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Charlie Daniels (politician)

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Charlie Daniels
Arkansas State Auditor
In office
January 3, 2011 – January 13, 2015
GovernorMike Beebe
Preceded byJim Wood
Succeeded byAndrea Lea
Arkansas Secretary of State
In office
2003–2011
GovernorMike Huckabee
Mike Beebe
Preceded bySharon Priest
Succeeded byMark Martin
Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands
In office
1985–2003
GovernorBill Clinton
Jim Guy Tucker
Mike Huckabee
Preceded byW.J. "Bill" McCuen
Succeeded byMark Wilcox
Personal details
Born(1939-12-07)December 7, 1939
Parkers Chapel, Arkansas, U.S.
DiedJuly 9, 2023(2023-07-09) (aged 83)
Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpousePatricia Ann Burleson Daniels
ResidenceBryant, Arkansas

Charles L. Daniels (December 7, 1939 – July 9, 2023) was an American Democratic Party politician from Arkansas. He was the State Auditor of Arkansas from 2011 to 2015 and previously served as Arkansas Secretary of State, and as Commissioner of State Lands.

Early life and education

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Charlie Daniels was born in the Union County, Arkansas, community of Parkers Chapel, and grew up in El Dorado, Arkansas. He served in the United States Air Force and the Air Force Reserve. Daniels attended Southern Arkansas University, and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He began his political career as a member of the Parker's Chapel school board from 1972 to 1974. From 1974 to 1980, he served as Director of the Arkansas Department of Labor in the Cabinet of Governor David Pryor until 1979, and was retained in that post for another year under Governor Bill Clinton. He served as director of government affairs for the Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation from 1980 to 1984.[1]

Political career

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In 1984, he was elected as Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands, and was subsequently re-elected to four-year terms in 1986, 1990, 1994, and 1998. He was elected as the 32nd Arkansas Secretary of State in 2002, defeating the Republican Party nominee, Janet Huckabee, the wife of then-Governor Mike Huckabee, and was re-elected in 2006.[2]

In 2010, he ran for State Auditor, opposed only by Green Party candidate Mary Hughes-Willis. He won the election and took office in January 2011.

Daniels announced in 2013 that he would not seek re-election in the 2014 elections.[3] Hoping to succeed him were Republican State Representative Andrea Lea, Democrat Regina Stewart Hampton and Libertarian Brian Leach. Lea won the election and took office as the next State Auditor in January 2015.

Personal life and death

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A widower, he was married to Patricia Ann Burleson Daniels for 46 years. He had two children, four grandsons, two granddaughters and one great-grandson.

Daniels died in Little Rock on July 9, 2023, at the age of 83.[4][5]

References

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  1. ^ "Arkansas State Auditor | Home". Archived from the original on January 3, 2012. Retrieved January 28, 2012. Arkansas Auditor of State's biography
  2. ^ Arkansas Business Staff (May 6, 2013), After 28 Years in Elected Office, Charlie Daniels Won't Seek Re-Election, Little Rock, Arkansas: Arkansas Business Publishing Group {{citation}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  3. ^ "Max Brantley, Andrea Lea joins GOP race for state auditor, July 2, 2013". Arkansas Times. July 2, 2013. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  4. ^ "Arkansas Democrat Gazette".
  5. ^ "Arkansas political legend, longtime office holder, Charlie Daniels, dies". Talk Business. July 10, 2023. Retrieved July 10, 2023.

Notes

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Party political offices
Preceded by
Bill McCuen
Democratic nominee for Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands
1984, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998
Succeeded by
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Secretary of State of Arkansas
2002, 2006
Succeeded by
Pat O'Brien
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Arkansas State Auditor
2010
Succeeded by
Regina Stewart Hampton