Late-Congressman Wes Watkins’ funeral today

STILLWATER — Former U.S. Congressman Wes Watkins from Oklahoma’s Third District and who spent time in office as a Democrat and as a Republican, died Wednesday of cardiac arrest in Stillwater. He was 86 years old.

His memorial service will be at 1:30 p.m. today at the Wes Watkins Center for International Trade Development on the OSU campus.

Watkins launched his political career in 1974, after spending time in the Oklahoma National Guard, when he won a seat in the state senate. He ran for Congress in 1976 and won as a Democrat where he served through 1991. Following two unsuccessful bids for governor, one as a Democrat in 1990 and another as an independent in 1994, Watkins ran for Congress as a Republican in 1996. He won and served in the U.S. House of Representatives until retiring in 2003.

During a sit-down interview with The Constitution on Friday, Congressman Tom Cole for Oklahoma District 4 spoke of his long friendship with Watkins.

Cole spoke of the privilege it was to serve as Watkins’ lead political consultant in his final three congressional campaigns. He spoke of Watkins’ journey from Democrat to Independent and, finally, to Republican and his ability to serve as symbolic of the state’s progression over that same time frame.

“He was born to be a representative,” Cole said. “I will miss my friend. The people of Oklahoma will miss him more. … No politician was ever as popular in the historic Third District.”