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| Affiliation | Republican |
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2001-01-19 |
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| Name | J. C. Watts, Jr. |
| Address |
Norman, Oklahoma , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | None |
| Born |
November 18, 1957
(66 years)
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| Contributor | Wishful Thinking |
| Last Modifed | RBH
Dec 27, 2014 06:34pm |
| Tags |
Black - Married - Baptist -
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| Info | Watts was born in Eufaula, Oklahoma. After graduating from high school in 1976, Watts was recruited by and attended college at the University of Oklahoma. Chosen to play the quarterback position, Watts led the OU Sooners college football team to consecutive Big Eight Conference titles and Orange Bowl championships under the leadership of head coach Barry Switzer. He graduated in 1981 with a BA degree in journalism.
Between 1981 to 1986, Watts played professional football in the Canadian Football League for the Ottawa Rough Riders, receiving the Grey Cup Most Valuable Player award during his rookie season in a Grey Cup loss to Warren Moon and the Edmonton Eskimos. Watts continued to play the quarterback position (which had brought him success at OU). After his retirement, Watts was replaced ultimately, several years later, by Damon Allen as quarterback for the eastern Riders. By the end of his football career, Watts had played against such quarterbacks as Damon Allen, Matt Dunigan, Tom Clements, Condredge Holloway, Dieter Brock, Joe Paopao, Danny Barrett, and Vince Ferragamo during his sojourn in the CFL.
Religious work
After retiring from professional football in Canada, Watts returned to Oklahoma and began work with the Southern Baptist Church. Watts served as a Southern Baptist youth minister and associate pastor in Del City, Oklahoma from 1987 to 1994.
[edit] Political career
Watts was approached by several prominent Oklahoma Republicans and asked to run for a seat on the Oklahoma Corporation Commission. After defeating several other candidates in the state Republican primary, Watts won in November, 1990, and was the first African-American elected to statewide office in Oklahoma. Many Oklahoma African-Americans who would have probably voted for the Democratic candidate instead crossed over to vote for Watts (helping him to win).
Four years later, Watts was again approached by prominent Oklahoma Republican leaders and asked to consider running for an open seat for Congress (Oklahoma's 4th Congressional district, being vacated by Congressman Dave McCurdy). Watts agreed and in November, 1994, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He garnered attention soon after his election by declining to join the Congressional Black Caucus, saying it was "infested" with "Democratic liberals who betray black people in America."
Watts captured national attention in 1996 with a speech before the Republican national convention, when he said, "You see character does count. For too long we have gotten by in a society that says the only thing right is to get by and the only thing wrong is to get caught. Character is doing what's right when nobody is looking. " [1]
Continuing to be a rising star for the national Republican Party, Watts was selected in 1997 to deliver the Republican response to President Bill Clinton's State of the Union Address. Later that year, Watts stirred up controversy when he branded some unnamed black Democrats and civil rights leaders as "race-hustling poverty pimps." [2].
In 1998, Watts was chosen by the Republican House Leadership to be the chairman of the House Republican Conference, the 4th highest position of leadership in the House of Representatives (behind the Speaker, the Majority Leader, and the Majority Whip).
Although elected on a pledge to serve no more than two terms, Watts sought and won a fourth term in 2000. In 2002 he decided not to run for re-election, publicly citing a desire to spend more time with his family.
Watts then became chaiman of GOPAC [3] until he was succeeded February 1, 2007 by Maryland's former Lt. Governor Michael S. Steele [4], whose loss to Benjamin L. Cardin combined with George Allen's in Virginia helped cede United States Senate control to the Democrats. GOPAC was founded by Delaware Governor Pierre S. du Pont in 1978 in "an effort to build a farm team of Republican officeholders who could then run for congress or higher state offices later." [5]. Other past Chairmen of GOPAC were: former Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating, California Congressman David Dreier, Arizona Congressman John Shadegg and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
[edit] Post-Congressional career
He is chairman of the J.C. Watts Companies, which works with clients on strategies for business development, communications and public affairs. He serves on the boards of the Boy Scouts of America, the United States Military Academy, Africare, BNSF Railway, Clear Channel Communications, Dillard's and Terex Corporation. He is the current chairman of GOPAC. He writes a monthly column for The Sporting News and is a frequent political commentator on many nationally-syndicated political talk shows, including The Tavis Smiley Show, The Situation Room, Hannity and Colmes, and Meet the Press.
In 2004, he became a spokesman for National Grants Conferences, a group that offers through infomercials access to millions of dollars in government subsidies.
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