Rep. Daniel Pae

Rep. Daniel Pae This is the official page for Oklahoma State Representative Daniel Pae.

This morning, I spoke at NextGen Under 30 Oklahoma’s Day at the Capitol. Below are my remarks. ————————This is now my ei...
08/31/2026

This morning, I spoke at NextGen Under 30 Oklahoma’s Day at the Capitol. Below are my remarks.

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This is now my eighth year of serving in the State House. It’s rather hard to believe that instead of a rising star, I’m now an elder statesman. And for the record, no longer eligible to be recognized like each of you for NextGen Under 30.

Over the years, I’ve learned to step out of my comfort zone.

Like the fact that I signed up for the FULL OKC Memorial Marathon next spring.

Having never ran a full marathon, this is going to be very interesting.

When it comes to leadership, you shouldn’t compare your Mile 3 with someone else’s Mile 20.

After all, comparison is the thief of joy.

As young professionals, we see this all the time.

Obviously, we each have our individual stories. It’s always fascinated me that when we meet someone for the first time, we ask about their name and where they work. And even our biographies have more space dedicated to mundane job-related responsibilities, even though I find what someone does outside of work the most interesting.

Don’t let your job become your entire identity.

There is no title nor amount of power worth sacrificing your family and friendships.

As each of you continue on your marathon training, whether it’s literal or metaphorical, enjoy the journey.

There will be Mile 3 days, and there will be Mile 20 days.

There will be moments when you feel like you’re falling behind and moments when you realize just how far you’ve come.

So don’t worry so much about the pace of the person running next to you. Find your pace. And enjoy the people you meet along the way.

Because at the end of the race, I don’t think any of us will care nearly as much about our titles or our accomplishments as we will about the people who were there with us.

Congratulations to each of you on being recognized for NextGen Under 30.

I’m excited to see where your next mile takes you.

It was an honor to speak at the Epilepsy Foundation’s Public Health Institute about Dylan’s Law and the importance of en...
08/27/2026

It was an honor to speak at the Epilepsy Foundation’s Public Health Institute about Dylan’s Law and the importance of ensuring Oklahoma families have access to the resources and support they need.

Thank you to the Epilepsy Foundation for bringing together advocates, public health leaders, and policymakers for this important conversation.

Appreciate the invite from Epilepsy Foundation’s Vice President for Regional Operations Gregg Fort.

Great catching up with my friend Rep. Ronny Johns and meeting with Diego Cifuentes, who’s the Chair of the Multicultural...
08/17/2026

Great catching up with my friend Rep. Ronny Johns and meeting with Diego Cifuentes, who’s the Chair of the Multiculturalism Committee of Ada Oklahoma!

I always appreciate the opportunity to connect with leaders who are working to strengthen their communities and bring people together. Looking forward to continuing these conversations and finding ways to build an even stronger Oklahoma!

It was an honor to meet with South Korea’s Minister of Trade Han-Koo Yeo and representatives from the Ministry of Trade,...
08/06/2026

It was an honor to meet with South Korea’s Minister of Trade Han-Koo Yeo and representatives from the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy to discuss ways to strengthen the economic partnership between Oklahoma and South Korea. 🇺🇸🇰🇷

As the first Korean American male elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives, these conversations are especially meaningful to me. From aerospace and defense to advanced manufacturing and biotechnology, there are tremendous opportunities to expand trade, attract investment, and create jobs through stronger collaboration.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue building relationships that will help position Oklahoma as a global leader while strengthening the longstanding friendship between our two countries.

I was honored to join community, military, and industry leaders at FISTA Innovation Park for the ribbon cutting of the n...
08/04/2026

I was honored to join community, military, and industry leaders at FISTA Innovation Park for the ribbon cutting of the new Anechoic Chamber and the groundbreaking of ANPC’s new manufacturing facility. These investments will create high-quality jobs, strengthen our defense ecosystem, and reinforce Lawton Fort Sill’s role as a national leader in innovation and advanced technology.

Congratulations to the FISTA team, ANPC, and everyone whose vision and hard work made yesterday possible. It was exciting to celebrate this momentum and see the continued investment in Oklahoma’s future. 🚀🇺🇸

Started the morning with the inaugural OCA Ranch Rodeo 5K at the Lazy E Arena! 🏃‍♂️🤠It was great to join fellow runners,...
08/01/2026

Started the morning with the inaugural OCA Ranch Rodeo 5K at the Lazy E Arena! 🏃‍♂️🤠

It was great to join fellow runners, including my friend Rep. Collin Duel, ahead of the 42nd Annual OCA Ranch Rodeo this month.

Thank you to the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association for organizing and raising funds for the Oklahoma Children's Health Foundation!

Proud to join lawmakers from across the country in Chicago for the official launch of the American German State Legislat...
07/29/2026

Proud to join lawmakers from across the country in Chicago for the official launch of the American German State Legislators Caucus during the National Conference of State Legislatures Legislative Summit.

As a founding member, I’m excited to help strengthen trade, investment, education, workforce development and cultural exchange between Oklahoma and Germany. Germany is one of Oklahoma’s most important economic partners, and I look forward to building relationships that create jobs and drive innovation.

Glad that my friend Sen. Dave Rader was able to join the kickoff and meet German State Legislator of North-Rhine Westphalia Angela Freimuth MdL, who I first met three years ago in Düsseldorf through Aspen Institute Germany.

I also enjoyed catching up with my former intern, Carson Poupore, who is now a 3L in law school. Always proud to see former interns doing great things!

Just returned from the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 in the United Kingdom! ✈️🇬🇧Aerospace is Oklahoma’s second-...
07/24/2026

Just returned from the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 in the United Kingdom! ✈️🇬🇧

Aerospace is Oklahoma’s second-fastest-growing industry, and events like this highlight the incredible opportunities ahead for our state. It was exciting to see the latest innovations in aviation and aerospace and learn more about the economic development opportunities that can help strengthen Oklahoma’s aerospace and defense industries.

A special thank you to the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and Oklahoma ACES team for their hard work and dedication in promoting Oklahoma on the international stage and helping showcase our state as a leader in aerospace.

I was honored to join community leaders for the dedication and renaming of the Chief James Smith Correctional Center.A s...
07/17/2026

I was honored to join community leaders for the dedication and renaming of the Chief James Smith Correctional Center.

A special thank you to my friends Rep. Trey Caldwell and Sen. Spencer Kern for authoring and carrying the legislation that made this recognition possible. Their leadership ensured that Chief Smith’s contributions will be remembered for generations to come.

📸: Lawton Oklahoma, City Government

Below are my remarks.

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Good morning.

It is an honor to join all of you as we celebrate the renaming of this facility in memory of Chief James Smith. Today is about more than placing a new name on a building. It’s about recognizing a life dedicated to service, leadership, and our fellow Lawtonians.

I first met Chief Smith while I was working for the City of Lawton. From our first interactions, it was clear why he was so respected throughout Lawton Fort Sill. He carried himself with humility, professionalism, and a genuine commitment to serving others.

Chief Smith was known for his love of long-distance running. Over the past few years, as I’ve completed numerous 5Ks and a half-marathon, I’ve come to appreciate the lessons that running teaches: the discipline to keep moving forward and the perseverance to finish the race. Those same qualities defined Chief Smith’s life and leadership.

Chief Smith devoted more than three decades to law enforcement and proudly served our nation in the military. What made him exceptional was his belief that leadership was about service. He understood that public safety is built through trust, strong relationships, and treating every person with dignity and respect.

For years to come, those who enter this facility will see the name James Smith and be reminded of a man who dedicated his life to making Lawton Fort Sill a better place.

Chief Smith’s legacy will continue to inspire all of us to lead with humility, serve with purpose, and follow his example of servant leadership.

Thank you.

Address

2300 North Lincoln Boulevard
Oklahoma City, OK
73105

Telephone

+14055577374

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