Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin, a Republican, nearly turned the Senate into a chaotic scene when he invited a Teamsters boss to fight in anger over his mean tweets. Mullin, a former mixed martial arts fighter, challenged O’Brien to a fistfight during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing.
Tensions rose as Mullin shifted from defending “right to work” states like Oklahoma to reading aloud from O’Brien’s tweets after a June clash.
Who is Markwayne Mullin?
Born on July 26, 1977, Markwayne Mullin is a prominent figure in American politics, business, and Cherokee history. His position as the junior United States senator from Oklahoma will take effect in 2023. He was elected in a special election held in 2022 to fill Jim Inhofe’s unexpired term.
As a devoted Republican, Mullin’s rise to the Senate is especially noteworthy because, as of 2005, he is the first American senator of Native descent since Ben Nighthorse Campbell retired. In addition, he emulates Robert Latham Owen, who retired in 1925, by being the second citizen of the Cherokee Nation to be elected to the Senate.
Before his Senate tenure, Mullin served as the U.S. representative for Oklahoma’s 2nd congressional district from 2013 to 2023. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as the youngest of seven children to Jim Martin Mullin and Brenda Gayle Morris Mullin, Markwayne Mullin’s life trajectory has been marked by a strong connection to his roots and a commitment to public service.
Markwayne Mullin’s Early Life and Career
Mullin’s journey into the political arena follows a diverse and industrious background. Graduating from Stilwell High School in his hometown, he embarked on a career path that initially led him to Missouri Valley College in 1996, although he did not complete his degree.
At the age of 20, in 1997, when his father faced health challenges, Mullin assumed leadership of the family business, Mullin Plumbing.
As the only senator in the current Senate without a bachelor’s degree, Mullin stands out from the typical academic profile of many senators. Mullin graduated from the Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology in 2010 with an associate’s degree in construction technology.
During his career, he also hosted the home improvement radio show “House Talk,” which was carried by KFAQ in Tulsa. Mullin owns a number of businesses, including Mullin Properties, Mullin Farms, and Mullin Services, demonstrating his entrepreneurial spirit.
Mullin’s life’s financial situation shows a dynamic trajectory. He declared substantial earnings in 2012, between $200,000 and $2 million, from family businesses in addition to $15,000 to $50,000 from bank shares. His declared assets by the end of 2021 had increased significantly to between $31.6 million and $75.6 million.
The sale of his plumbing-related businesses to HomeTown Services, a multi-state residential heating, air conditioning, plumbing, and electrical company, is responsible for this sudden increase in wealth.
How rich is Markwayne Mullin?
The estimated range of Markwayne Mullin’s estimated net worth is $31.6 million to $75.6 million. His financial disclosure statements, which he must submit as a member of Congress, serve as the basis for this.
Mullin’s income from his work as a U.S. senator, his investments, and his business endeavors are some of the sources of his wealth. He sold several plumbing-related businesses to HomeTown Services in 2021 for an undisclosed sum. He was the previous owner of these businesses.
Mullin is also an investor in several companies and real estate holdings. In addition to real estate, he has reported owning investments totaling between $2 million and $10 million in stocks, bonds, and other securities.
Apart from his earnings from his business, Mullin receives a $174,000 yearly salary as a U.S. senator. In addition to his pay, he also receives a number of other benefits from his position in Congress, including health insurance, retirement benefits, and reimbursement for travel costs.
