John Oxendine

Subsequently, ethics complaints were made regarding donations to Oxendine's campaigns to the Georgia Government Transparency & Campaign Finance Commission (formerly known as the State Ethics Commission) (the Commission). After Oxendine's lawyers argued they were beyond the statute of limitations, some ethics complaints were thrown out by the Commission, but on August 21, 2019, the Commission began the prosecution process for ethics violations by voting to move forward with a complaint regarding the $120,000 in PACs contributions and with a complaint that Oxendine illegally used remaining $237,000 in donations to Oxendine's failed 2010 gubernatorial race for personal expenses including spending on a down payment for a house, an athletic club membership, child care expenses, and luxury car leases. Oxendine refuted the complaints as the result of the Commission staff ignoring applicable law and fabricating slanderous statements contrary to the facts.

With Governor Sonny Perdue term-limited in 2010, Oxendine filed paperwork to run for the Republican nomination for governor. Oxendine was criticized for threatening other state politicians to stay out of the race. After being seen as the front-runner in the Republican primary race for much of the campaign, Oxendine placed fourth in the July 20, 2010 primary.

In May 2009, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Oxendine had received over $120,000, in campaign contributions from 10 different political action committees (PACs) in Alabama. The newspaper reported all ten PACs donated to Oxendine the maximum $12,000 contribution allowed by law; that the PACs all had similar addresses, and that the money originated from two insurance companies based in Georgia, while state law prohibits companies from giving money to the campaigns of elected officials who regulate them. Once the donations were brought to Oxendine's attention, he immediately returned the funds to their donors awaiting a legal opinion.

In early 2004, Oxendine announced his intent to run for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia and formed an exploratory committee in 2005. He showed his fundraising prowess by raising approximately $500,000 for his campaign in just a couple months. In February 2005, after State Senator Casey Cagle and Christian political consultant Ralph Reed joined the race for Lieutenant Governor, Oxendine later announced that he would run for reelection as Insurance Commissioner.

In early 2003, Miller announced he would not seek reelection to the Senate, prompting Oxendine to again consider running for the seat. On January 8, 2003, Oxendine told the Atlanta Business Chronicle, "We've had countless people across the state asking us to run for the [U.S.] Senate, and I told people I was flattered by their faith in me and that I would consider it. I did consider it to the point of commissioning a poll and the results were every encouraging. It turned out I am one of the best-known and -liked politicians in the state." However, when long time friend Congressman Johnny Isakson announced his candidacy a month later, Oxendine endorsed Isakson and restated his intention to serve out the remainder of his term as Insurance Commissioner.

When United States Senator Paul Coverdell died suddenly in 2000, Oxendine was inundated with calls to run for United States Senator, but decided against running. Republican leaders later settled on former U.S. Senator Mack Mattingly as their consensus Republican candidate; Mattingly was defeated by former Governor Zell Miller.

Upon graduation from law school, Oxendine took over the family law practice, Oxendine and Associates, located in Gwinnett County, from his father. Oxendine and Associates concentrated in helping small businesses navigate the bureaucracy required when doing business with the federal government. Oxendine owned and ran this firm until he took the office of Insurance Commissioner in January 1995. Oxendine was called an "abomination" by a local judge who stated that "If I knew I could suspend you from practicing law in the state of Georgia for the rest of your life I would do so. You’re [an] abomination as far as I’m concerned."

Oxendine first married Lee, with whom he had one child, J.W.(23), a graduate of University of Georgia. Lee and John divorced on Oct 26, 1995. Oxendine later married Ivy Adams, who had also been a student at Mercer in her younger years, and together they have one child Jake (5). Ivy Adams Oxendine has two children from her prior marriage. The family attends Mount Pisgah United Methodist Church, where he serves as an usher. He formerly resided in Peachtree Corners, and now resides in Duluth in Gwinnett County.

In the 1994 election, Oxendine opposed incumbent Democratic Insurance Commissioner Tim Ryles. After a long grueling campaign, Oxendine won with 50.98% of the vote.

He triple majored in Christianity, Greek, and political science at Mercer University, earning his Bachelor of Arts with honors in 1984. During college he worked at the Georgia State Capitol to pay for his tuition as a student assistant to Governor George Busbee. Oxendine attended Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer, where he continued being active in student organizations including the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, and graduated with his Juris Doctorate in 1987.

John Oxendine is one of two sons of Judge James W. Oxendine. His mother is Louise Oxendine. He has one brother, Tim from his father's first marriage. He has two sisters; Cindy Oxendine Sluder from his father's first marriage, and Shirley from his father's second marriage. John has no siblings from his father's third marriage. He grew up in Tucker, Georgia, where he was a Tucker Tiger and graduated from Tucker High School in 1980. Oxendine attributes his keen interest in politics to his father who was a former Senior Superior Court Judge in Gwinnett County (prior to his termination) since Oxendine was in school.

John W. Oxendine (born April 30, 1962) is an American politician who served four terms as Insurance Commissioner of the U.S. state of Georgia. A member of the Republican party, he was first elected commissioner in 1994 and was reelected in 1998, 2002, and 2006. Prior to entering politics, Oxendine owned and operated a small business and was a lawyer practicing in Gwinnett County, Georgia.