Mark Costello (born October 24, 1961) is the Iowa State Senator from the
8th District.
A
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
, he has served in the
Iowa Senate
The Iowa Senate is the upper house of the Iowa General Assembly, United States. There are 50 seats in the Iowa Senate, representing 50 single-member districts across the state of Iowa with populations of approximately 60,927 per constituency, . ...
since being elected in 2014. He had also previously served in the
Iowa House of Representatives
The Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly, the upper house being the Iowa Senate. There are 100 seats in the Iowa House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state, formed ...
from 2013–2014.
Biography
Costello was born in
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest cit ...
but moved to
Imogene, Iowa
Imogene is a city in Fremont County, Iowa, United States. The population was 39 at the time of the 2020 census.
Geography
Imogene is located at (40.878715, -95.427688).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of ...
as a kid. He graduated from
Nishna Valley High School before going on to attend the
University of Northern Iowa
The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) is a public university in Cedar Falls, Iowa. UNI offers more than 90 majors across the colleges of Business Administration, Education, Humanities, Arts, and Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences and gr ...
, receiving a B.A. in computer information systems.
After college Costello worked five years as a computer analyst with Garst Seed Company based in
Coon Rapids before eventually returning to work on his family farm.
He and his wife Rachel were married in 2001. They have five children and currently reside on their family farm in
Mills County.
Iowa House of Representatives
Mark Costello (R-Imogene) was first elected to the Iowa House in 2012 representing the
23rd District.
Mark served as Vice Chair of the Iowa House Health & Human Resources Budget Subcommittee. His other committee assignments of the 85th General Assembly include Human Resources, State Government, Veterans Affairs, and Labor.
Iowa Senate
He won the December 30, 2014 special election to replace
Joni Ernst
Joni Kay Ernst (née Culver; born July 1, 1970) is an American former military officer and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Iowa since 2015. A member of the Republican Party, she previously served in the Iowa State Se ...
in the Iowa State Senate after she was elected to the
U.S. Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
. Ernst's predecessor in the 12th Senate district,
Kim Reynolds
Kimberly Kay Reynolds (née Strawn; born August 4, 1959) is an American politician serving as the 43rd governor of Iowa since 2017. A member of the Republican Party, Reynolds served as the 46th lieutenant governor of Iowa from 2011 to 2017.
B ...
, also went on to be elected statewide as Governor.
As of February 2020, Costello serves on the following committees: Ethics (Chair), Agriculture, Appropriations, Human Resources, and Veterans Affairs. He also serves on the Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee (Chair), as well as the Health Policy Oversight Committee, Administrative Rules Review Committee, and the Medical Assistance Advisory Council.
Electoral history
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Costello, Mark
University of Northern Iowa alumni
Republican Party members of the Iowa House of Representatives
Republican Party Iowa state senators
Living people
People from Fremont County, Iowa
Place of birth missing (living people)
1961 births
21st-century American politicians