Sharon Marko (born March 1953) is a former candidate for the
U.S. House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
from the Second District of
Minnesota. She ran for the
DFL party nomination, opposite
Coleen Rowley, but announced the end of her campaign after less than two months, saying she had entered the race too late and that her current duties in the
Minnesota Senate didn't leave her enough time to campaign.
Marko's exit left Rowley no significant competitors for the 2nd district DFL candidacy. Rowley won the candidacy, but lost the
general election
A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...
to two-term incumbent
Republican congressman
John Kline.
Marko entered the race on February 1, 2006, seven months later than her DFL rival, Rowley. Commenting on Rowley, Marko said "I've just noticed the occasional lack of professional ability.
She announced her withdrawal from the campaign on March 29.
Marko is a veteran local and state lawmaker. She spent three years on the
Clearwater, Minnesota, Clearwater city council, eight years in the
Minnesota House
The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower house of the Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. There are 134 members, twice as many as the Minnesota Senate. Floor sessions are held in the north wing of the State Capitol in Saint P ...
, and the past four years in the Minnesota Senate. She has held senior leadership positions in the Minnesota legislature.
Marko is married and has two children. She holds a BA from
Indiana University. She lives in
Surprise, Arizona
Surprise is a city in Maricopa County, in the U.S. state of Arizona. The population was 143,148 at the 2020 census, up from 117,517 in 2010 and just 30,848 in 2000.
The city has a Aquatics Center and Maricopa County's northwest regional libra ...
, where she served as mayor under her married name of Wolcott until she resigned in 2018 for personal reasons
External links
Marko to challenge Rowley in DFL primary Minnesota Public Radio.
Marko out of 2nd District congressional race Minnesota Public Radio.
Senator Sharon Marko (DFL) District 57 at Minnesota Senate website.
Living people
Democratic Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Democratic Party Minnesota state senators
Women state legislators in Minnesota
1953 births
Place of birth missing (living people)
21st-century American legislators
21st-century American women politicians
21st-century Minnesota politicians
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