[3] Before Governor Walters was succeeded by Republican Frank Keating, Askins ran, and was elected to, the Oklahoma House of Representatives, beginning her term in 1995.

She served six terms in office (12 years), the maximum combined service allowed in the Oklahoma Legislature as the Representative of the 50th House District, which includes her home town, Duncan.

During her final term (2005–2006), she was elected and served as Democratic House Minority Leader, the first woman to lead a caucus in the state's legislature.

[4] After reaching the mandatory legislative term limit of 12 years, Askins filed in the Democratic primary election to replace outgoing Republican Mary Fallin as Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma.

In the primaries, Askins faced former State Senate President Pro Tempore Cal Hobson, lobbyist Pete Regan, and Jim Rogers.

[5] Askins received the highest share of votes of the four candidates (40.2%), and advanced to the Democratic primary runoff, competing against Pete Regan.

[8] Askins' predecessor in the lieutenant governorship, Mary Fallin resigned from her office on December 28, 2006, to be sworn in specifically to her term in the U.S. House of Representatives.

[11][12] Oklahoma's 100th anniversary as a U.S. state coincided with Lt. Gov Askins' and Governor Henry's terms, with both participating in Statehood Week commemorations.

As announced on July 27, 2010, Jari Askins won the Democratic primary against then-Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson and was on the November ballot for governor, facing Republican candidate Mary Fallin.

In April 2015, Governor Mary Fallin, named Askins as a special advisor on child welfare and implementation of Oklahoma's Pinnacle Plan.