Jim Grego

Political Party: Republican

District: Oklahoma House of Representatives, District 17

Current Position: State Representative

Jim Grego was born on November 8, 1955, in McAlester, Oklahoma, a native of Latimer County. He is the eighth of twelve children and grew up on a small farm southwest of Wilburton. Grego is married to Sandy, and together they have two children and two grandchildren.

Throughout his career, Grego has been deeply involved in his community. He served 22 years as chairman of the Latimer County Conservation District and 20 years as chairman of the West End Fire Department. He also served as postmaster at the U.S. Post Office in Talihina and currently owns and operates a cattle farm in Latimer County.

Education

Grego worked his way through school at Eastern Oklahoma State College and Oklahoma State University, earning a Bachelor's degree in animal science in 1977. Following graduation, he worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture throughout Texas before returning to Wilburton in 1986.

Political Experience

Grego was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 2018, defeating Joshua Hass in a Republican primary runoff and then winning the general election against Peggy DeFrange. He currently serves on several committees, including the Natural Resources Committee , Appropriations and Budget, Public Safety, Energy and Natural Resources Oversight, and the Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget.

As a lawmaker, Grego has been notably active on rural issues and conservative priorities. He co-authored significant pro-life legislation and has worked on agricultural policy, particularly regarding Oklahoma and American beef. His legislative efforts have also focused on rural economic development, healthcare expansion, emergency services, broadband internet connectivity, rural school protection, and Second Amendment rights. He recently passed House Bill 2947, which aims to recruit mental health professionals to serve rural residents by credentialing behavioral health clinical interns and creating financial incentives for rural clinics.