Bice was born in Oklahoma City to an American mother, Paula Sue Vanhooser and a half Iranian and half Pakistani father, Hosein "Joe" Asady. Asady came to California from Zahedan, Iran, via Karachi, Pakistan, at a young age to study computer science.[3]
Bice graduated from Putnam City High School in Oklahoma City.[4][failed verification] After graduating from Oklahoma State University with a bachelor's degree in marketing and a minor in international business,[5] Bice worked for eight years in financial oversight, business strategy, and marketing for her family's technology company in Oklahoma City. She later helped lead a boutique digital marketing agency in Oklahoma City as vice president of business development.[6][7]
Oklahoma Senate
Elections
Bice was first elected to the Oklahoma Senate in 2014.[8] She was reelected in 2018 with 73% of the vote in the Republican primary and 68% of the vote in the general election.[9][10][11]
Tenure
Bice represented the 22nd district in the Oklahoma Senate from 2014 to 2020.[12][13][14] She served on the Subcommittee on General Government and Transportation, and the Business, Commerce & Tourism, Finance, Public Safety committees.[14] In 2016, the Senate Republican Caucus elected Bice Assistant Majority Floor Leader.[15]
Bice was the Senate sponsor of House Bill 1269, a law that provided relief to people who were serving felony prison sentences for crimes that are now misdemeanors.[16] Instead of automatically granting retroactive relief to all eligible inmates, state lawmakers directed the Pardon and Parole Board to establish an accelerated, single-stage commutation docket to review eligible cases.
Bice sponsored SB 142, a measure that deals with the overuse of powerful antipsychotic drugs for nursing home patients who have not received a psychiatric diagnosis or given informed consent. The action was signed into law in May 2019.
Bice sponsored State Question 792, overhauling Oklahoma's liquor laws by allowing grocery stores to sell full-strength beer and wine.[17]
In June 2020, Oklahoman.com reported that the Bice campaign sent a mailer including the Oklahomans for Life logo without the organization's permission. Bice said, "I understand Oklahomans for Life wasn't endorsing in this race and wanted to make clear that I am pro-life and have stood with Oklahomans for Life".[20]
Bice placed second in the June 30 Republican primary behind Terry Neese, a businesswoman who was the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor of Oklahoma in 1990. As no candidate won 50% of the vote, Bice and Neese advanced to a runoff.[21][22] Bice defeated Neese in the runoff and Horn in the general election.[23][24] She focused her campaign on immigration and affordable healthcare.[12]
Bice is the first Iranian American elected to Congress.[25]
Bice defeated primary challenger Subrina Banks in the Republican primary and Democratic candidate Joshua Harris-Till and Independent David Frosch in the general election.
Bice drew no Republican primary challengers in 2024. In the general election, Bice defeated Democratic candidate Madison Horn.[26]
Tenure
In late 2020, Bice was identified as a participant in the Freedom Force, a group of incoming Republican members of the House of Representatives who "say they're fighting against socialism in America".[27][28][29]
On January 6, 2021, Bice voted to object to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election.[30]
On January 20, the day of Joe Biden's inauguration, Bice was one of 17 newly elected House Republicans to sign a letter congratulating him and expressing hope of bipartisan cooperation.[31]
She married Geoffrey Bice in 1996.[40] They have two daughters and live in Edmond, Oklahoma.[4] Bice is Catholic and attends St. Eugene Catholic Church also in Oklahoma City. She converted to Catholicism before her marriage.[41] Bice was the commencement speaker in 2024 at Oklahoma State University, her alma mater.
Electoral history
2024 congressional election
2024 Oklahoma's 5th congressional district election results[42]
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