J. D. McCarty (August 28, 1916 – December 30, 1980) was Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, serving three consecutive terms.
The Democratic party, to which he belonged, had already named him as its nominee for a fourth term when he lost his reelection bid to Representative Vondel Smith in the 1966 election.
[1] McCarty attended Oklahoma University, where he majored in economics and government.
He also worked for the Daily Oklahoman at night, while attending classes during the day.
By the time he rose to the speakership in 1960, the Tulsa World called him, "...the most powerful person in the legislature."