Mark Lowery

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}

{{Short description|American politician (1957–2023)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Mark Lowery

| image = 2023-02-28 Fred Allen and Mark Lowery (cropped).jpg

| caption = Lowery in 2023

| office = Treasurer of Arkansas

| governor = Sarah Huckabee Sanders

| term_start = January 10, 2023

| term_end = July 26, 2023

| predecessor = Dennis Milligan

| successor = Larry Walther

| state_house1 = Arkansas

| district1 = 39th

| term_start1 = January 14, 2013

| term_end1 = January 9, 2023

| predecessor1 = Tracy Steele

| successor1 = Wayne Long

| birth_name = Mark Dale Lowery

| birth_date = {{birth date|1957|3|28}}

| birth_place = Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|7|26|1957|3|28}}

| death_place = Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.

| party = Republican

| spouse =

| children = 2

| education = University of Arkansas (BA, MA)

}}

Mark Dale Lowery (March 28, 1957 – July 26, 2023) was an American politician.{{Cite web|url=https://katv.com/news/local/candidate-for-state-treasurer-has-history-of-personal-financial-shortcomings|title=Candidate for state treasurer has history of personal financial shortcomings|first=Marine|last=Glisovic|work=KATV|date=February 22, 2022|access-date=April 13, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/19/us/politics/republican-states.html|title=How Republican States Are Expanding Their Power Over Elections|first1=Nick|last1=Corasaniti|first2=Reid|last2=Epstein|work=The New York Times|date=June 19, 2021|access-date=April 13, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/jan/22/rep-mark-lowery-switches-from-secretary-of-state/|title=Rep. Mark Lowery switches from secretary of state to treasurer's race|first=Rachel|last=Herzog|work=Arkansas Democrat-Gazette|date=January 22, 2022|access-date=April 13, 2022}} He served as Treasurer of Arkansas from January to July 2023. He previously served as a Republican member for the 39th district of the Arkansas House of Representatives.{{Cite web|url=https://www.arkansashouse.org/member/302/mark-lowery|title=Mark Lowery|work=Arkansas House of Representatives|access-date=April 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160103043317/https://www.arkansashouse.org/member/302/mark-lowery|archive-date=January 3, 2016|url-status=live|via=Wayback Machine}}

Biography

Lowery graduated from Sylvan Hills High School. He earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree from the University of Arkansas.{{cite web | url=https://armoneyandpolitics.com/get-to-know-the-candidates/ | title=Get to Know the Candidates: The Race for Secretary of State — Rep. Mark Lowery | date=November 8, 2021 }} From April 1994 to July 1995, Lowery was chief of staff to Mike Huckabee, then the lieutenant governor of Arkansas.{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-world-aide-to-lt-governor-res/128913143/|title=Aide to Lt. Governor resigns

|work=The Daily World|page=2|agency=Associated Press|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 6, 1995|accessdate=July 26, 2023}}

In 2013, Lowery was elected for the 39th district of the Arkansas House of Representatives.{{Cite web|url=https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2012/10/20/ethics-complaint-against-mark-lowery-moves-forward|title=Ethics complaint against Mark Lowery moves forward|first=Max|last=Brantley|work=Arkansas Times|date=October 20, 2012|access-date=April 13, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2013/jan/26/lowery-fined-150-late-filings-20130126/|title=Lowery fined $150 for late filings|work=Arkansas Democrat-Gazette|first=Michael|last=Wickline|date=January 26, 2013|access-date=April 13, 2022}} He assumed office on January 14, 2013, and served for ten years. In the 2022 elections, Lowery announced that he would run for Secretary of State of Arkansas,{{cite web |last1=Wickline |first1=Michael |title=Lowery to run for secretary of state |url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/jul/01/lowery-to-run-for-secretary-of-state/ |website=www.arkansasonline.com |publisher=Arkansas Democrat-Gazette |access-date=7 January 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220105210741/https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2021/jul/01/lowery-to-run-for-secretary-of-state/ |archive-date=5 January 2022 |date=1 July 2021 |url-status=live }} but changed his candidacy to run for Treasurer of Arkansas in 2022 election.{{cite web |last1=Herzog |first1=Rachel |title=Rep. Mark Lowery switches from secretary of state to treasurer's race |url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/jan/22/rep-mark-lowery-switches-from-secretary-of-state/?news-politics |website=www.arkansasonline.com |publisher=Arkansas Democrat-Gazette |access-date=27 January 2022 |date=22 January 2022}} Lowery defeated Mathew Pitsch in the Republican Party primary election{{cite web | url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/may/26/maumelles-lowery-wins-arkansas-treasurers-race/ | title=Maumelle's Mark Lowery wins Arkansas treasurer's race, overcoming questions about past financial troubles | Arkansas Democrat Gazette | date=May 26, 2022 }} and won the general election against Pam Whitaker, the Democratic Party nominee.{{cite web | url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/nov/08/lowery-wins-treasurers-race/ | title=Lowery wins Arkansas treasurer's race | date=November 8, 2022 }}

Lowery's health had deteriorated through his year as treasurer. He had two strokes, one in March and a more severe one in June, and subsequently announced he would retire in September. However, he died at a hospital in Little Rock on July 26, 2023, at age 66.{{Cite web|url=https://www.kark.com/news/politics/arkansas-state-treasurer-mark-lowery-dies-at-the-age-of-67/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230726163031/https://www.kark.com/news/politics/arkansas-state-treasurer-mark-lowery-dies-at-the-age-of-67/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 26, 2023|title=Arkansas State Treasurer Mark Lowery dies at the age of 66|date=July 26, 2023}}

References

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