Magnolia, AR – Magnolia City Councilmen Steve Crowell has announced he will be a Republican candidate for State Senate in district 3.  The district includes all of Clark, Columbia, Lafayette, and Nevada counties, and parts of Hempstead, Hot Spring, and Pike counties.

Raised on a dairy, hog, and crop farm in southwestern Minnesota, Crowell moved to Arkansas as a young adult.  As the head coach of Southern Arkansas University’s Trap Shooting Team, he has been instrumental in bringing shooting sports to the region.  Also an assistant coach for the Magnolia Schools Trap Team, he is a member of the Arkansas Gun Club Board.

Crowell manages SL Crowell Properties, which he owns with his wife Laura.  Since 2014, he has been an AAA Arkansas High School Football referee.  In December of 2020, he was honored with the offer to referee his first Arkansas High School Football Championship game.

“I’m running for State Senate because I believe our district deserves a Senator who will listen to what’s going on in our communities and who will work to solve the real issues in front of us,” said Crowell.  “Too many politicians are letting their egos and political rhetoric get in the way of real progress.  When that happens, Arkansan’s suffer.”

After living in Magnolia for only two years, Crowell was appointed to the City Planning Commission.  He was first elected to the City Council in 2014.  To date, he has served on the Magnolia Economic Development Board, Magnolia A&P Commission, severed multiple terms on the Magnolia Blossom Festival committee, and founded both the Magnolia Police Foundation and Magnolia Schools Trap Shooting Foundation.  While on the City Council, he leads the Police Commission and serves on the Finance Committee.

Additionally, he serves on the Magnolia Arts Board and is Vice-Chair of the Columbia County Republican Committee.  He and his wife have Emceed several community events through the years.

When asked what issues he plans to work on, Crowell said his top three were “fighting for Arkansas’ agricultural industry, creating more economic development in our region, and addressing the mental health crisis we are seeing across the country.”

“I believe we will see more economic growth and better paying jobs in South Arkansas when we start improving educational opportunity for students, provide true workforce and skills training for workers, invest in the right infrastructure and roads, and continue lowering the average persons tax burden,” continued Crowell.

Steve and Laura have 4 children and one grandchild.  They are members of First Baptist Church in Magnolia.  Since 2011, the family has built a yearly Christmas Light show at their home to bring Christmas cheer to the local community.  During the light show every year, they host over 5,500 visitors who walked through their more than 500,000 lights.  Additionally, Crowell volunteers to light Wilson Garden Park and Square Park in Magnolia each Christmas.  Every year, the family chooses a local or state non-profit to raise funds for, and to date, have raised more than $21,000 for programs focused on children and domestic abuse.