Michael Brooks-Jimenez
Michael Andrew Brooks-Jimenez (born 1969/70) is an American lawyer and Democratic member of the Oklahoma Senate. He was elected in a 2017 special election to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Ralph Shortey. He represents the 44th district, which covers parts of southern Oklahoma City. Biography. Brooks-Jimenez was born in Oklahoma City to a white father, Bud Brooks, and a Mexican-American mother, Patricia Jimenez Brooks. Both were educators. He graduated from Mount St. Mary High School, and with a bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State University and a Juris Doctor from the  University of Oklahoma College of Law. Brooks-Jimenez established a law firm, specializing in immigration law. Political career. Brooks-Jimenez ran for the state Senate in 2014, losing to incumbent Ralph Shortey. After Shortey resigned in March 2017 after being charged with child prostitution, Brooks-Jimenez declared his candidacy for the open seat. He defeated Republican Joe Griffin in the special election, held on July 11, 2017. As of 2017, Brooks-Jimenez is the only Latino member of the Senate, and one of three in the Legislature. He is also the only Latino Democrat in the Legislature. No candidates filed  to run against Brooks-Jimenez in 2018. Personal life. Brooks-Jimenez and his wife, Jessica Martinez-Brooks, have 2 children; Joaquin and Lucy. He is a Catholic and attends St. James Catholic Church. Political positions. Brooks-Jimenez believes illegal immigration is an issue best handled at the federal level, and supports rights of immigrants, both legal and illegal, residing in the United States. He prioritized education, the economy, and infrastructure in his 2014 campaign for the Senate.