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won by only 188 votes. Wickersham, however, refused to accept such a narrow defeat and demanded a recount. When the votes were counted a second time several tallying errors were found which shifted a number of votes to
Wickersham’s favor. This was enough to give Wickersham the election. In mid-December Wickersham was declared the winner, much to the surprise of Wheeler, who had been assigned office space at the House of Representatives and was preparing for the move back to Washington. The opening at Sunray Oil was still available, so Wheeler settled instead at Tulsa and took up his new job in January 1961.
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relations office. As Vice
President for Government Relations, Wheeler was basically a lobbyist who worked with Congress and officials of the Executive branch of government to develop legislation favorable to the oil industry. He helped channel contributions from Sun Oil’s Political Action Committee to Congressional candidates who were known to favor the oil industry. He also helped direct charitable contributions by the company to various cultural and educational organizations in the Washington, D.C., area, such as the
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After
Wheeler's death, Tom Cole, long-time representative member of the House of Representatives from Oklahoma, said, "... Clyde Wheeler was a respected Republican leader, an ardent advocate for rural Oklahoma and strong proponent for energy independence. He may be the best congressman Oklahoma never
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As Public
Affairs Representative at Sunray Oil, Wheeler’s main job was to follow state and national legislation which affected Sunray Oil and the oil industry. He also developed an educational program to encourage Sunray’s employees to participate in the political process. Outside of work Wheeler was
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After some initial hesitation, Wheeler accepted the challenge. He resigned from the White House staff at the end of August and returned to
Oklahoma where he spent the next two months campaigning actively for the Congressional seat. When the election was held on November 8, Wheeler was found to have
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staff. After leaving the White House staff, he returned to
Oklahoma, where he settled in Tulsa and became a lobbyist for Sun Oil Company. He retired from Sun in 1984 and returned to his ranch in his home town of Laverne, Oklahoma. He continued to do part-time work as a consultant for two Washington
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During 1968 and 1969, Sunray Oil merged with the Sun Oil
Company of Pennsylvania. Wheeler was on the committee which helped combine the public affairs offices of the two companies. In 1970 the reorganized company, Sun Oil Incorporated, sent him to Washington, D.C., to take charge of its government
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After working at a variety of jobs in Kansas and
Oklahoma, following his graduation from OSU, he developed an interest in Republican politics, and was hired by the Oklahoma Republican State Central committee in 1950 to help manage the state’s Republican campaign of that year. A major result of the
185:’s congressional liaison staff at the White House. In February 1959, Harlow arranged to have Wheeler join the White House staff as a staff assistant to the President. Wheeler continued his congressional liaison work and specialized in legislation related to agriculture.
154:, to organize his office staff. Wheeler spent three years as Belcher’s executive secretary. He handled Belcher’s public relations, and helped manage Belcher’s district and Washington, D.C., offices. Wheeler was also active in the
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In April 1984 Wheeler retired from Sun Oil and returned to his ranch at
Laverne, Oklahoma. He continued to work part-time as a legislative consultant to two Washington law firms until 1988.
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As the
Eisenhower administration neared its end, Wheeler, who wanted to return to Oklahoma, received a job offer from the Sunray Mid-Continent Oil Company (now
121:, while working at several part-time jobs. His first full-time job was as office manager and clearance officer at the Wichita Municipal Airport. Entering the
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133:(OSU), then known as Oklahoma Agricultural & Mechanical University, from which he received the B. A. degree in History and M. A. degree in Government.
117:, on March 12, 1921. His parents were Clyde A. Wheeler, Sr. and Lulu Rector Wheeler. After finishing high school, he attended American Business School in
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appointed him to the Oklahoma State Board of Regents, which developed policy for the state’s colleges and universities.
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95:(March 12, 1921 – August 26, 2013) was an American congressional relations expert, lobbyist, and member of the
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1990 oral history with Clyde A. Wheeler, conducted by Mack Teasley of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library.
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Casteel, Chris. "Politician is remembered as patriarch of Oklahoma Republican Party."
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Bellmon was the first Republican elected Oklahoma's governor in the state's history.
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and other charitable organizations in the Tulsa area. In December 1964 Governor
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Clyde met Barbara Ann Dodd in 1951, and the two married August 23, 1953, in
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Federal Records Division, National Archives and Records Administration.
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Papers of Clyde A. Wheeler, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library
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and was elected vice chairman of the national organization in 1953.
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active in community affairs. He taught Sunday school and supported
340:. Washington, D.C., Government Printing Office. 1959-1960. p. 59
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United States Government Organization Manual, 1959 – 1960
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181:who was a member of President
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363:Accessed October 3, 2017.
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137:Entry into politics
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161:In February 1954,
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109:Early life
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104:Biography
384:Archived
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146:to the
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