Democratic Party Chair Wallace Collins
Wallace Collins has been active in Democratic politics all his life. Starting with the campaign of Roy J. Turner, Democrat for governor. Collins was just a boy of five, but he put his dog in his red wagon, placed Turner signs on the sides of the wagon, and walked through his neighborhood calling out to the neighbors to vote for Turner.
Years later, in 1996, Collins made his first run for a political office, winning a seat in the Oklahoma House of Representatives for HD 45, in Norman. He served two terms, before losing in 2000. While there, he served as a committee vice chair, as well as Assistant Majority Whip.
In 2001, Collins ran for, and was elected, chair the of Cleveland County Democratic Party. Some highlights of that stint are: starting the Cleveland County Democrat’s Corn Bread & Beans weekly luncheon, hosting the Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday colloquium, and having Presidential Candidate, John Edwards at the Annual Cleveland County Democratic Party Labor Day Celebration. Proud of his labor connections, Collins has been a member of the Machinist’s Union for 44 years. In 2006, he ran for the HD 45 seat again and served for another four years. During this hitch in the House, Collins was elected by his contemporaries to be an Assistant Minority Floor Leader. He was known for his strong support of mental health, education, veterans, and children’s issues. Collins was named one of the “Top Five Legislators” by Frosty Troy of the Oklahoma Observer. In addition, he was named “Outstanding Legislator” by the National Alliance for Mentally Ill (NAMI).
Collins and his high school sweetheart, Pat, have been married for 50 years and have six sons and
six grandkids.