Dale Fowler

Dale Fowler
Member of the Illinois Senate
from the 59th district
In office
January 11, 2017 – May 31, 2026
Preceded byGary Forby
Succeeded byPaul Jacobs
Mayor of Harrisburg, Illinois
In office
September 2014 – December 2016
Preceded byRon Crank
Succeeded byJohn McPeek
Personal details
Born
Eldorado, Illinois
PartyRepublican
SpouseJill Fowler
Children2
ProfessionBusinessman and Legislator
Websitehttps://senatorfowler.com

Dale Fowler is an American politician who has served as a Republican member of the Illinois Senate from January 2017 to May 2026. Fowler represented the 59th district, which includes all of Franklin, Hamilton, Williamson, Saline, Gallatin, Hardin, Pope, Massac, Johnson, Pulaski, and Alexander counties and portions of Union and Jackson counties in Southern Illinois. Prior to his election to the Illinois Senate he was mayor of Harrisburg and a member of the Saline County Board.

Early life and career

Fowler was hired by the Illinois Department of Justice in 1989. He transferred to the Illinois Department of Corrections in 1992. He continued with state government and retired from Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice in 2012 and took a position with Peoples National Bank. He has 2 children with his wife Jill Fowler. Fowler is a Presbyterian.

Local politics

After the 2002 Republican primary, the Saline County Republican Party slated Fowler to run for county board after only nine Republicans filed for 13 seats. Fowler was elected while Republicans won a majority on the Saline County Board for the first time in twenty-five years. Fowler was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 2006. Democratic candidate Chuck Ingram defeated Fowler by a single vote; 4,020 votes to 4,019 votes. In July 2013, after the elevation of Ron Crank from mayor pro tem to mayor of Harrisburg, the Harrisburg City Commission appointed Dale Fowler as the public properties commissioner. On August 21, 2014, Fowler was appointed Mayor of Harrisburg to fill the vacancy created by Ron Crank's death. The city council appointed Wayne Horstmann as Fowler's successor. Fowler was elected mayor in the April 2015 general election.

State Senate

In 2016, Fowler defeated incumbent Gary Forby (D), who had represented the district for 14 years. He took office in January 2017. In 2018, Democrat J. B. Pritzker appointed Fowler a member of the gubernatorial transition's Job Creation and Economic Opportunity Committee. Fowler served on the following committees: Energy and Public Utilities; Higher Education (Co-Chair); Licensed Activities; Local Government; Transportation.

Fowler chose not to run for reelection in the 2026 election. He resigned from the Illinois Senate at the end of the regular session in 2026. Shortly after his resignation, he accepted a position as president of University Correctional Health Care Solutions, a government contractor that provides healthcare services in prisons. Paul Jacobs, the incumbent state representative from the 118th district and Republican nominee for the 59th district in the 2026 general election, was appointed by the Republican Party chairmen in the district to succeed Fowler.

Electoral history

2016 Illinois State Senate District 59 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dale Fowler 53,501 55.15
Democratic Gary Forby (Incumbent) 43,503 44.85
Total votes 97,503 100.0
2018 Illinois State Senate District 59 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dale Fowler 50,475 61.1
Democratic Steve Webb 32,125 38.9
Total votes 82,600 100.0
2022 Illinois State Senate District 59 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dale Fowler 65,708 100.0
Total votes 65,708 100.0

References

  1. ↑ "PA 97-0006 Legislative District 56" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. May 18, 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 7, 2015.
  2. ↑ Kane, Tom (November 13, 2014). "Fowler throws hat in ring - Applies to run for mayor in April". Harrisburg Register – via NewsBank.
  3. ↑ Fodor, Eric (November 6, 2002). "GOP scores political coup in Saline". Harrisburg Register – via NewsBank.
  4. ↑ Fodor, Eric (November 22, 2006). "Final count: One more Democrat on the Saline County Board". Harrisburg Register – via NewsBank.
  5. ↑ Deneal, Brian (July 19, 2013). "Mayor Ron Crank, Commissioner Dale Fowler Seated". Harrisburg Register – via NewsBank.
  6. ↑ Sternberg, Jon (August 22, 2014). "Council welcomes Mayor Dale Fowler". Harrisburg Register – via NewsBank.
  7. ↑ Sternberg, Jon (May 1, 2015). "Mayor, commissioners sworn into office". Harrisburg Register – via NewsBank.
  8. ↑ Allen, Evie (November 16, 2016). "Harrisburg looks at having new mayor after Folwer resigns". WSIL TV. Archived from the original on November 28, 2016. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  9. ↑ Miller, Rich (December 3, 2018). "Pritzker transition announces Job Creation and Economic Opportunity Committee". Capitol Fax. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Illinois General Assembly - Senator Biography". www.ilga.gov. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  11. ↑ Parker, Molly (May 27, 2026). "State Sen. Dale Fowler says he'll step down at end of legislative session". Capitol News Illinois. Retrieved June 4, 2026.
  12. ↑ Lerner, Leah (June 2, 2026). "Former State Senator Dale Fowler Begins New Chapter as President of University Correctional Healthcare Solutions". WSIU. Retrieved June 2, 2026.
  13. ↑ Wilcoxen, Paul; Lionberger, Mackenzie; Anglin, Bryce (June 18, 2026). "GOP leaders appoint Jacobs to vacant Illinois Senate seat". WPSD Local 6. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Dale Fowler".
  15. ↑ "Dale Fowler".
  16. ↑ "Dale Fowler".