 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 Leader, the first woman to lead a caucus in the state's legislature.After reaching the maximum 12 years as state representative (Oklahoma has mandatory term limits), Askins filed in the Democratic primary election to replace outgoing Republican Mary Fallin as Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma.