Image:Don Nickles.jpg|right|175px|Don Nickles]]

Donald Lee Nickles (born December 6, 1948) is an American politician who was a United States Senator from Oklahoma from 1981 until 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. Born and raised in Ponca City, Oklahoma, Nickles attended Oklahoma State University. When he was a boy, Nickles' father died and the government's taxation of the family's assets which nearly closed the family business made a profound impression on him. He paid his way through college by starting a janitorial business which served nearby establishments. Following graduation from college, he went to work for Nickles Machine Corporation in Ponca City, a business started by his grandfather. He rose to the position of General Manager. He also served in the United States National Guard from 1970 until 1976. December 6 is the 340th day (341st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Seal of the Senate The United States Senate is one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States, the other being the House of Representatives. ... Oklahoma is a South Central state of the United States (with strong Southern, Western, and Midwestern influences) and its U.S. postal abbreviation is OK; others abbreviate the states name Okla. ... 1981 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... The United States National Guard is a significant component of the United States armed forces military reserve. ... 1970 was a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1976 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ...

First Race for the Senate

Encouraged by then-U.S. Senator Dewey Bartlett, Nickles ran for the Oklahoma State Senate in 1978 and won. After two years in the State Senate and displeased by the policies of the Carter Administration, Nickles ran for the United States Senate in 1980 to succeed Henry Bellmon who was retiring. As an unknown in a field crowded with business and political bigwigs, Nickles was not initially given much of a chance. Indeed, Bellmon even tried to convince him to wait and run for the House. But Nickles appealed to a new and growing political movement - the Christian right - and won the primary run-off against Tulsa businessman Jack Zink before being swept into office in the general election against Oklahoma City Mayor Andy Coats on the shoulders of the Reagan Revolution. At the age of 32, Nickles was and is the youngest Republican ever elected to the United States Senate. Seal of the Senate The United States Senate is one of the two houses of the Congress of the United States, the other being the House of Representatives. ... Henry Louis Bellmon (born September 3, 1921) is an American politician from Oklahoma. ... Famous people with the family name Reagan include: Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States Nancy Reagan, the wife of Ronald Reagan and influential First Lady Ron Reagan, President Reagans son and liberal journalist Michael Reagan, President Reagans son and conservative talk show host John Henninger...

Senate Leader

Nickles quickly rose in the Senate Republican Leadership, serving as Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee in the 101st Congress; Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee in the 102nd, 103rd, and 104th Congresses; and Assistant Republican Leader from 1996-2003. After being term-limited out of the Assistant Leader position, Nickles served in the 108th Congress as Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. Nickles was also on Bob Dole's short list of vice presidential choices, before Dole finally decided on Jack Kemp. Robert Joseph Dole (born July 22, 1923) is best known as a former Republican United States Senate Majority Leader and Senator from Kansas. ... Jack French Kemp (born July 13, 1935) is an American politician and former professional American football player. ...

The Lott Controversy

In December of 2002, Nickles became embroiled in the controversy surrounding Republican Leader Trent Lott. At Senator Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday party, Lott had made comments which some took to be racially insensitive. As the national outcry grew, Nickles went on national television and was the first senator in leadership to say that Lott should step down. Nickles believed that Lott would distract from the Party's agenda, and as he served as Lott's deputy in the Senate this statement was seen as the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Lott stepped down shortly thereafter. Declining to run himself, Nickles stepped aside as Tennesee senator Bill Frist was elevated to the post of Republican Leader. Chester Trent Lott Jr. ... Strom Thurmond James Strom Thurmond (December 5, 1902 – June 26, 2003) represented South Carolina in the United States Senate from 1954 to April 1956 and November 1956 to 1964 as a Democrat and from 1964 to 2003 as a Republican. ... William Harrison Frist (born February 22, 1952 in Nashville, Tennessee) is a Republican U.S. Senator from Tennessee and a cardiac surgeon. ...

Nickles was reelected in 1986, 1992 and 1998 and was the senior senator of Oklahoma from 1994 to 2005. 1986 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1992 was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... 1998 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

He announced that he would not run again in the 2004 election on October 7, 2003. Republican Tom Coburn won that election to succeed Nickles. Nickles went on to found The Nickles Group, a government consulting group in Washington, D.C.. October 7 is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years). ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Thomas Allen Coburn, M.D. (March 14, 1948) is a medical doctor and U.S. Senator from the state of Oklahoma. ...

He was one of the politicians featured in the movie Traffic (2000 movie) giving his opinion on the war on drugs. Traffic is a film directed by Steven Soderbergh that explores the intricacies of the illegal drug trade from a number of perspectives: user, enforcer, politician and trafficker. ...

Nickles and his wife, Linda, have 4 children and several grandchildren.

Henry Louis Bellmon (born September 3, 1921) is an American politician from Oklahoma. ... These are tables of congressional delegations from Oklahoma to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. ... Thomas Allen Coburn, M.D. (March 14, 1948) is a medical doctor and U.S. Senator from the state of Oklahoma. ... Harry Mason Reid (born December 2, 1939) is the senior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Democratic Party, for which he serves as Senate Minority Leader. ... Traditionally the second ranking position in the minority party in the United States Senate. ... Harry Mason Reid (born December 2, 1939) is the senior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Democratic Party, for which he serves as Senate Minority Leader. ... Harry Mason Reid (born December 2, 1939) is the senior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Democratic Party, for which he serves as Senate Minority Leader. ... Traditionally the second ranking position in the minority party in the United States Senate. ... Harry Mason Reid (born December 2, 1939) is the senior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Democratic Party, for which he serves as Senate Minority Leader. ...