effort to reduce suicides.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Dao|first1=James|title=As Military Suicides Rise, Focus Is on Private Weapons |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/08/us/with-military-suicides-rising-new-policies-take-shape.html?pagewanted=all&action=click&module=Search&region=searchResults%234&version=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fquery.nytimes.com%2Fsearch%2Fsitesearch%2F%23%2Fjames%2Bm%2Binhofe%2Fsince1851%2Farticles%2F5%2F|accessdate=August 15, 2014|newspaper=New York Times|date=October 7, 2012}}</ref>

===Misconduct while piloting an aircraft in 2010===
Trained by the U.S. Navy, Inhofe is one of the few members of Congress holding a Commercial Airman certificate. In 1994, when he first ran for the U.S. Senate, he used his plane as a daily campaign vehicle to travel throughout Oklahoma and visit almost every town in the state.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=7hqCYMRDMWQC&lpg=PR12&dq=inhofe%20god%20guns%20gays&lr=&client=firefox-a&pg=PR12#v=onepage&q=&f=false The Freshmen: What Happened to the Republican Revolution?], Linda Killian, 1999. Basic Books. "Inhofe, one of Congress's few certified commercial pilots, has been crisscrossing the state in his 1969 Piper Aztec and managed to visit almost every town in Oklahoma before the end of the campaign."</ref> He has been influential in Senate and Congressional debates involving aircraft regulation.<ref>The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association [http://www.aopa.org/feature/election08/congress.html says this about Inhofe] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081020051246/http://www.aopa.org/feature/election08/congress.html |date=October 20, 2008 }}: "An active pilot for more than 50 years, aircraft owner and AOPA member, Sen. Jim Inhofe has been at the forefront of every aviation debate since arriving in Congress in 1986, offering his real-world perspective. He was a major force behind passage of the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994 that is credited with reviving aviation manufacturing in America. During the current battle over user fees, Inhofe spent countless hours working behind the scenes to educate his colleagues in the Senate about the negative impacts of a user fee-funded system. He even took the unusual step of testifying before the Senate's aviation subcommittee to explain his opposition to user fees and the detrimental impact it would have on general aviation. Oklahoma pilots can be proud of Senator Inhofe's accomplishments and dedication to work on issues affecting pilots."</ref>

On October 21, 2010, at the age of 75, Inhofe landed his Cessna on a closed runway at a south Texas airport, scattering construction workers who ran for their lives. In a recorded telephone call, the men's supervisor told the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that Inhofe "scared the crap out of" the workers, adding that the Cessna "damn near hit" a truck. And the airport manager, also speaking to the FAA in a recorded telephone call, opined: "I've got over 50 years flying, three tours of Vietnam, and I can assure you I have never seen such a reckless disregard for human life in my life. Something needs to be done. This guy is famous for these violations."<ref>The Smoking Gun [http://www.thesmokinggun.com/documents/bizarre/inhofe-scared-crap-out-airport-workers-192645 Inhofe "Scared The Crap Out Of" Airport Workers] – retrieved April 14, 2011.</ref>

In response to the incident, Inhofe stated that he "did nothing wrong", and accused the FAA of "agency overreach" and causing a "feeling of desperation" in him. He agreed to take a remedial training program, and the FAA agreed not to pursue legal action against him if he took the program. In July 2011, Inhofe introduced a bill to create a "Pilot's Bill of Rights", which he said would increase fairness in FAA enforcement actions.<ref>{{cite news |title=Inhofe to introduce 'Pilot's Bill of Rights' |date=July 6, 2011 |url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=505&articleid=20110706_16_A11_CUTLIN890205&archive=yes |author=Jim Meyers |work=Tulsa World }}</ref> The bill was passed in 2012.<ref>[http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/s1335 S. 1335 (112th): Pilot's Bill of Rights]. Govtrack.us.</ref>

===Taxpayer-funded travel===
Inhofe states that he has made over 140 trips to Africa over about 20 years and helped to get United States Africa Command established.<ref>{{cite interview |last=Inhofe |first=Jim |subjectlink=Jim Inhofe |interviewer=Hugh Hewitt |title=Hugh Hewitt Show|date=January 19, 2017}}</ref> Inhofe has made multiple foreign trips, especially to Africa, on missions that he described as "a [[Biography:Jesus|Jesus]] thing" and that were paid for by the U.S. government. He has used these trips for activities on behalf of The Fellowship, a [[Religion:Christianity|Christian]] organization.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Casteel |first=Chris |title=U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe's trips to Africa called a 'Jesus thing'|newspaper=The Oklahoman|date=December 21, 2008 |url=http://newsok.com/u.s.-senator-jim-inhofes-trips-to-africa-called-a-jesus-thing/article/3331838|accessdate=December 31, 2010}}</ref> Inhofe has said that his trips included some governmental work but also involved "the political philosophy of Jesus, something that had been put together by Doug Coe, the leader of The Fellowship ... It's all scripturally based." Inhofe used his access as a Senator to pursue religious goals.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sharlet|first=Jeff|title=Junkets for Jesus|newspaper=Mother Jones |date=September 27, 2010|url=http://motherjones.com/politics/2010/11/doug-coe-inhofe-siljander-c-street|accessdate=December 31, 2010}}</ref>

===Federal disaster relief===
Inhofe has consistently voted against federal disaster relief, most notably in the case of relief for the 24 states affected by Hurricane Sandy.<ref>{{cite web |title=Oklahoma tornado: Tom Coburn, James Inhofe voted against 2011 FEMA funds, Sandy aid |url=http://newyork.newsday.com/news/nation/oklahoma-tornado-tom-coburn-james-inhofe-voted-against-2011-fema-funds-sandy-aid-1.5315199 |work=Bloomberg News |accessdate=May 22, 2013 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> However, he argues for federal aid when natural disasters hit Oklahoma.<ref>{{cite web|title=Inhofe: Tornado aid 'totally different' from Hurricane Sandy aid|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/05/21/inhofe-tornado-totally-different-from-hurricane-sandy/|work=Washington Post|accessdate=May 22, 2013}}</ref> In defense of his decision to vote against a relief fund for Hurricane Sandy, but not in Oklahoma after tornadoes ravaged the state in May 2013, he claimed the situations were "totally different" the difference being the Sandy funding involved "Everybody getting in and exploiting the tragedy that took place. That won't happen in Oklahoma."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jdjournal.com/2013/05/22/senator-jim-inhofe-voted-against-hurricane-relief-fund-but-says-the-oklahoma-tornado-tragedy-of-his-home-state-is-totally-different/|title=Senator Jim Inhofe Voted Against Hurricane Relief Fund, but Says the Oklahoma Tornado Tragedy of His Home State is "Totally Different" - JDJournal|publisher=}}</ref> Inhofe pointedly did not thank President Obama for his attention to the tragedy in his state, so as to not be compared to Chris Christie.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.politico.com/story/2013/05/oklahoma-tornado-jim-inhofe-91933.html|title=Inhofe: W.H. can't 'Christie' me |accessdate=September 25, 2018}}</ref>

===2016 Presidential election===
Early during the Republican Party presidential primaries in 2016, Inhofe endorsed fellow Republican John Kasich.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blog.4president.org/2016/2016/03/us-senator-jim-inhofe-of-oklahoma-endorses-john-kasich-for-president.html|work=Blog4Presidentr|date=March 16, 2016|title=U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma Endorses John Kasich for President}}</ref> Since Trump's election, he has voted 94.2% of the time in line with the President's position.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/|title=Tracking Congress In The Age Of Trump|last=Bycoffe|first=Aaron|date=2017-01-30|website=FiveThirtyEight|language=en|access-date=2019-01-24}}</ref>

===Gun control===
In the aftermath of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, Inhofe blamed the "culture of sanctuary cities" rather than lax gun control legislation for the shootings.<ref name=twsVox1>Tara Golshan, October 3, 2017, VOX News, [https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/3/16412100/republican-sanctuary-cities-las-vegas-shooting-inhofe https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/3/16412100/republican-sanctuary-cities-las-vegas-shooting-inhofe], Retrieved October 3, 2017, "... It's the existence of "sanctuary cities" that creates a lawless culture fostering mass shootings like the one in Las Vegas, ..."</ref>

=== Israel Anti-Boycott Act ===
In October 2017, Inhofe co-sponsored the Israel Anti-Boycott Act (s. 720), which made it a federal crime for Americans to encourage or participate in boycotts against Israel and Israeli settlements in the occupied [[Place:Israeli-occupied territories|Palestinian territories]] if protesting actions by the Israeli government.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/720/cosponsors|title=Cosponsors - S.720 - 115th Congress (2017-2018): Israel Anti-Boycott Act|date=23 March 2017|website=www.congress.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/07/senate-bill-would-make-it-a-federal-crime-to-boycott-israel.html|title=43 Senators Want to Make It a Federal Crime to Boycott Israeli Settlements|last=Levitz|first=Eric|date=2017-07-19|website=Intelligencer|language=en}}</ref>

=== Conflict of interest stock purchases ===
In December 2018, Inhofe bought $50,000 to $100,000 worth of stock in Raytheon, a major defense contractor that has billions of dollars' worth of contracts with the Pentagon. The week before, he had successfully lobbied the Trump administration to increase military spending. Ethics watchdogs said the purchase raised conflict of interest concerns, and noted that members of Congress are not allowed to purchase stocks on the basis of information that is not publicly available. Inhofe sold the stock shortly after reporters asked him about the purchase. He said the purchase was made by a third-party adviser who manages Inhofe's investments on his behalf.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/13/us/politics/james-inhofe-raytheon.html|title=James Inhofe Under Fire Over Purchase of Raytheon Stock|last=Edmondson|first=Catie|date=2018-12-13|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-12-14|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

==Personal life==
In 1959, Inhofe married Kay Kirkpatrick, with whom he has four children.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Laviola |first1=Erin |title=Senator James Inhofe's Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know |url=https://heavy.com/news/2018/12/senator-james-inhofe-family/ |website=Heavy.com |publisher=Heavy, Inc. |accessdate=22 October 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Joint Committee on Printing|date= 2014|title=Official Congressional Directory: 113th Congress |url=https://books.google.com/?id=AOsRkb1EJ_EC&lpg=PA212&dq=inhofe%20married%20kay%20kirkpatrick%201959&pg=PA212#v=onepage&q=inhofe%20married%20kay%20kirkpatrick%201959&f=false |publisher=Government Printing Office |page=212|isbn= 9780160919220}}</ref>

On November 10, 2013, Inhofe's son, Dr. Perry Inhofe, died in a plane crash in Owasso, Oklahoma, flying alone for the first time since training in a newly acquired plane.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lynch|first=Kerry|title=NTSB On Scene Of Perry Inhofe Crash |url=http://aviationweek.com/awin/ntsb-scene-perry-inhofe-crash|accessdate=July 8, 2014}}</ref>

Inhofe was the first recipient of the U.S. Air Force Academy's Character and Leadership Award for his character and leadership in public service.<ref>{{cite web|title=Inhofe Honored with Air Force Leadership Award|url=https://www.inhofe.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/inhofe-honored-with-air-force-leadership-award|date=March 5, 2013|accessdate=August 31, 2018}}</ref>

==Electoral history==
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Republican primary results <ref name="ok.gov">{{cite web|url=https://www.ok.gov/elections/documents/1968-1974_RESULTS.pdf |title=Election documents 1968-1974 |website=www.ok.gov }}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Jim Inhofe
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 88,594
| percentage = 58.7
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate = Denzil D. Garrison
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| votes = 62,188
| percentage = 41.2
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 150,782
| percentage= 100.00
}}
{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=1974 Oklahoma gubernatorial election}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
 |party = Democratic Party (United States)
 |candidate = David Lyle Boren
 |votes = 514,389
 |percentage = 63.9
 |change = 
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link
 |party = Republican Party (United States)
 |candidate = Jim Inhofe
 |votes = 290,459
 |percentage = 36 
 |change = 
}}
{{Election box majority
 |votes = 
 |percentage = 
 |change =
}}
{{Election box turnout
 |votes = 
 |percentage =
 |change =
}}
{{Election box hold with party link
 |winner = Democratic Party (United States)
 |loser = Republican Party (United States) 
 |swing = 
}}
{{Election box end}}
<ref name="ok.gov"/>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="5" |Oklahoma's 1st congressional district Republican primary election, 1986
|-
|'''Party'''
|'''Candidate'''
|'''Votes'''
|'''%'''
|'''+%'''
|-
|Republican
|'''James Inhofe'''
|19,575
|54%
|
|-
|Republican
|Bill Colvert
|10,577
|29%
|
|-
|Republican
|Joan Hastings
|5,956
|17%
|
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="5" |Oklahoma's 1st congressional district Republican primary election, 1992
|-
|'''Party'''
|'''Candidate'''
|'''Votes'''
|'''%'''
|'''+%'''
|-
|Republican
|'''James Inhofe (inc.)'''
|36,354
|67%
|
|-
|Republican
|Richard Bunn
|17,339
|32%
|
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
|+ {{ushr|Oklahoma|1|}}: Results 1986–1992<ref name="clerkresults">{{cite web |url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/index.html |title=Election Statistics |accessdate=August 8, 2007 |publisher=Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071226190314/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/index.html |archivedate=December 26, 2007}}</ref>
!|Year
!
!|Democratic
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!Third party
!Votes
!Pct
|-
|1986
|
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} |{{nowrap|Gary D. Allison}}
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |61,663
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} |43%
|
| {{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|'''James Inhofe'''}}
| {{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |78,919
| {{Party shading/Republican}} |55%
|
|Carl McCullough Jr. (Ind.)
|3,455
|2%
|-
|1988
|
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} |{{nowrap|Kurt G. Glassco}}
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |93,101
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} |47%
|
| {{Party shading/Republican}} |'''James Inhofe'''
| {{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |103,458
| {{Party shading/Republican}} |53%
|
|
|
|
|-
|1990
|
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} |Kurt G. Glassco
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |59,521
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} |44%
|
| {{Party shading/Republican}} |'''James Inhofe'''
| {{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |75,618
| {{Party shading/Republican}} |56%
|
|
|
|
|-
|1992
|
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} |John Selph
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |106,619
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} |47%
|
| {{Party shading/Republican}} |'''James Inhofe'''
| {{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |119,211
| {{Party shading/Republican}} |53%
|
|
|
|
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="5" |U.S. Senate Republican primary election, 1994
|-
|'''Party'''
|'''Candidate'''
|'''Votes'''
|'''%'''
|'''+%'''
|-
|Republican
|'''James Inhofe'''
|159,001
|78%
|
|-
|Republican
|Tony Caldwell
|45,359
|22%
|
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="5" |U.S. Senate Republican primary election, 1996
|-
|'''Party'''
|'''Candidate'''
|'''Votes'''
|'''%'''
|'''+%'''
|-
|Republican
|'''James Inhofe (inc.)'''
|116,241
|75%
|
|-
|Republican
|Dan Lowe
|38,044
|25%
|
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="5" |U.S. Senate Republican primary election, 2008
|-
|'''Party'''
|'''Candidate'''
|'''Votes'''
|'''%'''
|'''+%'''
|-
|Republican
|'''James Inhofe (inc.)'''
|116,371
|84%
|
|-
|Republican
|Evelyn Rogers
|10,770
|8%
|
|-
|Republican
|Ted Ryals
|7,306
|5%
|
|-
|Republican
|Dennis Lopez
|3,800
|3%
|
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="5" |U.S. Senate Republican primary election, 2014
|-
|'''Party'''
|'''Candidate'''
|'''Votes'''
|'''%'''
|'''+%'''
|-
|Republican
|'''James Inhofe (inc.)'''
|231,291
|88%
|
|-
|Republican
|Evelyn Rogers
|11,960
|5%
|
|-
|Republican
|Erick Paul Wyatt
|11,713
|4%
|
|-
|Republican
|Rob Moye
|4,846
|2%
|
|-
|Republican
|Jean McBride-Samuels
|3,965
|2%
|
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
|+ Oklahoma Senator (Class II): Results 1990–2014<ref name="clerkresults" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ok.gov/elections/support/20141104_seb.html |title=State Election Results, General Election, November 4, 2014 |publisher=Oklahoma Secretary of State|date=January 5, 2015 |accessdate=October 26, 2015}}</ref>
!|Year
!
!|Democratic
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!Third party
!Votes
!Pct
!
!Third party
!Votes
!Pct
!
!Third party
!Votes
!Pct
|-
|1994
|
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} |{{nowrap|Dave McCurdy}}
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |392,488
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} |40%
|
| {{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|'''James Inhofe'''}}
| {{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |542,390
| {{Party shading/Republican}} |55%
|
|Danny Corn (Ind.)
|47,552
|5%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1996
|
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} |James Boren
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |474,162
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} |40%
|
| {{Party shading/Republican}} |'''James Inhofe'''
| {{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |670,610
| {{Party shading/Republican}} |57%
|
|Bill Maguire (Ind.)
|15,092
|1%
|
|Agnes Marie Regier (Lib.)
|14,595
|1%
|
|Chris Nedbalek (Ind.)
|8,691
|1%
|-
|2002
|
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} |{{nowrap|David Walters}}
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |369,789
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} |36%
|
| {{Party shading/Republican}} |'''James Inhofe'''
| {{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |583,579
| {{Party shading/Republican}} |57%
|
|James Germalic (Ind.)
|65,056
|6%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|2008
|
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} |{{nowrap|Andrew Rice}}
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |527,736
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} |39%
|
| {{Party shading/Republican}} |'''James Inhofe'''
| {{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |763,375
| {{Party shading/Republican}} |57%
|
|Stephen Wallace (Ind.)
|55,708
|4%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|2014
|
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} |{{nowrap|Matt Silverstein}}
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |234,307
| {{Party shading/Democratic}} |29%
|
| {{Party shading/Republican}} |'''James Inhofe'''
| {{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |558,166
| {{Party shading/Republican}} |68%
|
|Joan Farr (Ind.)
|10,554
|1%
|
|Ray Woods (Ind.)
|9,913
|1%
|
|Aaron DeLozier (Ind.)
|7,793
|1%
|}

==See also==
* Politics of Oklahoma
* List of United States Senators from Oklahoma
{{noteslist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

===Sources===
* {{cite book|ref=harv|author=Gerald Kutney|title=Carbon Politics and the Failure of the Kyoto Protocol |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wk_IAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA108|date=February 3, 2014|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-91466-2}}

== External links ==
* [https://inhofe.senate.gov/ Senator James Inhofe] official Senate website
* [https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/white-papers Reports and White Papers] from the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, many of which were produced by Sen. Inhofe's staff
* {{Curlie|Regional/North_America/United_States/Oklahoma/Government/Federal/US_Senate/Jim_Inhofe_%5BR%5D}}
* {{C-SPAN|jamesinhofe}}
*[http://www.voicesofoklahoma.com/interview/inhofe-jim/ Voices of Oklahoma interview with Jim Inhofe.] First person interview conducted on September 29, 2011, with Jim Inhofe.

{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=Dewey Bartlett}}
{{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Governor of Oklahoma|years=1974}}
{{s-aft|after=Ron Shotts}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Stephen Jones}}
{{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Oklahoma<br>(Class 2)|years=1994, 1996, 2002, 2008, 2014}}
{{s-inc|recent}}
|-
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Robert LaFortune}}
{{s-ttl|title=Mayor of Tulsa|years=1978–1984}}
{{s-aft|after=Terry Young}}
|-
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=James R. Jones}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the U.S. House of Representatives<br>from Oklahoma's 1st congressional district|years=1987–1994}}
{{s-aft|after=Steve Largent}}
|-
{{s-par|us-sen}}
{{s-bef|before=David Boren}}
{{s-ttl|title=U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Oklahoma|years=1994–present|alongside=Don Nickles, [[Biography:Tom Coburn|Tom Coburn]], James Lankford}}
{{s-inc}}
|-
{{s-bef|rows=2|before=Jim Jeffords}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the Senate Environment Committee|years=2003–2007}}
{{s-aft|after=Barbara Boxer}}
|-
{{s-ttl|title=Ranking Member of the Senate Environment Committee|years=2007–2013}}
{{s-aft|after=David Vitter}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=John McCain}}
{{s-ttl|title=Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee|years=2013–2015}}
{{s-aft|after=Jack Reed}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Barbara Boxer}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the Senate Environment Committee|years=2015–2017}}
{{s-aft|after=John Barrasso}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=John McCain}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee|years=2018–present<br>{{small|Acting: 2017–2018}}}}
{{s-inc}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Patty Murray}}
{{s-ttl|title=United States Senators by seniority|years=7th}}
{{s-aft|after=Ron Wyden}}
{{s-end}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Inhofe, James}}
[[Category:Climate change skepticism and denial]]

{{Sourceattribution|Jim Inhofe|1}}