James Mountain "Jim" Inhofe was an American politician, businessman, and aircraft pilot who served as a United States Senator from Oklahoma from 1994 until his retirement in 2023, becoming the longest-serving U.S. senator from the state. Born on November 17, 1934, in Des Moines, Iowa, he moved to Oklahoma as a child and built a multifaceted career. He served in the U.S. Army as a private from 1957 to 1958 and later became a successful businessman, including serving as president of Quaker Life Insurance Company for three decades. Inhofe entered politics in the 1960s, holding various state and local offices: Oklahoma House of Representatives (1967–1969), Oklahoma State Senate (1969–1977), and three terms as Mayor of Tulsa (1978–1984). After unsuccessful runs for governor in 1974 and U.S. House in 1976, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1986, representing Oklahoma's 1st district until 1994, when he won a special election to the Senate to replace David Boren. As a prominent Republican senator and a prominent climate change skeptic, he was known for staunch conservative positions on national security, foreign policy, environmental issues, and social policies. He chaired both the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, where he was a vocal climate change denier, notoriously calling climate change a "hoax." He authored the book The Greatest Hoax: How the Global Warming Conspiracy Threatens Your Future in 2012 and advocated for fossil fuel interests. Inhofe opposed many environmental regulations while supporting military spending, energy independence, and Oklahoma's interests including defense contracts and oil industry support. His career faced controversies including allegations of ethics violations related to stock trades and campaign finance, though no major convictions resulted. He retired in 2023 after nearly five decades in elected office, citing health concerns, and passed away on July 9, 2024, at age 89 from complications of a stroke. His career was marked by significant influence in Oklahoma politics and national debates on environment and fiscal policy, reflecting his business background and pilot experience. He had a son, James M. Inhofe Jr., who is involved in family business and resides in Oklahoma.